Individuals must meet the following criteria:

Youth Age 14-21
Economically disadvantaged (Up to five percent of the funds allocated to a local workforce area may be used for youth that do not meet the income criterion.)

And meet at least one of the following criteria:

Deficient in basic literacy skills
School dropout
Homeless, a runaway, or a foster child
Pregnant or a parent
Offender
Requires additional assistance to complete an education program or to secure employment (as defined in the LWIA's plan)

Out-of-School Youth

An out-of-school youth is an eligible youth (as described above) who is:

A school dropout, or
A high school graduate or holder of a GED but is one of the following:
Basic Skills Deficient
Unemployed, or
Underemployed.

Priority:

Tennessee's broad strategic goals for its youth are to establish as the first priority the attainment of educational skills. This goal as delineated in Tennessee's Five Year Plan encompasses the attainment of credits required for a high school diploma for any eligible youth and/or the attainment of credits toward an equivalency for out-of-school youth. To this end Tennessee is designating eligible youth that are deficient in basic literacy skills as a priority for all WIA funded youth programs. Youth determined to be deficient in basic literacy skills must constitute at least 50% of the total youth served by the LWIA.

If you think you are eligible or know someone who might be, contact us at the office nearest you or at the comprehensive center at:

TN Career Center at Jackson
362 Carriage House Drive
Jackson, TN 38305
Phone: 731-668-2040
Fax: 731-660-8085