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Education & Training

Delgado Community College Adult Education (HiSET)

Delgado Community College offers an open enrollment, free program serving adults seeking their high school equivalency test (HiSET). Classes are offered at four different locations throughout the city as well as online.

All registrations are held at 9AM on the City Park Campus in Building 2, Room 108. Picture ID is required to graduate. Please contact 504-671-5434 for more information or visit the Delgado Community College website:  http://www.dcc.edu/adult-ed/

Applying for Federal Financial Aid

Federal student aid comes from the US Department of Education. This financial assistance is to be used to help students pay for educational expenses at a college, trade, or graduate school.  Money can be used for tuition, books, supplies, boarding, and other educational related expenses. There are three main categories of this aid:

Grants: Grant money does not usually have to be repaid. Most grants are based on student’s financial needs
Work-Study:  Work study money is earned by a student through a job on or near campus while attending school and does not have to be repaid.
Loan: Loan money is dispersed while students are in school, and is to be repaid with interest. Generally, loans have low fixed interest rates and have a variety of repayment options’ offering more benefits to the students than a traditional bank loan.

As a convicted felon, there are still financial aid options available to you. Some basic eligibility requirements are as follows:

Be a US citizen with a valid Social Security Number
Be enrolled at least part time as a student in an eligiable degree or certification program
Complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid(FAFSA) form
Be registered with Selective Service if you are a male (you must have registered between ages 18-25)

In the event you were incarcerated and/or did not register with the Selective Service, US Probation can still assist you to obtain a waiver that will allow you to apply for federal financial aid. Please contact your probation officer for more information.

For more information about eligibility, please visit:  StudentAid.gov/eligibility or call 1-800-4-FED-AID (1-800-433-33243). You may also contact Katherine Coates, Awareness and Outreach Specialist for more information about applying for financial aid as a convicted felon.

Area Colleges / Training Schools 

Blue Cliff College
www.bluecliffcollege.edu
(504) 456-3141
 
Delgado Community College
http://www.dcc.edu
(504) 671-5000
 
Dillard University
www.dillard.edu
(504) 283-8822
 
New Orleans Safe Driving School (CDL and Fork-Lift Training Course)
http://www.neworleanssafedrivingschool.net
(504) 821-5334
 
Nunez Community College
http://www.nunez.edu
(504) 278-6200
 
Southern University of New Orleans
www.suno.edu
(504) 286-5000
 
Tulane University
www.tulane.edu
504-865-5000
 
University of New Orleans
www.uno.edu
(504) 280-6000
 
Xavier University of New Orleans
www.xula.edu
(504) 486-4711
 
Goodwill’s Re-Entry Program

Provides newly released prisoners with training, and assistance with job placement. Students can choose from the following training programs:

Broadband Technology
Goodwill offers an array of specialized broadband courses to train individuals in a variety of connectivity technologies. Each course is 45 hours and offered at:
Goodwill Industries of Southeastern Louisiana, Inc.
Suite 1000 in New Orleans
Participants receive national certification upon completion of each course.

The 6 Industry Recognized Certification Programs are:

Telecommunications Technologies
Network Cabling Specialist—Copper
Network Cabling Specialist—Fiber Optic
Voice Communications Professional
Smart Home Professional—Audio/Visual
Smart Home Professional—Energy Management
Culinary Arts

Goodwill’s Culinary Arts Academy provides hope for the homeless and recently incarcerated through the accredited 8 to 12 week training program, which helps get homeless individuals off the streets and provides them with a second chance at employment and transition to self-sufficiency and economic independence. The program serves up a double dose of good by simultaneously providing 72,000 meals annually to individuals living in transitional housing. Goodwill places over 50% of its participants into jobs in the hotel/motel/restaurant industry.

START

Goodwill’s START program is nationally certified through the American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute (AHLEI)

START provides training for hospitality positions in the following:
Rooms and food and beverage divisions
Lodging operations, including front desk,
Reservations
Housekeeping
Bell services
Restaurant service, banquet setup, and more

Call the Goodwill Workforce Development Office at 504-456-2622 for more information about these programs

URBAN LEAGUE OF GREATER NEW ORLEANS
Job Assistance Program

Designed to assist unemployed and underemployed youth and adult Job seekers in the attainment of social skills, education, and job skills to increase their participation and retention in the workforce. Through our robust assessment tools, our workforce development team is able to recommend to JAP participants, training required for proficiency in the “best matched” careers and occupations in the in-demand industries such as: construction, technology, healthcare, manufacturing, food services, etc. These services are also provided in Terrebonne Parish (Houma).

Suites for Hire Mentoring Program

Provides mentoring services for urban youth ages 17 to 24 and adults ages 18 and above that is particularly vulnerable to disengagement from school, community, and the world of work. The Suites for Hire Programs serve approximately 250 youth and adults annually. Program participants are provided with professional dress attire for workplace, one-one-one, group, and/or service based mentoring, navigational and life skills, community reintegration strategies, family support and unification services, academic and social enrichment workshops, restorative justice and community service projects.

Training to Work (T2W)

Training to Work Program offers workforce development and training services for 36-months to 120 previously incarcerated individuals so that they can successfully re-enter the labor market. This program takes a “skills-based” training approach tailored to the needs of employers and clients, supporting individuals through the attainment of industry-recognized credentials, graduate equivalency diploma, and the pursuit of higher education. Additionally, this program provides participants with support services up to six months prior to their release from a work-release program, during their entire T2W engagement, and up to 9 months of post-program follow-up.

Urban Youth Empowerment Program WORKS (UYEP WORKS)

The UYEP Program WORKS provides 100 at-risk youth and young adults’ ages 18 to 24 with six-key youth development tenets designed to prepare program participants to compete for employment. These tenets consist of :

1) Education – youth have the option to attain a high school diploma or GED
2) Training- participants will have an opportunity to prepare for over 20 occupations in the high-demand sectors
3) On-going Case Management – assist participants in the development of career and education goals, provide workforce fundamental (soft skills) and financial literacy training, counseling regarding criminal records, civil rights, job search assistance, etc.
4) One-on-One or Group Mentoring
5) Restorative Justice Projects – participants will have an opportunity to give something back to make up for past transgressions, and
6) Community-Wide Efforts to reduce crime and violence.
 
All workforce programs are designed to prepare job seekers to compete in the in-demand occupations such as construction and building trades, technology, manufacturing, healthcare, and food services.
To reach the Urban League, call 1-855-620-9640 or send an email to workforce@ulgno.com. The email should include name, phone number, and your most recent employer.