Top 10 WA Worker Retraining Programs: Approved Training Options (2026)

Table of Contents

• Your career go-bag
• Software Development & Coding
• Cybersecurity & IT Networking
• Registered Nursing
• Advanced Manufacturing (CNC & Robotics)
• CDL / Heavy Truck Driving
• HVAC
• Welding & Advanced Fabrication
• Medical Assisting
• Dental Assisting
• Business & Office Administration
• How to use this Top 10
• Frequently Asked Questions

Software Development & Coding

On that mental packing list, software development often shows up as the compact multi-tool: small enough to fit around a busy life, but powerful enough to handle a lot of different emergencies. In Washington, roles like software developer and web developer show roughly 13-30% projected growth depending on specialization, and early to mid-career salaries commonly start around $67,700+, with experienced engineers at larger employers earning $129,000+. National trends in the Bureau of Labor Statistics fastest-growing occupations tables back up what you already feel when you look at job boards: coding skills are still in high demand, especially when they’re tied to real projects and current tools.

Training weight and pathways

From a “how heavy is this in my bag?” perspective, coding offers a rare mix of options. Shorter certificates and bootcamps can run about 3-9 months, focused on job-ready stacks like JavaScript, React, or Python and helping you build a portfolio quickly. Associate in Applied Science (AAS) programs at community and technical colleges are more like a full-sized toolkit - about 2 years of full-time study including general education and computer science fundamentals. Policy leaders in Washington have tried to make sure these aren’t dead-end routes but steps on a longer path. As one program administrator put it in a statewide case study,

“Worker Retraining is a pathway to college credit and industry credentials, not just a short-term fix.” - Becky Wood, Program Administrator, State Board for Community and Technical Colleges

Where software training fits into Worker Retraining

Within Washington’s Worker Retraining system, software development shows up again and again because it checks so many boxes: high demand, strong wage potential, and options that don’t require you to be in a classroom all day. Approved providers range from community colleges like Bellevue and North Seattle to private career schools. One of those private schools, Nucamp, is officially approved for Worker Retraining and can cover up to 80% of tuition for eligible Washington residents, leaving students to pay $100 per month for 5 months (a total of $500 out-of-pocket) for specific programs. Nucamp’s eligible tracks include Web Development Fundamentals + Full Stack & Mobile Development + Job Hunting, Back End with SQL and Python + Job Hunting, and Cybersecurity Fundamentals + Job Hunting. All are delivered 100% online with weekly live workshops capped at 15 students, which can matter if you’re juggling caregiving or a long commute. Veterans discharged within 48 months can use Worker Retraining for these bootcamps as well, though Nucamp does not qualify for GI Bill benefits that require full-time or in-person training. As with every option in this guide, access to funding depends on your eligibility and current dollars in the system - something a Workforce Education or WorkSource advisor can help you check.

Lightweight vs. heavier options in coding

Choosing between these is a lot like deciding whether your go-bag gets a compact multi-tool or a full toolbox. A shorter, part-time bootcamp is lighter: you can often keep working part-time or caring for family while you move steadily toward entry-level roles like junior web developer or QA engineer. A two-year degree takes up more space in your life now but can open doors to a wider range of software engineering roles later. Either way, your day-to-day work is largely desk-based problem-solving, with strong potential for remote or hybrid positions once you’re established. If you’re someone who likes puzzles, can commit to consistent weekly study, and needs a path that can adapt if the job market shifts again, software development can be a smart choice to pack - especially when paired with support from programs like Worker Retraining, which were built to make exactly this kind of pivot more realistic.

Cybersecurity & IT Networking

Cybersecurity and IT networking sit in your mental go-bag like a serious emergency radio: a bit heavier and more specialized than a flashlight, but the thing everyone is grateful for when the storm really hits. In Washington, information security and related roles are projected to grow around 29%, and median pay for information security analysts is roughly $124,910, reflecting how urgently employers need people who can keep networks and data safe. That demand shows up in state “high-demand” lists and in national tables of fast-growing occupations, where security and related IT jobs consistently rank near the top.

