Free Computer Training

AcademyX is now offering a new and exciting training opportunity funded by the State of California. With this program you can learn new skills in intermediate and advanced Microsoft Office topics, Adobe applications and advanced web technologies, at a FREE or DISCOUNTED rate. We receive compensation from the State of California for the training we provide, which reduces the cost to you. There are no application, registration, co-pay, or per-hour fees.

The funding comes from the Employment Training Panel (ETP), a state agency that was established to reduce unemployment and improve the competitiveness of California businesses that face out-of-state and international competition. The California Employment Training Tax (ETT) provides the revenue for the program. The Panel has provided over one billion dollars towards partially-funded or free training since the tax was levied in 1983. Details can be found here.

The State wants its companies to grow and compete with those in other states, so that jobs remain in California. When employees improve their skills, their jobs become more secure and the wages for those jobs increase. Higher incomes also improve the state economy as the money is recycled into other local businesses.

Eligible students will sit in the same public enrollment classes that we advertise at full price, with the same courseware, computers, and instructors. Restrictions apply for onsite training (i.e. training at your company) where we may charge additional fees for course customization.

Under this program, students can take the majority of our courses with the notable exception of some of the "introductory" Microsoft Office classes, such as Word Introduction. You may be surprised to find out that this offer even applies to advanced programming classes, such as Ajax, PHP, or Perl.

This is a well-known government program from which other companies have benefited for over 20 years. We can provide you with references of other companies using the program if necessary, or you can find out more by searching online for "California ETP training." However, there are a few provisos:

Student Requirements
1. Have you been employed for at least 90 days?	You must have been employed at the same company for at least 90 days to be eligible.
2. Do you plan to stay employed 90 days after your last day of training?	You must remain employed for at least 90 days after the last day of your training to be eligible. We will bill your company for completed training if you do not meet this requirement.
3. Do you earn at least $14/hour at your job?	You must earn at least $14/hour* or approximately $29,000/year,* assuming a 40 hour work week. Any health benefits you receive can be counted towards this requirement.
4. Are you a full-time employee at your job?	California considers full-time employment as 35 hours or more average per week. Contractors and temporary or freelance workers do not qualify. Neither do business owners.
5. Can you commit to at least 24 hours of training (4 six-hour days of training) within a 120-day period?	More training is possible, but you must commit to a minimum of 24 hours of training to be eligible. AcademyX requires that this training has to be completed within 120 days.
6. Will you get paid wages while training at AcademyX?	You must be paid wages while training to be eligible.

There is no limit to the number of employees a company can send, since California employers pay the annual Employment Training Tax (ETT) for each employee. As long as all employees meet the eligibility requirements, they are entitled to our free computer training.

No. ETT taxes are already paid by the employer, whether you participate in the program not, but participation does not affect any party's taxes.

Training can be at AcademyX or we can provide group training at your company's site.

AcademyX is currently waiting to receive its new ETP Vendor Contract so that we can start our next round of low price computer training. We expect to begin in January 2010. However, we would like to take the steps to fill out as much of the paperwork as possible before then! Once we work with you to fill out the required paperwork, we’ll even give you a sizable discount for all classes between now and the start of the next contract. Please contact us for details.

ETP = Reduced-Price Training (for Companies)