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Workforce Development

Workforce Development Student Expectations

Last updated: October 2026

It is the student’s responsibility to know and understand the Workforce Development expectations and guidelines listed below.

Funding Expectations:

  • Students must meet eligibility requirements for WFD funding and services as determined by the WFD office.
  • WFD funding is never guaranteed.
  • Funding assistance is based on the availability of funds and is approved on a quarter-by-quarter basis.
  • Funding policies and processes are subject to change without notice.
  • WFD staff follow federal, state, local, and institutional policies when determining eligibility and approving funds.
  • WFD-eligible students are required to complete the current year’s FAFSA or WASFA application.

Students who do not complete their financial aid application and all required financial aid documents within the initial quarter of requesting WFD funding may not be eligible for future WFD funding.

  • Students must be in good standing to receive WFD funding: must not be on financial aid suspension or in student loan default.
  • If a student withdraws or vanishes from classes, is placed on financial aid suspension, or enters student loan default, any WFD funds disbursed on the student’s behalf may be returned to the funding source.
  • Students who are blocked from registering for classes due to college overage charges must pay their charges out of pocket; such as library fines, daycare fines, etc.
  • Bookstore accounts and funding requests will be pre-approved by the WFD staff within grant regulations, and the actual funding will be awarded and disbursed through Student Aid & Scholarship office.
  • Books, tools, kits, and uniforms are limited to items marked as REQUIRED for the current quarter on the college bookstore website. All requests from previous or future quarters will not be awarded.
  • Students may be required to submit their course syllabus, instructor-signed tool list, receipts, or other documentation to support funding requests.
  • Items purchased prior to WFD funding approval are not eligible for reimbursements.
  • Classes not included on the student’s educational Pathway Plan are not eligible for WFD funding.
  • WFD does not guarantee payment for repeated courses that have been previously funded through WFD resources.
  • Failure to follow WFD funding guidelines or provide requested documentation may result in a review of eligibility, loss of future funding, and/or repayment of funds.

Academic Planning:

  • Students are responsible for their academic success and are expected to participate in all required in-person, online, and hybrid schedules.
  • Students are expected to follow their Education Plan. It is their responsibility to consult Advising & Counseling or the WFD Counselor to ensure they remain on track toward program completion.
  • Students must notify the WFD office of any schedule changes, withdrawals, or program changes at any time during the quarter; as these changes may increase or decrease their WFD funding requests.
  • Low attendance may result in being withdrawn from classes, which could negatively impact future financial aid eligibility, lead to financial aid suspension, and affect student loan repayment status.
  • Students who need to withdraw from classes are responsible for completing the official withdrawal process through Enrollment Services and complying with all applicable college deadlines and requirements.
  • Students must maintain satisfactory academic progress (SAP) as defined by the Student Aid & Scholarship office with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0, unless a higher GPA is required by their academic program. Failure to maintain SAP and required GPA may affect future WFD funding eligibility.
  • Email is the preferred method of communication used by the WFD office. Students are responsible for regularly reviewing their email for information and updates.

Worker Retraining specific:

  • Worker Retraining funding assistance is generally awarded for one quarter. It is the student’s responsibility to identify alternate funding sources for future quarters. Students should contact the WFD office each quarter to determine whether they may qualify for additional assistance, which will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

Opportunity Grant specific:

  • To be eligible for Opportunity Grant (OG), students must be a Washington state resident, enrolled in an OG-approved program, maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0, meet family income requirements, be in good standing with financial aid, and have available financial aid need.
  • Eligible students may receive a maximum of 45 college-level credits through OG funding. Eligibility is limited to three (3) years from the initial date of receiving the grant and includes credits and time used at previous 2-year state community and technical colleges.

BFET Grant specific:

  • The goal of completing a training program is employment.
  • BFET students are expected to graduate from CPTC with a Certificate or Associate Degree, and attest that they will be capable of working 20 hours a week within one year of enrollment in the BFET program.
  • BFET students must be eligible and on the approved BFET EJAS caseload before they are eligible to receive any WFD funding assistance.
  • BFET students must agree to submit monthly progress reports. Students who do not submit these forms within 2-months (60-days) will be removed from the WFD caseload for non-compliance and will remain closed for the remainder of the quarter.

WorkFirst specific:

  • WorkFirst student absences will be reported to DSHS whether excused or unexcused.
  • WorkFirst students are required to submit weekly attendance forms to remain in compliance with DSHS and WorkFirst program requirements. Students who do not submit these forms for three consecutive weeks will receive an immediate notification to their DSHS caseworker for non-participation. Continued failure to submit weekly attendance forms may be referred back to DSHS for the remainder of the quarter. If referred back, DSHS may require a Good Cause Hearing, case staffing, and/or possible sanction of benefits.
  • Repeated and multiple absences throughout the quarter may also result in an immediate notification to DSHS.
  • WorkFirst students who falsify hours on their weekly attendance forms may be immediately referred back to their DSHS caseworker. They also may be required to resubmit their weekly attendance forms with accurate hours. WFD reserves the right to reach out to the student’s instructor to verify actual hours.

Appeal Process:

WFD students may request an appeal for decisions determined through all WFD Eligibility policies and guidelines by providing supporting documentation for review by the Associate Director of WFD Eligibility or Director of Workforce Development, who will issue the final decision.

Workforce Development reserves the right to make exceptions to the policies listed above. Exceptions may be made on a case-by-case basis and will be made in writing via email from the Associate Director of WFD Eligibility or the Director of Workforce Development.

WFD 10/2026