Vocational education and training is any formalized training program that prepares individuals for current or emerging occupations. This training must lead to a certificate, license, or degree.
A Temporary Assistance (TA) recipient can only count this activity toward their work participation requirements for a lifetime limit of 12 calendar months. They can participate in a Vocational Education and Training work activity past the 12 calendar months; they just need to meet their work participation requirements in other activities.
This is a core activity for TA recipients, but can also be used to meet non-core hourly requirements.
Countable hours for Vocational Education and Training include:
- Assessment to determine if the recipient is able to participate in the educational or training activity:
- Vocational schools
- Trade schools
- Community college programs required for specific occupations
- Proprietary schools
- Remedial or basic education provided as a component of a vocational certificate, license or degree
- Limited English Proficiency (LEP) provided as a component of or requirement for a vocational certificate, license or degree
- Distance learning
- Baccalaureate degrees
- Advanced degrees
- Industry skills certifications
- One hour of unsupervised study time for each hour of class time for all programs except remedial or basic education and LEP
- Supervised study time for all programs
NOTE: Limited English Proficiency (LEP) and remedial and basic education is counted as Vocational Education and Training only if these activities are clearly required by a student evaluation stating they are necessary to complete the required vocational coursework, or to become employable in that course of study. The LEP and/or remedial or basic education should either accompany the regularly required coursework, or be available during a summer or other “interim” session between regular terms. The LEP requirement must be embedded in the student’s required coursework.
The training provider must be approved by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE). In rare cases, these criteria may be waived on a case-by-case basis. This can occur when a training provider is in the process of becoming an approved entity or when there is no approved provider in the area and another acceptable, but not approved program is available. Providers are encouraged to obtain the necessary approval by DESE.
The Individual Employment Plan (IEP) documents the need for training. Training is approved only in growing and/or stable occupations directly linked to employment opportunities. The Missouri Economic Research and Information Center (MERIC) website at www.missourieconomy.org contains Occupational Employment Projections to help locate stable and/or growing occupations. When training is requested in an occupation that is in a declining field, the training is approved only if the recipient has a letter from a company that states they intend to hire the recipient upon completion of the training.