EDD-approved training programs - where's the actual list of eligible schools?

Unfortunately, EDD doesn't maintain a centralized list of approved training programs because approval depends on your specific situation and claim. The process works differently - you first find a training program you're interested in, THEN you apply for CTB approval for that specific program. The main providers that are typically pre-approved include: - Adult schools run by your local school district - Community colleges - Programs approved by the CA Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education - Programs on the Eligible Training Provider List (ETPL) through your local America's Job Center Your best bet is to visit your local America's Job Center (AJCC) - they can help you find training programs that would likely qualify for CTB approval.

theres no list man its all a big maze they make u go thru. i went to my local job center and they helped me sign up for a hvac program at the community college. but ya gotta get approved BEFORE u start classes or edd will deny ur training benefits!! learned that the hard way lol

I went through this entire process last year when I wanted to take pharmacy tech courses. Here's how it actually works: 1. You first need to find a program you're interested in 2. Then you need to submit a CTB application through UI Online or by calling EDD 3. EDD reviews your selected program to determine if it qualifies 4. If approved, you can attend training while still receiving benefits The reason there's no master list is because eligibility depends on many factors - your location, current skills, labor market needs, program length, etc. I recommend checking CalJOBS (https://www.caljobs.ca.gov/) and filtering for training providers in your area. The America's Job Centers are definitely your best resource - they can direct you to programs that have been approved for others in the past. And yes, unfortunately at some point you'll likely need to call EDD to finalize your CTB application.

I SPENT 3 WEEKS trying to find this mythical "list" of approved programs!!! The EDD website is THE WORST!!! Kept clicking links in circles like you said. FINALLY got through to someone on the phone who told me there IS NO MASTER LIST!! They approve training on a case-by-case basis. What a waste of time!!! 😡 You have to find a program first, THEN apply for CTB approval. So backwards!

If you're having trouble getting through to EDD (who isn't these days), you might want to try Claimyr. I was in the same boat last month trying to get my training program approved and couldn't get past the "maximum callers reached" message for days. Claimyr got me connected to an EDD rep in about 20 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10?si=TSwYbu_GOwYzt9km The EDD rep I spoke with helped me understand the whole CTB process and confirmed my community college program would qualify. Saved me weeks of uncertainty!

I did vocational training through CTB last year! Here's what I learned: The program needs to be: - At least 3 months but less than 1 year (typically) - Full-time training (at least 20 hours/week) - For an in-demand occupation - Through an eligible provider (community colleges are easy approvals) Online-only programs are HARD to get approved unless they're through an accredited school. Udemy/Coursera usually don't qualify because they're self-paced and don't have formal enrollment. Good luck!!

my wife had to deal with this same thing. she went to the worksource center (same as america's job center) and they helped her find a medical assistant program that edd would approve. they already knew which schools had been approved before so it was way easier than trying to figure it out herself. might wanna try that route

i think the website ur looking for is this one https://www.dir.ca.gov/databases/das/aigstart.asp thats where i found some apprenticeship programs but not sure if thats what ur looking for

To update this thread with the most current information: EDD has made some changes to the CTB program in 2025. Now, you should: 1. First apply for CTB through UI Online by selecting "School or Training" in your contact preferences 2. Schedule a phone appointment to discuss your training interests with an EDD representative 3. Receive guidance on programs in your area that are likely to be approved 4. Submit your formal CTB application once you've selected a program The process is still not ideal, but they're making efforts to streamline it. Most importantly, do NOT enroll in or pay for any program until you have written CTB approval from EDD!

I went through this exact same frustration when I was laid off from my retail job last fall! The EDD website is absolutely terrible for finding this info. What finally worked for me was calling my local community college directly and asking their financial aid office which programs they offer that typically get CTB approval. They were super helpful and told me that their IT certificate programs (like network administration and cybersecurity) almost always get approved because they're considered "high-demand" occupations. The key is finding programs that are: - Full-time (20+ hours/week) - Between 3-12 months long - Lead to certifications in growing fields I ended up doing a 6-month web development bootcamp through the college and got approved no problem. Way easier than trying to navigate EDD's website maze! Good luck with your IT training - that's definitely a smart field to get into right now.

