If you are based in California you may be eligible to get reimbursed for the majority of training costs.
The Employment Training Panel (ETP) is a business and labor supported state agency that assists employers in strengthening their competitive edge by providing funds to off-set the costs of job skills training necessary to maintain high-performance workplaces. ETP is governed by a 7 member panel appointed by the Governor and the Assembly and Senate leadership.
The ETP program is performance-based, providing funds for trainees who successfully complete training and are retained in well-paying jobs for a specific period of time.
The program is funded by the Employment Training Tax paid by California employers, and targets firms threatened by out-of-state and international competition.
Since its inception in 1982, the ETP program has provided hundreds of thousands of workers and 80,000 California companies (2012 numbers)
Employers match training funds awarded by ETP for training existing workers, making these projects true public-private partnerships.
ETP also funds training for unemployed workers.
ETP prioritizes small businesses and employers in high unemployment areas of the State.
The program serves as the State’s premier economic development tool, encouraging many companies to locate or expand in California with the assistance of ETP’s job training funds.
Independent research has documented a return on investment of over $5 for every $1 in ETP funds spent on training.