How heavy this path is in your life

In terms of weight in your schedule, cybersecurity and networking training usually fall in the middle of the pack. Many certificate programs and bootcamps run about 6-18 months, focused on hands-on labs, networking fundamentals, and preparation for industry certifications like CompTIA Network+ and Security+. Associate degrees in networking or cybersecurity typically take about 2 years full time and add deeper operating systems, scripting, and enterprise architecture. Compared with a four-year degree, that’s a lighter lift; compared with a 4-8 week CDL, it’s more of a commitment. The day-to-day work later on is often desk-based but fast-paced: monitoring alerts, troubleshooting outages, and documenting incidents. If you like puzzles, logs, and patterns more than building software from scratch, this may be a better fit than pure coding.

Worker Retraining options for cyber and networking

Within Washington’s Worker Retraining system, cybersecurity and IT networking are flagged as critical high-demand areas because they serve tech companies, hospitals, utilities, and public agencies alike. Community and technical colleges such as Bates Technical College and Lake Washington Institute of Technology offer lab-heavy programs in networking and security, often highlighted in independent rankings of Washington certificate programs for their employer alignment. Nucamp sits alongside those colleges as an approved Private Career School: eligible Worker Retraining students can receive up to 80% tuition assistance for its Cybersecurity Fundamentals + Job Hunting bootcamp, paying about $100 a month for 5 months (a total of $500) while state funds cover the rest. The program is 100% online with weekly live workshops capped at 15 students, which can matter if you’re in a rural area, managing health conditions, or tied to a tight childcare window. Veterans discharged within 48 months can use Worker Retraining for this training as well, though Nucamp’s format does not meet GI Bill requirements. As always, funding depends on both your eligibility and whether dollars are available that term, so a quick conversation with a Workforce Education office or WorkSource advisor is essential.

Who this protects - and how it holds up in aftershocks

Cybersecurity and IT networking are built to protect more than systems; they can also protect you from some of the harsher aftershocks of automation, because you become the person configuring and defending the tools that other jobs rely on. This path can be a strong match if you need mostly indoor, cognitive work, can handle occasional on-call or off-hours shifts, and are willing to keep learning as threats and technologies evolve. Training providers emphasize that programs are shaped by employer demand; as one Washington college leader noted about workforce programs overall,

“Businesses increasingly drive the menu of training, making programs highly responsive to regional economic changes.” - Mike Nielsen, Director, Green River College

Registered Nursing

If software was the compact multi-tool in your career go-bag, registered nursing is the full professional first-aid kit: heavier, more specialized, and something whole communities rely on when things go wrong. In Washington, registered nurses sit near the top of in-demand job lists, with about 18% projected growth and typical salaries in the $90,000 to $130,000 range depending on experience, setting, and shift differentials. It’s one of the clearest paths to a living-wage, license-based career - but it also takes up more space in your life than almost anything else in this guide.

How heavy nursing is in your go-bag

Before you ever put on scrubs, there’s usually a stack of prerequisites: anatomy, physiology, sometimes chemistry and psychology. For many Worker Retraining students, those courses alone take 6-12 months, often squeezed in around part-time work and family duties. The core nursing program - typically an Associate in Applied Science-Transfer (AAS-T) in Nursing - is about 2 years of tightly structured study and clinical rotations. Clinical days often start before dawn, and programs have strict attendance policies because patient safety is on the line. On top of that, nursing is physically and emotionally demanding: long hours on your feet, lifting, infection-control protocols, and regular exposure to trauma and grief. If you’re deciding what “weight” you can carry, it’s important to be honest about your health, energy, and support system, not just your interest in helping people.

Where Worker Retraining fits into nursing

In Washington’s system, nursing is treated as a flagship high-demand pathway, so many colleges try to pair it with Worker Retraining, WIOA, and state grant funding whenever possible. Schools like Bellevue College, Seattle Colleges, and Bates Technical College all offer nursing or pre-nursing tracks that may be eligible for Worker Retraining support if you meet criteria such as recent unemployment or layoff. The Seattle Colleges Worker Retraining page notes that funding can help cover tuition, fees, and sometimes books for qualifying health-care students, but it also makes clear that support is not automatic and seats in nursing cohorts are limited. Most people start in a pre-nursing or health-care foundations track, work with a Workforce Education advisor to piece together funding, and then apply competitively to the nursing program once prerequisites are done. That means timing matters: which quarter you start, whether funding is open that term, and how quickly you can move through your pre-reqs all affect how realistic this path feels.