I just went through this same struggle a few months ago! The lack of a centralized list is so frustrating. What worked for me was actually going to my local library - many of them have employment resource centers with staff who are familiar with EDD programs and can help you navigate the process. The librarian at mine had a binder with contact info for all the local training providers that had been successfully approved for CTB in the past. She also helped me figure out which IT programs in our area were considered "high-demand" occupations, which makes approval more likely. For IT specifically, I'd recommend looking into: - Community college cybersecurity certificates - Network+ certification prep courses - Database administration programs These tend to get approved because they're short-term (3-9 months), lead to industry certifications, and are in growing fields. Just make sure whatever you choose is at least 20 hours per week to meet the full-time requirement!

I'm going through this exact same situation right now! Lost my warehouse job two weeks ago and have been trying to navigate the CTB maze ever since. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly helpful - I had no idea that you need to find a program first and THEN get approval. I was doing it completely backwards! I'm particularly interested in the suggestions about contacting community colleges directly and visiting the local America's Job Center. Has anyone here had success with getting IT bootcamps approved through community colleges, or do they typically only approve their traditional semester-based programs? I'm looking at cybersecurity and wondering if a 4-month intensive program would qualify over a longer 2-semester track. Also, for anyone who's been through the approval process - how specific do you need to be in your application? Do you need to have already been accepted to the program, or can you apply for CTB approval while you're still in the application phase for the training program itself?

I'm dealing with this exact same issue right now! Just got laid off from my job in hospitality and I'm trying to pivot into tech. The EDD website is absolutely maddening - I've been clicking through those same circular links for days now. After reading all these responses, it sounds like the consensus is to skip trying to find a mythical "master list" and instead: 1. Contact community colleges directly about their IT programs 2. Visit the local America's Job Center 3. Get CTB pre-approval BEFORE enrolling in anything I'm definitely going to try calling some community colleges tomorrow to ask about their cybersecurity and web development programs. The idea of speaking with their workforce education department is brilliant - they would know firsthand which programs EDD typically approves. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences! This thread has been way more helpful than anything on the actual EDD website. Sometimes the community really comes through when the official resources fail us.

I just wanted to add another resource that helped me when I was going through this same frustration last year - your local Workforce Investment Board (WIB) or Workforce Development Board. They often have partnerships with community colleges and training providers specifically for displaced workers. When I contacted mine, they had a pre-screened list of training providers that regularly get CTB approval, including some accelerated IT programs I hadn't found anywhere else. They also helped me understand which tech skills were most in-demand in my specific geographic area, which made my CTB application stronger. The counselor there told me that EDD is more likely to approve training for occupations that show growth in your local job market, so it's worth checking what's actually hiring in your area before you pick a program. For construction workers transitioning to IT like you, she mentioned that a lot of former construction folks have success with network technician roles since the problem-solving skills translate well. You can find your local WIB by searching "[your county] workforce development board" - they're usually free to use and way less frustrating than trying to navigate EDD's website maze!

I'm jumping in as someone who just successfully completed the CTB process for a data analytics bootcamp! After reading through all these great responses, I wanted to add one more tip that really helped me. When you're researching programs, ask the training provider directly if they're familiar with EDD's CTB requirements. Many community colleges and legitimate training providers have worked with CTB students before and can tell you upfront whether their program structure meets EDD's criteria (20+ hours/week, proper accreditation, etc.). I almost enrolled in a part-time evening program that looked perfect until the school's financial aid office told me it wouldn't qualify for CTB because it was only 15 hours per week. Saved me weeks of paperwork and disappointment! Also, for IT specifically - I noticed several coding bootcamps at community colleges now offer "workforce development" versions of their programs that are specifically designed to meet CTB requirements. These are often the same curriculum as their regular bootcamps but structured differently to qualify for various funding programs. The whole process is definitely frustrating, but once you get connected with the right people (America's Job Center, community college workforce counselors, etc.), it moves much smoother. Don't give up - the investment in new skills is so worth it!

I'm currently going through this same process after losing my job in retail management last month. After reading through all these incredibly helpful responses, I wanted to share what I've learned so far and ask a follow-up question. I took everyone's advice and contacted my local community college's workforce development department yesterday. The counselor there was amazing - she had a whole spreadsheet of programs that have been successfully approved for CTB in the past year! She mentioned that their IT programs (especially cybersecurity and network administration) have about a 95% approval rate with EDD. What really surprised me was that she said EDD has been pushing for more "stackable credentials" - shorter programs (3-6 months) that build on each other rather than long degree programs. So if you're interested in IT like the original poster, you might be able to do a basic networking certificate first, then add cybersecurity, then maybe cloud computing - all while staying on CTB benefits. My question for anyone who's been through this: Did EDD require you to show job search activities while you were in training, or do the training hours count as your work search requirement? The counselor wasn't sure about this part and I want to make sure I don't accidentally mess up my benefits while I'm in school. This thread has been a lifesaver - thanks everyone for sharing your real experiences instead of just linking to more confusing EDD pages!

