by Rachel Vilsack
March 2018
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The Eligible Training Providers List helps Minnesotans find training programs with credentials that can lead to successful careers.
All states are required under the federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) to maintain a list of institutions, programs and courses known as the Eligible Training Providers List (ETPL). This list ensures that Minnesotans and customers in WIOA programs (i.e., Adult, Dislocated Worker or Youth) can find quality training programs that provide credentials upon completion.
The Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) maintains the ETPL, which is available to the public through the interactive Career and Education Explorer tool at mn.gov/deed/careers.
In Minnesota, training providers must meet two requirements to have their organizations, courses or programs listed on the ETPL:
The institution must be licensed, registered or legally exempted by the Minnesota Office of Higher Education (OHE), with a few exceptions based on specific occupations.
The training provider must request listing on the Training Provider Portal, a secure portal for trainers to provide all required information about the courses and programs they'd like to list.
There are a few occupations where the training is regulated by a Minnesota state agency other than the Office of Higher Education. These occupations include:
DEED verifies that training institutions meet the criteria above – and have a physical location in Minnesota – before allowing the providers to list their courses and programs to job seekers and prospective students. The only exception is registered apprenticeships, which are authorized by the federal Department of Labor and are welcome to be listed on Minnesota's ETPL regardless of their location, per federal requirements.
The ETPL is not a comprehensive list of all training institutions in Minnesota. No training provider is required to be listed on the ETPL. It is completely voluntary.
Anyone can use the Eligible Training Provider List. It is most likely to be used, however, by workforce development counselors and the job seekers they assist.
Users can find course and program information, including:
Information on the number and percent of students who complete training at the institution is also provided. In 2018, employment outcomes for graduates of the institution by award type and program of study will also be added.
Some courses and programs on the ETPL carry a WIOA-certified designation. This acknowledges that a student earns an industry-recognized credential upon successful completion of the training.
A "credential" is defined as the formal recognition of an individual's attainment of measurable technical or occupational skills necessary to obtain employment or advance within an occupation. These technical or occupational skills are generally based on standards developed or endorsed by employers.
The types of credentials include:
Training institutions must request WIOA-certification for their courses or programs. If DEED determines that the training results in an industry-recognized credential, then WIOA-certification will be granted. It should be noted, however, that WIOA certification isn't an evaluation of the quality or effectiveness of an institution. It simply marks whether a training program results in an industry-recognized credential. Minnesota training providers offer many training options that may not result in an industry-recognized credential.
WIOA requires training providers to update their information at least every two years. DEED reached out to all training providers in the fall of 2017 to request updates of their course and program data. If a training provider fails to update data every two years, DEED may remove that institution from the ETPL, which will also remove the program from WIOA certification.
Beyond the legal requirements, training providers are welcome to update data as often as they like. Being able to access the most up-to-date and accurate information helps job seekers, counselors and the public make training decisions.
For More InformationCareer and Education Explorer
Training Provider Portal
ETPL Handbook
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