Who this path is built to protect

Nursing can be a good fit if you’re drawn to direct patient care, can tolerate fast-paced and sometimes chaotic environments, and want a credential that’s portable across regions. A registered nursing license can move with you within Washington and, with the right compacts or endorsements, to other states as well. Many hospital systems offer union protections, differentials for nights and weekends, and tuition support if you later pursue a BSN or advanced practice role. In your career go-bag, RN training is the oversized, professional kit that crowds out some other items for a few years - but once it’s there, it gives you and your family a strong measure of stability in almost any economic storm. The key is making sure you’re ready for its weight - time, emotion, physical strain - before you decide it’s the item you’ll carry.

Advanced Manufacturing (CNC & Robotics)

Advanced manufacturing - CNC machining, mechatronics, robotics - is like packing a sturdy multitool with a built-in headlamp into your career go-bag: part hands-on hardware, part digital precision. In Washington, this work underpins aerospace, maritime, and clean-energy production, and the broader manufacturing sector is projected to grow about 12.8% through 2032. Skilled roles such as CNC machinist, mechatronics technician, and industrial maintenance mechanic often land in the $60,000-$95,000 range once you’re established, which is why efforts like the Washington Roundtable’s Skill Up initiative highlight manufacturing as a source of good jobs for people without a four-year degree.

How heavy this path feels in your schedule

On the weight scale, advanced manufacturing sits between shorter licenses and multi-year degrees. Many colleges offer focused certificates in CNC, mechatronics, or robotics that take around 9-12 months, with full-time, shop-based classes in technical math, blueprint reading, machine operation, and basic programming. If you choose an Associate in Applied Science degree, you’re usually looking at about 18-24 months of study that layers on more automation, controls, and sometimes leadership or quality coursework. A common strategy is to complete a one-year certificate, start earning in an entry-level role, and then return part time to finish the degree once the most urgent financial pressure has eased - spreading the weight over a longer stretch instead of carrying it all at once.

Worker Retraining options and examples in Washington

Because these jobs are clearly tied to regional employers, advanced manufacturing programs show up frequently on Worker Retraining lists. At Clover Park Technical College, for example, advanced manufacturing and related trades are highlighted on the college’s Worker Retraining information page, where eligible students can get help with tuition, fees, and sometimes books. Lake Washington Institute of Technology offers machining and manufacturing pathways that appear in independent rankings of strong Washington certificate programs, and Orion Industries combines real aerospace and manufacturing work with training, often supporting people who need extra help re-entering the workforce. Funding, though, depends on details like your unemployment status, income, and the quarter you apply; as with other fields, you and a Workforce Education advisor need to confirm what’s actually available before you count on it.

Who this path is designed to protect

This route tends to fit you if you like seeing and touching what you build, are comfortable around machinery and safety rules, and don’t mind industrial environments with noise, shifts, and protective gear. The work blends physical effort with problem-solving at a control panel or computer, which can be a good match if purely desk-based jobs leave you restless but heavy lifting all day isn’t realistic. In your go-bag, advanced manufacturing is that durable multitool-plus-headlamp: it asks for a solid block of training time and a tolerance for factory floors, but in return it can illuminate a stable, well-paid niche in an industry that’s evolving toward more automation - with you running and maintaining the systems, not being replaced by them.

CDL / Heavy Truck Driving

On the spectrum of things you could pack in your career go-bag, a Commercial Driver’s License is like lacing up a pair of sturdy work boots: not delicate, not glamorous, but built to get you moving again fast. If you’re watching the weeks tick by on your unemployment benefits, that matters. CDL training is one of the shortest routes on this list, with many programs running about 4-8 weeks full time, and typical earnings around $55,000 to $85,000+ once you’re on the road, depending on your route, endorsements, and employer. Demand stays high because no matter what’s happening in the economy, groceries, building materials, and medical supplies still have to move.

How heavy CDL training is in your life

In pure time, this is one of the lightest items you can pack: a month or two of focused, often daytime training in vehicle inspection, backing maneuvers, shifting, safety regulations, and road skills. The weight comes from intensity and logistics. Most programs expect you on the range or in the classroom five days a week, which can be tough if you’re juggling childcare or a part-time job. After training, the job itself has its own physical and lifestyle demands: long hours sitting, climbing in and out of cabs, handling freight in some roles, and for many new drivers, spending nights away from home before you work your way into more local routes. If you’re someone who prefers routine, doesn’t mind solitude, and can pass the required medical exam, this may be one of the fastest ways to get a solid paycheck back into your household.

