Career Link

Retraining for Unemployed Individuals Due to Plant Closings/Layoffs

RACC offers educational benefits to residents of Berks County who are unemployed and meet certain criteria as outlined below. You must be all of these requirements to be eligible.

  1. Career LinkAt the time of being laid off, students must be either: (a) residents of Berks County, or (b) affected by a Berks County business or industry plant closing or layoff.
  2. Students may enroll for a maximum of one credit semester or two consecutive non-credit modules on a tuition-free basis. Students who are enrolling in a non-credit course or program designed to prepare them to return to the workplace, can receive a tuition waiver equivalent to the tuition charges for a full-time credit student. College staff will assist students in an attempt to secure the necessary financial aid to continue their education.
  3. Additional costs such as fees, textbooks and supplies must be paid by the student.
  4. Students must have been laid off, permanently or indefinitely, from a permanent, full-time position within 12 months prior to the time they make application for the program.
  5. Students must provide a letter from their former employer on company stationery, stating the actual lay-off date. This letter must also indicate that the former employee lost his/her job through no fault of his/her own, but due to the economic climate that currently exists.

Note: To receive the proper waiver for this policy, you must make an appointment with Dave Zimmerman, the CareerLink Specialist of Reading Area Community College, at either the Berks County CareerLink at 610-988-1304 or the RACC Admissions Office at 610-372-4721, ext. 5100.

CareerLink Six Step Job Search Program

If you are unemployed, or under employed, the CareerLink office can provide you with job search assistance. Visit the CareerLink Office at 501 Crescent Avenue in Reading, or contact the CareerLink Office at 610-988-1300. You can also visit the Pennsylvania CareerLink website (www.cwds.state.pa.us) for additional job-related assistance.

You may possibly qualify for training funding provided through the CareerLink office. RACC is one of numerous approved training providers in Berks County. Not all RACC programs are approved or qualify for this funding.