Term Definition | All Glossary Terms

Incumbent Worker Training [IWT]

Incumbent Worker Training is designed to meet the needs of an employer or group of employers to retain a skilled workforce or avert layoffs. Incumbent Worker training can be used to either: Help avert potential layoffs of employees; or obtain the skills necessary to retain employment, such as increasing the skill levels of employees so they can be promoted within the company and create backfill opportunities for new or less-skilled employees.
Unlike other trainings, employers, instead of individuals, must meet the local eligibility criteria to receive funds for training their workforce. In most circumstances, incumbent workers being trained must have been employed with the company for at least six months. Employers who receive these funds are required to meet requirements for providing the non-federal share of the cost of the training.