Worker Retraining and CDL providers in Washington

Because trucking supports construction, ports, and supply chains statewide, CDL programs are a frequent partner for Worker Retraining and WIOA funding. Public options such as South Seattle College’s transportation programs and Bates Technical College’s commercial truck driving courses often work directly with college Workforce Education offices to connect eligible students to tuition help. At Bates, for example, CDL and other high-demand technical programs are listed on the college’s Worker Retraining information page, where qualifying students can get assistance not just with tuition but sometimes with books and required gear. Private truck schools across Washington may also coordinate with workforce funding, though details vary; some rely more on employer sponsorships or loans. In every case, funding depends on your specific status (recently laid off, receiving or exhausted unemployment benefits, income level) and on whether money is available that quarter, so it’s important not to assume coverage until you’ve spoken with an advisor.

Who this path is designed to protect

CDL training can be a strong fit if the emergency you’re facing is mainly about income speed: you need to be employable in weeks, not years. It’s also one of the few options where your work can start almost immediately after you pass a state skills test. On the other hand, if you have back problems, caregiving responsibilities that keep you close to home, or anxiety about winter driving and mountain passes, the weight of the lifestyle might be more than your current situation can carry. Thinking of it as a pair of boots can help: for some, they’re exactly what you need to start walking out of this moment; for others, they’re the wrong size, even if they’re clearly built to last.

HVAC

HVAC - heating, ventilation, and air conditioning - is the all-weather jacket in your career go-bag: not the flashiest item, but the one people grab first when the temperature swings. In Washington, demand for HVAC technicians is driven by steady construction, retrofits of older buildings, and the push toward more efficient, cleaner energy systems. Typical earnings land around $55,000 to $90,000, with higher pay for techs who handle commercial systems, refrigeration, or on-call work. Pathways like HVAC are highlighted in Washington career planning tools from groups such as Ready Washington’s “Choose Your Future” poster, which features skilled trades as solid options that don’t require a four-year degree.

How heavy HVAC training is in your life

In terms of weight on your calendar, HVAC sits in the middle of the pack. Many certificate programs are about 9 months of mostly daytime, hands-on training in electrical basics, refrigeration cycles, system installation, and troubleshooting. Associate in Applied Science degrees stretch to around 2 years, adding more theory, controls, and sometimes small-business or customer-service skills. It’s very much a physical trade: you’re lifting equipment, climbing ladders, crawling into attics or crawlspaces, and working in hot attics in August and chilly rooftops in January. If you’re okay with that physical side and like the idea of seeing different homes or buildings every day instead of a single office, the weight might feel manageable; if you have mobility or heat/cold sensitivity issues, it may be more than your body can comfortably carry.

Worker Retraining and college options for HVAC

Because HVAC is classified as a high-demand, living-wage trade, it shows up frequently on Washington colleges’ Worker Retraining lists. Clover Park Technical College, for example, lists HVAC among the programs that eligible students can fund through its Workforce Development and Worker Retraining office, which can help with tuition, fees, and sometimes books. Bates Technical College offers HVAC/R programs that are similarly treated as high-demand, and Spokane Community College runs HVAC pathways often recognized in rankings of affordable Washington trade programs. As with every field in this guide, access to Worker Retraining, WIOA, or state grants depends on details like your unemployment status, income, and when you start; funding can’t be assumed until you’ve talked with a Workforce Education advisor and confirmed what’s open that term.

Who this path tends to protect

HVAC can be a strong fit if you like hands-on problem-solving, don’t mind getting a bit dirty, and want a job where your skills stay relevant as buildings get smarter and more efficient. It’s especially worth considering if you’d like the option to grow into higher-paying roles - lead tech, estimator, or even small-business owner - once you have a few years of experience. In your career go-bag, this path takes up a moderate amount of space in the short term and asks for real physical effort, but it can offer long-lasting protection in the form of stable, locally needed work that follows construction and renovation wherever you choose to live in the state.

Welding & Advanced Fabrication

Welding and advanced fabrication are the heavy-duty shelter pieces in your career go-bag: the tarp, stakes, and frame that let you help rebuild when things are broken. In Washington, welders sit at the intersection of aerospace, shipbuilding, construction, and advanced manufacturing, which keeps demand strong in many regions. Typical earnings often fall in the $50,000 to $80,000 range, with higher pay for structural or pipe welders and for those willing to travel or work in tougher conditions. Training is relatively fast compared with many high-wage paths, which is why welding frequently shows up on lists of reliable, mid-wage skilled trades in the state.

