Unemployed?

Go back to school and get back to work.
With increased unemployment and fewer job opportunities, now is a good time to consider going to college—especially if you are out of work.  As the state’s largest provider of affordable career training, the California Community Colleges can quickly retrain you to work in jobs that provide good wages and benefits.

Community colleges offer you hundreds of opportunities in growing fields such as green technology, advanced manufacturing, health care, computer science, electronics, biotechnology, and police and fire science.  Many colleges also offer short-term programs with hands-on training that can lead to immediate employment.

Where do I start?
As a first step, visit californiacommunitycolleges.cccco.edu and click on “Find a Program” to see which campuses provide the career training you want.

If you are receiving unemployment benefits, contact your local One Stop Career Center before registering for classes to make sure your benefits will continue while you are enrolled in community college. One Stop Career Center locations can be found at servicelocator.org.

How do I pay for college?
Financial aid is available year-round to help cover the cost of community college fees, books, supplies, and sometimes even rent. There are many different types of financial aid, including grants, scholarships and fee waivers which don’t have to be repaid and loans which must be paid back.  To determine what types of aid and how much you qualify for, complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

If your income has changed because you have lost your job, talk to your financial aid office so they can take that into consideration when determining your award amount.  Contact information for your local financial aid office can be found by entering your zip code in the “Get Help Now” box on the upper left-hand corner of this page.