Work Base Learning Program (WBL)

Workforce Solutions offers the Work Base Learning program for in-school and out-of-school youth between the ages of 16-24. The program is for young adults with challenges and who need help obtaining work experience. The program provides students with opportunities to learn technical, academic, and employability skills by working in a real-work environment. You may ask yourself, what qualifies as a challenge?

Challenges can be any of the following:

1. Homeless runaway youth
2. Foster care or aged-out Foster Care
3. Pregnant or parenting youth
4. Ex-offender
5. Has a disability, including a learning disability
6. School dropout
7. Lacks a significant work history and needs additional assistance to secure and retain employment (a youth who has not worked for the same employer fully or part-time for a minimum of 3 out of the last 12 months)
8. A youth determined by a public or private agency as requiring additional assistance to complete an educational program or to secure and retain employment
9. A dependent member of a single-parent family
10. Failed the STARR Test
11. Basic skills deficient (Has to be TABE tested and score below 9.0 level)

The Work Base Learning program consists of a total of 240 hours and is broken down into 30 hours a week. The program begins with completing an initial assessment with a career advisor at your local Workforce Solutions career office. During the initial assessment, the career advisor will give an overview of the program and answer any questions. The next step will be to complete a financial aid application on our website at www.wrksolutions.com. The final step is waiting up to 10 days for eligibility status. Once deemed eligible, a Work Base Learning representative will contact you, and your journey will begin.

The Work Base Learning program is a gateway program that can lead to other programs, such as Scholarships for Training or On-the-Job Training. Workforce Solutions has numerous available resources. Please take the time and ask a career advisor at your local Workforce Solution office for more details.

Sandy Porter is an Income Now Navigator for Workforce Solutions in the Houston – Galveston area. Sandy brings over 10 years of experience to the team in case management, resume writing, interviewing skills, recruiting, and career counseling. She is currently working with job seekers who are impacted with homelessness throughout the 13 counties Gulf Coast region. Sandy’s passion is to guide job seekers to reach their full potential by removing obstacles and tailoring strategies in today’s labor market. Before embarking on a career in workforce development, Sandy has achieved success as a case manager and career counselor with the Department of Family & Protective Services and various non-profit organizations. Sandy holds a B.A. degree from Houston Christian University.