How heavy welding training is in your life

In terms of time and energy, welding is a medium-to-heavy item in your bag. Many certificates run about 6-12 months, focused on core processes (stick, MIG, TIG), safety, blueprint reading, and basic fabrication. Associate degrees in welding technology stretch closer to 2 years, adding more advanced fabrication, codes, and inspection skills. The work itself is physical: you’ll be standing for long periods, working with heat and sparks, wearing protective gear, and often operating in noisy, industrial spaces or outdoors. If you like tangible results and don’t mind dirt, noise, and precise safety rules, the weight may feel solid but manageable. If you have respiratory issues, limited mobility, or trouble with extreme temperatures, it might be heavier than it first appears.

Worker Retraining and Washington welding programs

Because welding directly feeds major state industries, it appears frequently on Worker Retraining-approved program lists. Renton Technical College, for example, includes welding among the high-demand trades that can be paired with workforce funding; its Worker Retraining information explains how eligible students can get help with tuition and related costs. Bates Technical College in Tacoma and Perry Technical Institute in Yakima offer similar training with strong employer connections. As always, the fine print matters: support from Worker Retraining, WIOA, or grants depends on your employment history, income, and the specific quarter you start, so it’s important to confirm with a workforce advisor before you plan around any one funding source.

Who this path is designed to protect

Welding and advanced fabrication tend to fit you if you’re drawn to building things you can see and touch, value clear pay steps tied to skill, and are comfortable in blue-collar environments. It can be a stabilizing choice if automation has affected your previous line of work, because you become the person whose joints, cuts, and inspections make structures and equipment safe to use. In your go-bag, welding isn’t the lightest item, and it requires you to accept heat, noise, and physical strain. But for many people, it offers a straightforward bargain: give it roughly a year of focused, hands-on training now, and in return you gain a durable, in-demand trade that helps you and your community rebuild when the next storm hits.

Medical Assisting

Medical assisting is the compact first-aid kit in your career go-bag: small enough to carry right now, but powerful enough to get you into the heart of the healthcare system quickly. It’s consistently flagged as one of the best bets for near-term hiring, appearing in national lists of top careers for 2026 and on Washington healthcare employer postings. Typical salaries in the state often fall around $45,000 to $62,000, depending on region and employer, and you’re stepping into work that directly supports patient care without the multi-year weight of a registered nursing degree.

How heavy medical assisting is in your life

Most medical assisting certificates run about 9-12 months, blending classroom learning with a supervised externship in a real clinic. You’ll split your attention between clinical skills (vital signs, injections, basic lab tests, EKGs) and administrative work (scheduling, insurance forms, electronic health records). That means your training weeks are full, but you’re not committing to years of prerequisites and clinical rotations. Programs are usually weekday, daytime-heavy, which can be challenging if you’re juggling a current job, but they’re still much lighter than a multi-year nursing pathway. Many students describe the value of instructors who have actually worked in the field; as one Washington workforce trainee put it,

“The real-world experience of the instructors made me confident the material was relevant to the field, not just academic.” - Masson, program participant in a Washington workforce training program

Worker Retraining and Washington training options

In Washington’s Worker Retraining landscape, medical assisting is a regular presence because it offers that balance of short training and steady demand. Colleges like Bellevue and Clover Park list Medical Assisting among their high-demand health programs, and private providers such as Pima Medical Institute run focused MA tracks that some students pair with public workforce funding. Worker Retraining, WIOA, and the Washington College Grant can sometimes help with tuition, books, and fees if you meet criteria like recent unemployment or low income, but none of these are automatic; funding levels change by quarter, and each college decides how to prioritize limited dollars. Advisors in Workforce Education offices and resources like the University of Washington’s guidance on training for in-demand jobs after unexpected unemployment can help you understand how short healthcare programs like MA fit into a realistic plan.

Who this path is designed to protect

Medical assisting tends to fit if you want to be face-to-face with patients but aren’t ready to shoulder the full weight of nursing school, if you prefer clinic schedules over hospital shifts, and if you need to be earning again in under a year. The work does ask you to handle needles, bodily fluids, and sometimes anxious or upset patients, all while keeping up with phones and scheduling. In your go-bag, this path doesn’t promise the heaviest long-term earnings, but it can quickly open the door to healthcare experience and benefits, and it leaves room to add more “gear” later - like nursing, healthcare administration, or billing and coding - once this immediate storm has passed.

