Career Reset Opportunities
CAREER CHANGERS • FIRST-GENERATION • NONTRADITIONAL CAREERS
Title: Per Scholas — Free Technology Training
Funder/Donor/Grantmaker: Per Scholas — nonprofit
Grant amount: 100% tuition-free
Eligible: Adults seeking careers in technology; eligibility varies by course and location. Some programs are designed for people with little or no prior technology experience.
Format: Online/remote and in-person options depending on the course. Per Scholas offers national programs as well as location-specific cohorts.
Career pathways: IT Support, Cybersecurity, Cloud Computing, Data, Software Engineering and other technology careers.
Additional support: Industry certifications, career coaching, professional development and employer connections.
Deadline: Varies by cohort.
Links: Click here to Learn more & Find a Program
Last verified: September 24, 2026.
Title: Per Scholas — AWS re/Start
Funder/Donor/Grantmaker: Per Scholas + AWS
Grant amount: Free to participants
Eligible: Individuals seeking entry-level cloud careers; eligibility varies by cohort.
Format: Online/remote options available for qualifying cohorts.
Career pathways: Cloud computing, cloud support, systems administration and IT infrastructure.
Credential: AWS certifications/training.
Additional support: Career coaching and employer connections.
Deadline: Varies by cohort.
Links: Click here to Learn more & Apply
Last verified: September 24, 2026
Title: Year Up United — Tuition-Free Career Training + Stipend
Funder/Donor/Grantmaker: Year Up United — nonprofit
Grant amount: 100% tuition-free + educational stipend
Eligible: Young adults generally eligible for Year Up United's programs; program eligibility and location requirements vary.
Format: Combination of virtual and in-person instruction followed by an internship. This is not a fully virtual national program.
Career pathways: IT, software, business, customer experience and other career pathways.
Additional support: Internship experience, student services, career development, mentoring and a national alumni network.
Deadline: Varies by location and cohort.
Links: Click here to Learn more & Apply
Last verified: September 24, 2026
Title: Merit America — Opportunity for All
Funder/Donor/Grantmaker: Merit America — nonprofit
Grant amount: 100% of program cost for qualifying Opportunity for All participants.
Eligible: Adults seeking career advancement or career change. Opportunity for All is limited and generally becomes available after other payment options are unavailable.
Format: Online
Career pathways: IT Support, Data Analytics, UX Design, Project Management, Human Resources and Cybersecurity.
Program cost: Standard program cost is currently $5,700, but the Opportunity for All program can cover 100% for qualifying learners.
Additional support: Career coaching, skills training and career transition support.
Deadline: Varies.
Links: Click here to Learn more & Apply
Last verified: September 24, 2026
Title: NPower — Path2TECH
Funder/Donor/Grantmaker: NPower — nonprofit
Grant amount: Free / tuition-free
Eligible: Eligibility varies by program and location. NPower serves young adults, veterans, military-connected individuals and other populations through different programs.
Format: Virtual-led training is available; geographic eligibility varies.
Career pathways: IT Support, cybersecurity, cloud, AI and other technology careers.
Additional support: Industry certifications, career coaching, mentorship and employment support.
Deadline: Varies by cohort.
Links: Click here to Learn more & Apply
Last verified: September 24, 2026
FREE ONLINE DIGITAL SKILLS & AI
Title: Goodwill + Google AI Essentials
Funder/Donor/Grantmaker: Goodwill Industries International + Google.org
Grant amount: Free
Eligible: People in the U.S. and Canada interested in practical AI skills. No prior AI experience is required.
Format: Online and self-paced, approximately 6 hours.
Credential: Google certificate.
Career pathways: AI literacy, workplace productivity, digital skills and career advancement across industries.
Deadline: Limited-time availability.
Links: Click here to Learn more & Get Started
Last verified: September 24, 2026
Title: Goodwill + Google Prompting Essentials
Funder/Donor/Grantmaker: Goodwill Industries International + Google.org
Grant amount: Free
Eligible: Beginners and workers seeking practical AI skills. No prior AI experience is required.
Format: 100% online and self-paced, under 10 hours.
Credential: Google certificate.
Career pathways: AI productivity, workplace technology, automation and professional development.
Deadline: Limited-time availability.
Links: Click here to Learn more & Get Started
Last verified: September 24, 2026
Title: Goodwill + Google AI Professional Certificate
Funder/Donor/Grantmaker: Goodwill Industries International + Google.org
Grant amount: Free through Goodwill for a limited time
Eligible: Adults, workers and career changers seeking practical AI skills.
Format: Online/self-paced.
Career pathways: AI-enabled professional work, productivity, planning, content development, data analysis and workplace technology.
Credential: Google AI Professional Certificate.
Deadline: Limited-time availability.
Links: Click here to Learn more & Get Started
Last verified: September 24, 2026
Title: Goodwill + Google — Accelerate Your Job Search With AI
Funder/Donor/Grantmaker: Goodwill Industries International + Google.org
Grant amount: Free
Eligible: Job seekers and people considering a career change. No prior AI experience is required.
Format: Online and self-paced
Program includes: Transferable-skills discovery, career exploration, résumé development, job-search planning, application tracking and AI-assisted interview preparation.
Credential: Google certificate.
Deadline: Limited-time availability.