I'm going through the exact same thing right now! Just got laid off from my job at a logistics company and I'm trying to figure out this whole CTB maze. Reading through everyone's experiences has been SO much more helpful than anything I found on EDD's website. Based on what everyone's shared, I'm planning to: 1. Call my local community college's workforce development office tomorrow 2. Visit the America's Job Center this week 3. Look into those "stackable credentials" that Daniel mentioned - that approach sounds perfect for building skills gradually I'm really interested in cloud computing and AWS certifications. Has anyone had success getting cloud-based IT training approved through CTB? I know Amazon has some partnerships with community colleges now for their AWS certification programs, so I'm wondering if those might qualify. Also, just wanted to say thank you to everyone who shared their real experiences here. The fact that there's no centralized list is so frustrating, but knowing that community college workforce counselors have their own tracking spreadsheets gives me hope that there's actually a path through this bureaucratic mess! For anyone else reading this thread who's in the same boat - definitely don't try to navigate EDD's website alone. Go straight to the community colleges and job centers like everyone suggested!

I'm dealing with this exact same frustration right now! Got laid off from my manufacturing job three weeks ago and have been going in circles on EDD's website trying to find training programs. The endless redirect loop is maddening - I've probably clicked through the same 5 pages about 20 times now. After reading through everyone's experiences here, I'm realizing I was approaching this completely wrong. I was looking for some master directory that apparently doesn't exist, when I should have been contacting community colleges and job centers directly first. I'm really interested in cybersecurity training since that seems to be mentioned as having good approval rates. For anyone who went through cybersecurity programs - were you required to have any prior IT experience, or do they typically accept complete beginners? I've got solid problem-solving skills from manufacturing but zero formal tech background. Also planning to visit my local America's Job Center this week based on all the recommendations here. It's frustrating that EDD makes this process so confusing, but at least there are people like all of you sharing real actionable advice. This thread should honestly be pinned somewhere - it's more useful than EDD's entire website!

I'm in the exact same situation! Just lost my job in food service and have been trying to navigate this CTB nightmare for weeks. The EDD website is absolutely useless - I keep getting sent in circles just like you described. After reading through all these amazing responses, I'm convinced that the key is bypassing EDD's website entirely and going straight to the source. I'm planning to: 1. Call my local community college's workforce development office first thing Monday morning 2. Visit the America's Job Center this week 3. Focus on programs that are 3-6 months, full-time, and in high-demand fields like IT What really stood out to me from everyone's experiences is that community colleges seem to have their own internal tracking of which programs get approved regularly. That's so much more useful than trying to decode EDD's confusing eligibility criteria on your own. For IT training specifically, it sounds like cybersecurity, networking, and cloud computing programs have really good approval rates. The "stackable credentials" approach that several people mentioned sounds perfect - you can build skills gradually while staying on benefits. Thanks for starting this thread - it's been incredibly helpful to hear from people who actually made it through this process successfully. Sometimes the community really does know better than the official resources!

Just wanted to jump in as someone who FINALLY got through this whole CTB maze successfully! I was in construction too before getting laid off, and spent weeks trying to find that mythical "approved programs list" that doesn't exist. Here's what actually worked for me: I called my local community college and asked to speak with their "workforce education coordinator" (not just general admissions). This person knew EXACTLY which programs get CTB approval and had helped dozens of displaced workers navigate the process. I ended up getting approved for a 5-month network administration program that had a 90% CTB approval rate according to their records. The key was that it was full-time (24 hours/week), led to industry certifications, and was in a high-demand field in our area. Pro tip: When you apply for CTB, include local job market data showing demand for the skills you'll be learning. The workforce coordinator helped me pull this data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and I think it really strengthened my application. Don't waste time trying to decode EDD's website - go straight to the community colleges and America's Job Centers. They're the ones who actually know how this system works! Good luck with your IT transition - it's totally doable coming from construction.