Dental Assisting

Dental assisting is a bit like the reliable water filter in your career go-bag: it doesn’t look dramatic, but it quietly keeps life running in almost every community. In Washington, dental assistants often appear among the top in-demand healthcare support roles, with typical earnings around $50,000 to $72,000 depending on location, experience, and whether you work in general practice or specialties like orthodontics or oral surgery. Training is relatively short, and the work is steady and face-to-face, which can be a relief if you’re coming out of a layoff and craving both routine and human connection.

How heavy dental assisting is in your life

Most dental assisting certificates take about 9-12 months, which puts them on the lighter side of healthcare training compared with multi-year nursing pathways. Your weeks will be full of classroom and lab time learning radiography, chairside procedures, infection control, and dental materials, often followed by a clinical externship in a real dental office. Programs are usually daytime and weekday-based, which can be a challenge if you’re holding a current job, but they still require far less calendar space than a two-year degree. The job itself is hands-on and up close: you’re working inches from patients’ faces, managing instruments, taking X-rays, and sometimes rotating to front-desk duties. If you’re okay with that level of proximity and like the idea of predictable hours, the weight can feel very manageable.

Worker Retraining options and Washington providers

Because dental assisting is both short and in demand, it shows up frequently on Worker Retraining-approved lists. Renton Technical College, for example, includes Dental Assisting among the high-demand programs that can be paired with workforce funding on its Worker Retraining page. Bates Technical College in Tacoma and Lake Washington Institute of Technology on the Eastside offer similar programs with strong employer ties, and colleges like Bellevue list dental and other health programs among their approved Worker Retraining pathways. For you, the key is that funding from Worker Retraining, WIOA, or the Washington College Grant is never automatic: it depends on your unemployment status, income, and when you apply, and some colleges prioritize students who are currently receiving or have recently exhausted unemployment benefits. A quick meeting with a Workforce Education advisor can help you see whether dental assisting fits both your interests and the dollars available this term.

Who this path is designed to protect

Dental assisting can be a strong fit if you value stability and routine, want mostly weekday, daytime schedules, and like building ongoing relationships with patients who come back twice a year. It may not be ideal if you’re uncomfortable with close-up work in people’s mouths or have significant back or neck issues, since the job involves leaning, standing, and careful positioning all day. In your go-bag, this path doesn’t promise the highest wage ceiling, but it offers a relatively light training load, a clear on-ramp back into healthcare, and a set of skills that travel with you to almost any town in the state where there’s a dentist’s sign on the door.

Business & Office Administration

Business and office administration is the map-and-organizer in your career go-bag: less specialized than a welding torch or a stethoscope, but the thing that helps you navigate almost any environment you end up in. Administrative assistants, bookkeepers, coordinators, and operations managers show up across industries in Washington’s job postings, from clinics and construction firms to nonprofits and tech. Analyses of in-demand jobs in Washington State consistently show strong needs for people who can keep offices, projects, and finances running smoothly. Pay scales can vary widely, but it’s common to see Administrative or Office Managers around $65,000, with Operations Managers in larger organizations reaching $100,000+ when they take on more responsibility.

How heavy this path is in your bag

On the time-and-energy scale, business and office administration is one of the lighter options. Certificate programs can be as short as 6 months, often focused on office software, basic accounting, and customer service. Associate in Applied Science degrees in business, accounting, or office management generally take about 2 years full time and add deeper work in spreadsheets, budgeting, HR, and operations. Most training is classroom or computer-lab based, which can be easier on your body than trades or nursing, and many courses are offered in the evenings or online. The tradeoff is that competition can be higher because these roles are accessible to a wide range of people, including those coming from retail, hospitality, or customer service who already have transferable communication skills.

Worker Retraining options and typical providers

In Washington’s Worker Retraining ecosystem, business and office programs are a kind of catch-all category that helps plug you back into multiple industries. Community and technical colleges in Seattle, Bellevue, and across the state offer certificates and AAS degrees in business, accounting, project management, and office administration that may qualify for Worker Retraining if you meet criteria like recent unemployment or low income. Nonprofit and private providers such as Orion Industries sometimes offer office-focused training paired with supported employment. Funding can come from Worker Retraining, WIOA, and the Washington College Grant, but as highlighted in policy reviews by organizations like New America’s case study on Washington’s training system, colleges have to adjust their “menu” each term based on employer needs and available dollars - so you’ll want a Workforce Education advisor to walk you through what’s real right now, not just what’s on paper.

