OCStudent Affairs: Funding & Resources - State Workforce Grants

BFET

The Basic Food Employment and Training (BFET) program provides grant aid to Olympic College students receiving federal Basic Food Assistance (SNAP/EBT)Links to an external site. from the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS)Links to an external site..

The Basic Food, Employment and Training (BFET) Program offers financial and case management support to students receiving Basic Food Benefits (EBT Card). The primary function of the BFET program at Olympic College is to ensure eligible students continue receiving vital services such as Basic Food Assistance and Childcare Subsidy while completing a program of study with the goal of future employment. Financial support is available for tuition, books, and supplies. Additional financial support may be available for emergency needs.

Students may qualify for BFET support if they:

Are receiving or are eligible to receive Basic Food Assistance (SNAP/EBT card/Food benefits) from DSHS
Are not receiving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) from DSHS
Enrollment in courses with the intent to begin employment upon completion.
- Transitional Studies, including ESL, HS21+, and GED
- Professional/Technical programs including AAT, AAS, CP, CC, CA, AAST, AST-2/MRP, AB-DTA/MRP,APN-DTA/MRP
Enrolled in Olympic College in required classes toward the declared major.

Students can complete an application or schedule an appointment on the BFET webpage. Links to an external site.

Students can take a short, free survey to reveal additional funding programs that match their needs: StartNextQuarter.org (Links to an external site.)

The StartNextQuarter.org link (above) will let the student know if they qualify for BFET, WorkFirst, Worker Retraining or Opportunity Grant funding.

Email: bfet@olympic.edu Phone: 360-475-7231 Location: Bremerton Campus, Building 4, Room 207

BFET Staff for Bremerton, Shelton, and Poulsbo campuses
Tracee Costa, BFET Specialist
Odessa Kawai, BFET Director

WorkFirst

The WorkFirst program provides financial assistance to qualified parents on public assistance through the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) Program. The program provides

Financial aid for any of the Professional-Technical Programs aimed at skill enhancement and wage progression
Transitional Studies (Adult Basic Education, GED, High School+, ESOL) classes
Integrated Basic Education and Skills Training (I-BEST)
Student Success classes
Continuing Education classes such as Computers, Forklift and Flagger Training, and WorkFirst WorkStudy opportunities are other potential options.

WorkFirst participants who are currently on TANF may be eligible for the following services:

Financial assistance for tuition, fees, and books for professional-technical programs and basic skills training
Referral to Working Connections Childcare for childcare while in school or studying
Payment of Accuplacer testing fees, certificate fees, and graduation fees
Funds for support services such as clothing, emergency cost, hygiene, medical, testing, tools & supplies, and transportation.

Please refer to Olympic College Professional-Technical Programs. See “Degrees and Certificates” section in the course catalog. New and updated programs are added throughout the year.

Faculty: This link will let the student know if they qualify for in the BFET, WorkFirst, Worker Retraining or Opportunity Grant funding programs StartNextQuarter.orgLinks to an external site.

Contact Information for WorkFirst Team

workfirst@olympic.edu

on the Olympic College website at WorkFirstLinks to an external site.

Links to an external site.WorkFirst - Kitsap
Bremerton Campus, Bldg. 4, Rm. 208
360 475-7166
WorkFirst - Mason
Shelton Campus, Bldg. S2, Rm. 114
360-432-5400

WorkFirst Transition Coordinators
Bremerton Campus (Kitsap County): Pauline Carlton, pcarlton@olympic.edu, 360-475-7846
Shelton Campus (Mason County): Dianna Peck, dpeck@olympic.edu, 360-432-5423
Transitional Studies (Mason & Kitsap): Amanda Piesik, apiesik@olympic.edu, 360-475-7551

Worker Retraining

Worker Retraining funding may be able to pay for tuition, books, supplies, transportation, childcare, and more for eligible students. Students must be enrolled in a professional-technical program and meet one of the following criteria to be eligible:

Qualified for or collected Washington State Unemployment Insurance (UI Benefits) in the last 48 months
Received a Lay-Off notice
Discharged Veteran within the last 48 months
Active-duty military who has received an official separation notice
Currently working but in need of upgraded skills or certification in order to keep your job
Displaced homemaker- Dependent on another person's income and now that income is gone.
Self-employed and now un-employed
Disaster-impacted worker

Qualified students may receive initial assistance which can be applied to one of the professional-technical programs. Worker Retraining students may also be allowed to collect unemployment benefits while attending Olympic College professional-technical degree or certificate programs if approved by the Employment Security Department.

More information on the Worker Retraining ProgramLinks to an external site. is available on the OC website.

Students can take a short, free survey to reveal additional funding programs that match their needs: StartNextQuarter.org (Links to an external site.)

The StartNextQuarter.org link (above) will let the student know if they qualify for BFET, WorkFirst, Worker Retraining or Opportunity Grant funding.

Email: ocworkerretraining@olympic.edu

Phone: 360-475-7849 (Bremerton Campus) and 360-432-5423 (Shelton Campus)