ECC Grad Receives Support from Workforce Development Program

Before Yeni Elizalde started taking classes at Elgin Community College (ECC), she had limited support. She was paying out of pocket and was pregnant with her daughter. Elizalde said she used her savings for college until she was connected to the WIOA (Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act) program at ECC. 

“I felt not only more support, but they also led me down a better path,” Elizalde said. 

The WIOA program offers free career training for eligible employees. Recently, the program received over $2 million in grant funding. More than 85 training programs lead to industry-recognized certificates, including health professions, which was perfect for Elizalde, who decided to study nursing.

The program helped her with transportation, gas, books, and toolkits she needed for classes. Elizalde was even given clothes for an interview, which helped her land an internship at a local doctor’s office. 

“I was a young mom, and I just thought this was going to be my best choice,” Elizalde said about choosing ECC and the WIOA program. “They had so many resources to help me go down the right path.”

Elizalde is now a nursing graduate with plans to work at a local hospital in the Elgin area. Her daughter was by her side during the spring 2026 nurse pinning ceremony for all nursing graduates. 

For those interested in starting their career in less than a year, ECC offers several short-term career training programs that lead to a certificate in fields like health professions, automotive, business, manufacturing production, marketing, and more. 

This program has many student support services available, similar to the WIOA program: disability services, free tutoring, wellness services, transportation assistance, and more. 

To learn more, ECC is offering several free information sessions from its Workforce Development and Continuing Education division. The next available information session is September 28 from 6 to 7 pm in Building K, Room K121 at ECC’s 1700 Spartan Drive campus. 

Registration is recommended!