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NYC can pay for your training. Here's the route.

NYC training voucher

Up to $5,000

For tuition, books and test fees on NYC-approved courses under one year.

Issued by
Workforce1 centers
Trip time
About 4 to 6 weeks
Plan my route

Not guaranteed. You apply, and Workforce1 decides.

Who can get a voucher

It's not just for people out of work. If you have a job and earn under $91,000 a year, you can apply too.

  • 18 or older
  • A GED or high school diploma
  • Looking for work, or working and earning under $91,000 a year
  • Ready to work right after training
  • Registered as a Workforce1 member

Some courses also ask for work experience. Workforce1 makes the final call. From the NYC SBS Individual Training Grant FAQ, checked November 2026.

The route

6 stops
  1. 1

    Check you qualify

    18 or older, a GED or high school diploma, and the work experience your course asks for. Register as a Workforce1 member.

    Take the Am I ready? check
  2. 2

    Watch the orientation

    A short video on how the voucher works and what comes next.

  3. 3

    Pass a skills test and apply online

    Ask Workforce1 what the test covers so you can prepare.

  4. 4

    Pick one course and get a school letter

    Choose from NYC's approved list. You can apply for one voucher at a time, so pick the one that fits your goal.

    See courses on the map
  5. 5

    Interview with a career advisor

    They look at your goal, your skills, and how likely you are to finish and find work.

    Practice this interview

  6. Voucher approved. Now enroll.

    Start class only after you have the voucher.

  7. 6
    AI layer

    Take the course, plus a weekly AI lab

    Each week, use what class just taught on a real task with an AI tool. The AI drafts, you check it, fix it and say why.

    Start practicing in NodSay Shift

Watch out

  • Don't enroll or pay first

    If you start a course before your voucher is approved, your request can be turned down.

  • One voucher at a time

    Pick the course that moves you toward your next job. You can apply again after you finish and work in the field.

  • Not guaranteed

    Workforce1 may suggest job prep first, like resume or interview help. Show up ready.

Your ticket in

Bring your NodSay portfolio and resume to the interview.

It shows what you practiced. It's proof of practice, not a certificate.

Open my portfolio
Course + AI layer

After the course

Capstone: own the tool

Write a one-page plan for an AI help bot at a made-up store: what it can answer, what goes to a person, how you check it each week, and a note to coworkers.

The certificate comes from the school. The capstone is your proof you can do the work with AI.

Steps from NYC Small Business Services, Individual Training Grant FAQ, checked November 2026. Income must be under $91,000 a year. Rules can change. Ask a Workforce1 center or call 311.