Who this path tends to protect

Business and office administration can be a good fit if you prefer indoor, desk-based work with regular hours, like coordinating people and information, and want flexibility to move between sectors: healthcare today, construction or nonprofit work later. It’s especially approachable if your “pile on the table” includes past experience in customer-facing roles and you’re ready to turn those into more stable, weekday positions. As one industry leader focused on regional skills development put it in reflecting on how broad upskilling supports whole economies,

“By investing in skills, education, and opportunity, we're helping build resilient communities and a stronger national economy.” - Geraldine Slattery, President Australia, BHP

In your go-bag, business and office skills don’t weigh as much as a full technical trade or a nursing license, and they may not command the very highest wages on this list. But they give you a flexible set of maps and organizers you can carry into almost any workplace, and they leave room to add more specialized “gear” later - like project management certifications, advanced accounting, or sector-specific training - once your immediate emergency has settled.

How to use this Top 10

Turn the list into something you can actually carry

You’re back at the kitchen table, but now the piles are different. Instead of batteries and inhalers, you’ve got printouts about software, nursing, CDL, welding. The Top 10 you’ve just read is meant to work like a flashlight beam in a dark room: it shows you where some solid, high-demand options are in Washington, based on real labor-market data and the kinds of careers Worker Retraining was built to support. But a beam of light alone doesn’t pack your bag. The task now is to choose one training path that fits your body, your time, your money, and the people who rely on you.

Step 1: Sort your non-negotiables vs. nice-to-haves

Before you chase the “#1” program, name what absolutely has to fit in your go-bag. For some people, the non-negotiable is time: you may need to be employable again within 2-3 months, which points you toward lighter, faster routes like CDL or shorter tech bootcamps instead of multi-year nursing. For others, it’s physical limits: back issues might rule out welding or heavy trades, steering you toward software, cybersecurity, or office administration. You might need remote or hybrid work to manage disability or caregiving, which makes paths like coding, some IT roles, and certain business jobs more realistic. On a separate mental pile, put your “nice-to-haves”: higher long-term salary, specific industries, or a dream role you could grow into later. That way, you’re comparing each option against your life first, not against a ranking.

Step 2: Shortlist 2-3 paths and reality-check funding

Once you’ve sorted those piles, pick two or three programs from the list that match your non-negotiables and dig deeper. Look up your local community or technical college’s workforce education office and ask specific questions: which of these programs are currently eligible for Worker Retraining, WIOA, or the Washington College Grant; whether they’re prioritizing students who are on or have recently exhausted unemployment; and what the actual waitlists look like. Support can be generous, but it’s never guaranteed, and colleges sometimes have to turn people away when funds run dry. That’s not a reflection on you; it’s how the system is set up right now. One dislocated worker described finally going back for training this way:

“These programs removed the practical barriers that kept me from going back to school.” - Nathan, dislocated worker supported by WIOA in Washington

If you’re exploring flexible tech options, this is also the moment to check with approved private providers. For example, Nucamp is an officially approved Private Career School for Washington’s Worker Retraining program; eligible students in certain coding or cybersecurity bootcamps can get up to 80% of tuition covered, paying about $100 a month for 5 months (a total of $500) while state funds cover the rest. Veterans discharged within 48 months can often use Worker Retraining for Nucamp instead of the GI Bill, which doesn’t cover these online, part-time formats. The safest approach is to confirm your eligibility and current funding directly through a workforce advisor or by starting the verification form on Nucamp’s Washington Worker Retraining scholarship page if that path is on your shortlist.

Step 3: Choose one item for this storm, and leave room for aftershocks

With information from advisors and providers in hand, pick one program that you can realistically finish in the middle of this storm - not the one that looks best on a generic list, but the one whose “weight” you can actually carry. Then, look for stackability: does the certificate, bootcamp, or AAS you’re choosing lead to later options if the job market shifts again? Many Worker Retraining-backed routes are designed so you can add credentials over time - an MA who later becomes an RN, a welding grad who moves into inspection, a coding bootcamp alum who builds on their skills with cloud or security training. State leaders and workforce partners have pushed for these shorter, stackable pathways precisely because they know careers now come with aftershocks, not just one big earthquake. Your goal isn’t to fit every possible tool into your bag today; it’s to choose one solid piece of gear that gets you through this phase, with enough room left to adapt when the next change comes.

Frequently Asked Questions