Anyone approved for ESD's CATS program while in school? Applied but wondering about success rates

I was approved for CATS back in January 2025 for my nursing program! It took about 5 weeks to get the approval, which was faster than they estimated. Make sure you uploaded all your school documents (enrollment verification, program description, class schedule). The key thing that helped my application was showing that my training would lead directly to employment in an in-demand field. They're pretty strict about that part. Coding should qualify though since it's definitely in-demand in WA state!

I applied for CATS for web development training last year and got DENIED even after waiting 7 weeks!!! They said my program wasn't "approved" even though the school is licensed in Washington. TOTAL WASTE OF TIME. Just be ready to look for work if they deny you because they'll expect immediate job search activities retroactively. The whole system is rigged!!!

i got approved for CATS for my cdl training program took like 9 weeks tho. the wait is brutal but once approved u dont have to do job searches which is huge. def keep filing ur weekly claims during the wait and answer YES to in school/training question! my friend forgot to do that and it messed up his whole application had to start over

I work with unemployment claims regularly, and I can confirm that coding bootcamps can qualify for CATS approval, but it depends on several factors: 1. The program must be through an approved training provider 2. The training must lead to employment in an occupation that's in demand 3. You need to prove you can complete the training within your benefit year 4. You must maintain satisfactory progress once approved While waiting for approval, you should continue filing weekly claims and answering "yes" to the training question. Your benefits usually continue during the review period unless there are other issues with your claim. If approved, you'll be exempt from job search requirements for the duration of your approved training.

When I was waiting for my CATS approval I couldn't get through to ESD for WEEKS to check on status. Tried calling over 50 times! Finally used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to an ESD agent in under 30 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3 The agent told me my application was missing a document and would have been denied otherwise. Saved me from having to reapply and wait another 2 months!

It worked for me! Costs money but worth it when you're desperate to talk to someone. They basically keep dialing for you until they get through.

I just went through this whole process for my medical assistant program! Applied for CATS in February, got approved in early April. What helped me was that I included a letter from my school's career services department showing their job placement rate (85%!) and letters from two local medical clinics saying they were actively hiring graduates from my program. During the wait, my payments continued normally. One tip: if you have any changes to your schedule or program, report them immediately! My friend had his CATS approval revoked because he switched to a different track in the same program without telling ESD.

wait what exactly is this CATS thing? ive been on unemployment for 2 months and taking online classes part time. should i be applying for something special? nobody told me about this and now im worried im doing something wrong

My neighbor did CATS for some IT certification and said the key was getting approval BEFORE starting school. You already started your bootcamp which might be a problem - they sometimes deny people who started without approval first. ESD is super picky about the rules. Good luck dealing with their ridiculous bureaucracy!

just want to say good luck with the coding bootcamp! my cousin did one last year and now makes like $95k at Amazon. totally worth it even if ESD gives you a hard time about CATS