While Learn and Earn is a grant-funded program, other than initial paperwork outlining the company’s needs and estimated number of hires, companies are not responsible for any grant management. After signing up and being approved, the company simply invoices Mountwest Community and Technical College (MCTC) with pay stubs as backup documentation for this reimbursement. This can be done as frequently as the company sees fit. Some vendors invoice every pay period, some vendors invoice once a month to every other month.

Benefits are not eligible for reimbursement through Learn and Earn, though companies may—and Generation West Virginia encourages them to—offer benefits to employees hired through NewForce.

Companies are eligible for the 50% salary reimbursement for the first six months of the NewForce graduate’s employment. Some employers structure this as a six month internship, while others apply it to the first six months of full employment.

Learn and Earn is referred to as an internship in the paperwork since the goal of the program is to offer continued on-the-job training beyond the classroom. There are no hiring obligations with Learn and Earn. For example, if you structure your employment as a six month internship or contract, once the six month eligibility period is complete, you may hire the NewForce graduate full-time, but are not obligated to do so.

There are options to extend eligibility beyond the six month reimbursement period depending on if the NewForce graduate is interested in taking any remaining classes needed to apply their training toward an Associates Degree in Technical Studies. This is determined on an individual basis following the conclusion of the first six months based on interest from the employer and student.

Reach out to NewForce to get connected with Mountwest Community and Technical College (MCTC) to start the initial paperwork. MCTC will walk companies through every step. They will work with the company to:

• Collect information needed to submit a grant proposal to the state for the anticipated reimbursement amount (MCTC takes care of the grant writing process completely after getting basic info from the company).
• Get the company set up as a vendor with the state of WV (who actually writes the checks!).
• Sign a simple MOU. The MOU lays out the number of NewForce graduates the company plans to hire (companies are not committed to this number, but it serves as an up-to amount for budgeting an estimated total reimbursement amount), the rate of pay (can be an average if multiple hires), and how many hours they will work.