According to government sources, as many as 80 percent of jobs in the U.S. require at least some form of education or training beyond high school. As you may know, however, higher education and adequate job training isn’t always easy to get. College and job training programs can be expensive. Not to mention, it’s hard to commit to school or training while also working and caring for a family.

There is good news, though.

Did you know that, in Connecticut, there are free job training programs available to those receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance? This means that, if you receive food stamps, you may be eligible for job training and experience at no cost. With this extra job training, you can then qualify for more stable and higher-paying positions in a given field.

If you have a high school diploma or GED, are currently receiving SNAP benefits, and would like to further your skills and experience in a specific career, you can start right here at Goodwin College in East Hartford, Connecticut. Here, we offer short-term employment training programs for local SNAP recipients. It is our mission to help you better qualify for job opportunities and become successful in today’s workforce. Within a matter of weeks, we can help you move into a regular, sustainable, and rewarding career. Our free job training programs may also lead you to certification or licensing.

Below you will find a summary of the free SNAP training programs available at Goodwin College:

1. Bookkeeping

If you are interested in math and finance, and have a knack for number-crunching, you might consider applying to our free SNAP training program to become a Bookkeeping Clerk. Bookkeeping clerks are responsible for managing an organization’s financial transactions, statements, and records. They spend most hours on a computer and may work in businesses, schools, hospitals, banks, accounting firms, government institutions, and more.

Goodwin’s CNC Machining Certificate program – available to SNAP recipients – you can join the workforce fast. This 37-credit certificate program in CNC Machining, Metrology, and Manufacturing Technology takes as few as 22.5 weeks. Goodwin College has close partnerships with local manufacturers, so during and after your program, you may be eligible for internship, scholarship, and job placement opportunities as well.

CNC machining is a great choice for mathematically-driven, hands-on individuals who enjoy working with technology and making things. CNC machinists work with computer controlled machinery to produce devices (such as parts and tools) from metal, plastic, and other materials.

3. Human Services

Perhaps you prefer to work with people. You enjoy caring for others, are compassionate in nature, and would like to change people’s lives for the better. If this sounds like you, you might consider a path in Human Services. Human Service professionals assist people in need – such as the elderly, veterans, the homeless, and those struggling with substance abuse – and help create positive changes in their lives.

Goodwin College’s Human Services training program is a full, college-level Associate degree program. Here, you will gain the skills needed to succeed in a wide variety of Human Service careers. Goodwin College is linked with over 500 Human Services agencies in the region, so as part of your program, we will expose you to internship opportunities in real-life settings — which could lead to employment.

4. Medical Office Administrative Assistant

If you enjoy working with people but have always dreamed of a career in healthcare, you can also pursue that at Goodwin College! One of our SNAP job training programs will prepare you to become a Medical Office Administrative Assistant. If you’ve been to the doctor’s office, you’ve likely encountered a Medical Office Administrative Assistant before. These are the front-of-the-office professionals that communicate with patients, schedule appointments, file insurance claims, manage records, and more.

Our Medical Office Assistant program is credit-free and one semester long. In just 15 weeks, you can expect to learn the ins and outs of medical terminology, medical billing and coding, medical office management, and computer applications.

5. Security Guard Certification

Our fastest (and free) job training program, the Security Guard Certification SNAP training can be completed in just two days’ time. As a student of this program, you will learn about personal and physical security, emergency planning and response, and keeping others safe. After just two days of job training, you will be eligible to sit for Connecticut’s Guard Card Certification Exam, which will qualify you to work as a certified Security Guard in the state.

Want to learn more about the SNAP training programs at Goodwin College, or learn which job training programs are free-of-cost? Visit goodwin.edu/snap-education/ or call us toll-free at 800-889-3282.