Estimate your funding →FREE · NO EMAIL
PA · Customized

Pennsylvania Customized Training Grants: A Practical Employer Guide

Pennsylvania has no open state customized job training grant for employers: DCED lists its older Customized Job Training guidelines as archived. Employers use WIOA customized training through their local workforce board instead. You design the training, commit to hire the people who finish, and pay a significant share of the cost. Rates vary by board: Northwest PA, for example, reimburses up to $5,000 per trainee at 80%, 60% or 40% of cost by employer size.

Check my Pennsylvania eligibilityHow Customized works nationally

Reimbursa Eligibility Scanner

Tell us your state, industry, and recent training spend. We'll show you which workforce-reimbursement programs you likely qualify for — with estimated recoverable dollars — in about 30 seconds. No email required.

  • State pre-filled: PA
  • Program type pre-filled: customized_training
Run My Free Scan
HOW IT WORKS

Four steps, in this order.

  1. 1

    Contact your local PA CareerLink business services team

  2. 2

    Agree the training design, trainees and your share of the cost

  3. 3

    Deliver the training and hire the people who complete it

  4. 4

    Invoice the board for its share of eligible training costs

2 VERIFIED PROGRAMS

Where the Pennsylvania money comes from.

Run by Local workforce development boards (PA CareerLink), under PA Department of Labor & Industry. Every figure is from an official page, linked on each card.

WIOA Customized Training through your local workforce board

You pay a significant share
THROUGH YOUR LOCAL BOARD
WHAT YOU GET

Partial reimbursement of the cost of training built for your own needs, for new hires or workers the board enrolls.

HOW MUCH

The federal rule sets no percentage: the employer pays a significant cost, as the local board decides. Northwest PA example: up to $5,000 per trainee, 80% of cost for 50 or fewer employees, 60% for 51 to 100, 40% for 101 or more.

WHO RECEIVES THE MONEY

The employer or its contracted training provider, by reimbursement from the local board.

WHO QUALIFIES
  • Training is designed for your special requirements, alone or with a group of employers
  • You commit to employ each person who completes the training
  • Trainees are enrolled in WIOA by the board
  • Northwest PA uses it when you need more than five of the same or similar positions
Before you start: Yes. The board approves the training and signs an agreement before it starts.
HOW TO APPLY
  1. 1Ask your local board for its customized training policy
  2. 2Submit the training plan and the trainee list
  3. 3Sign the agreement, train, then invoice the board

Deadlines and windows: Through your local board. No statewide window.

SOURCE: ECFR.GOV

Industry Partnership grants (employer-led groups)

Grant goes to the partnership
CLOSED TO NEW APPLICANTS
WHAT YOU GET

Training and services for your industry, arranged by the partnership. Employer cash or in-kind contributions are part of the plan.

HOW MUCH

L&I awards up to $200,000 (one local area) or $350,000 (regional or statewide) per partnership. About $2.5 million in total.

WHO RECEIVES THE MONEY

The grantee, which is a workforce board or partner group. Employers take part as partners and receive training, not cash.

WHO QUALIFIES
  • Join an existing partnership in your industry through your local board
  • A board or partner group must lead the application
Before you start: Not applicable to you directly. The partnership holds the grant.
HOW TO APPLY
  1. 1Ask your local board which Industry Partnerships are funded in your area
  2. 2Join and list your training needs

Deadlines and windows: The application round closed January 16, 2026. The grant year runs July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027.

SOURCE: PA.GOV
LOCAL BOARDS

Same program, different rules by board.

Northwest PA Job Connect

Customized Job Training reimburses up to $5,000 per individual, at 80%, 60% or 40% of cost by employer size (50 or fewer, 51 to 100, 101+).

SOURCE: NWPAJOBCONNECT.ORG
Westmoreland-Fayette Workforce Investment Board

Offers customized training where you choose the trainer, the curriculum and the workers. No rate is published; ask the board.

SOURCE: WESTFAYWIB.ORG
AVOID THESE

What gets Pennsylvania Customized claims denied.

STRAIGHT ANSWERS

Pennsylvania Customized questions.

Is there a state customized training grant in Pennsylvania?

Not one we could confirm as open. DCED shows its Customized Job Training Program Guidelines as archived, dated 2019. Use WIOA customized training through your local board.

SOURCE: DCED.PA.GOV
How much do I have to pay?

The federal rule says a significant cost, set by the local board. Northwest PA reimburses 80%, 60% or 40% of cost by employer size, up to $5,000 per trainee.

SOURCE: NWPAJOBCONNECT.ORG
How is this different from on-the-job training?

On-the-job training reimburses wages for one new hire at a time. Customized training pays part of a training program built for your needs, often for several people in the same role.

SOURCE: NWPAJOBCONNECT.ORG
Do I have to hire the trainees?

Yes. You commit to employ each person who completes the training.

SOURCE: ECFR.GOV

How we checked. Every fact on this page comes from a state agency, a local workforce board or federal regulation, read on . Where a board publishes nothing, we say so instead of guessing. Programs and funding change often; confirm with the program before you commit. Written by Jason Meehl, founder of Reimbursa. Found an error? Email hello@reimbursa.com.

OTHER PROGRAMS IN PENNSYLVANIA

Reimbursa monitors workforce-reimbursement programs across every state and writes machine-checkable rules packs that prevent claim rejections. See membership pricing.