Links: Click here to Learn more & Get Started
Last verified: September 24, 2026
FREE PROGRAMMING / SOFTWARE CAREERS
Title: Recurse Center
Funder/Donor/Grantmaker: Recurse Center — nonprofit/community organization
Grant amount: 100% free — no tuition
Eligible: People who already have some programming ability. It is intended for programmers rather than complete beginners.
Format: Online or in person
Career pathways: Software engineering, programming, open-source development and technical careers.
Additional support: Peer learning, programming projects and career/community networking.
Deadline: Applications are generally accepted on an ongoing basis.
Links: Click here to Learn more & Apply
Last verified: September 24, 2026
Title: Ada Developers Academy
Funder/Donor/Grantmaker: Ada Developers Academy — nonprofit
Grant amount: Tuition-free programs
Eligible: Eligibility varies by program and cohort.
Format: Online options and self-guided learning are available.
Career pathways: Software development, coding and technology careers.
Additional support: Cohort learning, technical training, career preparation and community.
Deadline: Varies by cohort.
Links: Click here to Learn more & Apply
Last verified: September 24, 2026.
SPECIALIZED YOUTH / OPPORTUNITY-YOUTH PROGRAMS
Title: Azgari Foundation — Tuition-Free Online Career Training
Funder/Donor/Grantmaker: Azgari Foundation — 501(c)(3) nonprofit
Grant amount: 100% tuition-free
Eligible: Young adults ages 16–25, particularly people aging out of foster care, leaving the juvenile justice system or otherwise disconnected from school and work.
Format: Fully online
Career pathways: AI-enabled Marketing, Bookkeeping & Accounting, IT Help Desk, Web Development and Administrative Support.
Length: Approximately 16–24 weeks depending on program.
Additional support: Mentorship, hands-on projects and job-placement support.
Deadline: Applications/referrals for upcoming cohorts are currently open.
Links: Click here to Learn more & Apply
Last verified: September 24, 2026
SKILLED TRADES / NONTRADITIONAL CAREERS
Title: mikeroweWORKS Work Ethic Scholarship
Funder/Donor/Grantmaker: mikeroweWORKS Foundation — nonprofit
Grant amount: $10 million in 2026 scholarship funding
Eligible: U.S. citizens who are high school graduates or seniors and who enroll or plan to enroll in an approved program of two years or less at an accredited school.
Career pathways: Construction, electrical technology, HVAC, welding, heavy equipment operation, automotive, manufacturing and other in-demand skilled trades.
Format: Scholarship funds approved trade-school programs; the underlying training may be online, hybrid or in person depending on the school.
Deadline: October 31, 2026
Links: Click here to Learn more & Apply
Last verified: September 24, 2026
Title: Home Depot Foundation Path to Pro Scholarship
Funder/Donor/Grantmaker: The Home Depot Foundation + SkillPointe Foundation
Grant amount: $2,500
Eligible: High school seniors, high school graduates and GED holders pursuing qualifying trade-related education.
Career pathways: Carpentry, electrical, HVAC, plumbing and construction management.
Format: Scholarship may be applied to qualifying trade education; online availability depends on the participating institution.
Deadline: September 30, 2026
Links: Click here to Learn more & Apply
Last verified: September 24, 2026.
Title: Imagine America Adult Skills Education Program (ASEP)
Funder/Donor/Grantmaker: Imagine America Foundation — nonprofit
Grant amount: $1,000 tuition grant
Eligible: Adult students planning to attend a participating career college.
Career pathways: Career and technical education, healthcare, technology, skilled trades and other employment-focused programs.
Format: Participating schools may offer online, hybrid or campus programs.
Deadline: Varies; participating career colleges enroll throughout the year.
Links: Click here to Learn more & Apply
Last verified: September 24, 2026
Title: Horatio Alger Career & Technical Education Scholarship
Funder/Donor/Grantmaker: Horatio Alger Association — nonprofit
Grant amount: $2,500
Eligible: Qualifying U.S. students pursuing career and technical education at eligible nonprofit community colleges, trade schools or technical programs. Eligibility includes financial need and other program requirements.
Career pathways: Skilled trades, healthcare, technology, manufacturing and other career/technical fields.
Format: Depends on the participating educational institution.
Deadline: The 2026 application cycle has closed; monitor for the next cycle.
Links: Click here to Learn more
Last verified: September 24, 202
Title: Justin Owens Memorial Skilled Trades Scholarship
Funder/Donor/Grantmaker: JRO Foundation / scholarship partners
Grant amount: $10,000
Eligible: Students pursuing qualifying skilled-trade education or training.
Career pathways: Welding, fabrication, pipefitting and related skilled trades.
Format: Trade-school/technical education; online availability depends on the program.
Deadline: October 8, 2026, subject to current scholarship-cycle terms.
Links: Click here to Learn more & Apply
Last verified: September 24, 2026
FREE NATIONAL CAREER / TRAINING FINDERS
Title: SkillUp Coalition — Free Career Training Finder
Funder/Donor/Grantmaker: SkillUp Coalition — nonprofit
Grant amount: Free
Eligible: Workers, job seekers and career changers nationwide.
Program: Searchable national database of training programs, career pathways, jobs and apprenticeships that generally do not require a four-year degree.
Career pathways: Skilled trades, manufacturing, healthcare, logistics, utilities, facilities, IT, transportation and many other fields.
Format: Includes online, hybrid and location-based opportunities.
Additional support: Career tools, training discovery and job-search resources.
Deadline: No deadline — ongoing.
Links: Click here to Search Free National Opportunities
Last verified: September 24, 2026