Oʻahu Back to Work is funded by the City & County of Honolulu CARES Act Coronavirus Relief Fund and is only available for qualified Oʻahu residents. However, neighbor island residents may qualify for other funding to support participation in job training opportunities. Visit the Hana Career Pathways program or contact your local campus for more information.

Although participants must be residents of the City & County of Honolulu, neighbor island campuses are offering online courses to provide a diverse selection of short-term job skill training programs. Classes will be offered by all seven UH Community College campuses (Hawaiʻi, Honolulu, Kapiʻolani, Kauai, Leeward, UH Maui College, Windward) and UH Mānoa Outreach College.

Oʻahu residents whose employment has been impacted by COVID-19 qualify for free job training through the Oʻahu Back to Work program. This includes loss of employment, loss of hours, furlough, self-employment and suspended or closed business or reduced work hours. Recent high school graduates who are not not employed full-time, recent college graduates who are not employed full-time or in their field of study, and/or Oʻahu residents who attained a high school diploma equivalent or workforce development diploma and not employed full-time also meet eligibility requirements.

Oʻahu Back to Work will offer training from August 2021 to December 2021. New training opportunities will be posted periodically. Sign up for classes begins on August 16 and will end when classes are full or by November 25.

Visit the Oahu Back to Work site for more information on the available courses. The Hawaiʻi Is Hiring website and Hirenet Hawaiʻi can provide information about different jobs.

Most classes will be taught virtually online. Some of the courses will be conducted in-person because of the hands-on nature of the skills. Each class description will contain important information about class meetings such as dates, times, and locations. Courses will be labeled as in-person, online-real time, or online independent learning.

• In-person: You are required to be physically present at the campus during scheduled class times. You will be required to follow UH requirements for students participating in on campus class, including uploading vaccination or COVID-19 test results into UH'’'s Lumisight application.
• Online-real-time: Live interaction with instructor at the scheduled times. Everyone must be online at the scheduled class times.
• Online-independent learning: There are assignments and deadlines but NO set times to be online. Participants login at their own time throughout the class and meet predetermined deadlines.

If you meet the qualification criteria for the Oʻahu Back to Work program and are registered for a free class, you do not have to pay for the class. Required books and class materials will also be provided at no charge.

All available classes will be posted online. Most classes will be posted on August 16. However, new classes may be added after the launch. Please check back frequently as classes will be added as they are available.

The length of classes vary. Some can be completed in as little as 4 hours while others may take up to 12 weeks.

Be sure to check the email you used on your application as all registration information will be sent to that account. Once we receive your application, you will receive an email with next steps or information on the items you need to complete to be eligible to take the class.

If you are eligible for the class you applied to, you must click on the "Register Now" link in your email and follow the directions to reserve your seat in the class. Your seat in the class is not reserved until you have reached the receipt page confirming your registration and a confirmation email.

If the class you applied to has prerequisite requirements (things you need to complete to be eligible for the class before you can be registered) those will be listed in the email. This may include information about your educational background, your criminal abstract or a screening test (e.g., typing, reading, math). You must complete all prerequisite requirements before you can register for the class.

Submitting an application does not guarantee a seat in the class. You must regularly check the email used on your application as it is your responsibility to follow the instructions sent to you after you submit your application. Seats in this program are in high demand, so checking your email frequently and following the directions immediately will increase your chances of getting into your class.

Oʻahu Back to Work would like to reach as many qualified residents as possible, therefore participants may only take one free job training class.

Yes, qualified residents who participated in the 2020 Oʻahu Back to Work program may also take a free job skills training class this year if they meet the 2021 eligibility criteria.

Oʻahu Back to Work would like to reach as many qualified residents as possible, so we will accept your first registration only. No action will be taken on any class registration beyond one class per student. If you signed up for the wrong class or no longer wish to enroll in that class, please email oahuwork@hawaii.edu for assistance.

If you decide to cancel your registration, we would strongly recommend that you do so before the start of class. This would allow others on the waitlist to register and join the class. Please contact your campus representative for assistance with cancellation.

Withdrawing after the class has started will affect your ability to take another free class in this program.

If you are not eligible for O‘ahu Back to Work, please review UH Community Colleges’ Hana Career Pathways options. Once you submit an O‘ahu Back to Work application, if you are not eligible, then your application would be reviewed for other potential funding sources, and you also have the option to pay for the class on your own.

Class descriptions include information about equipment for online classes. All online classes will require access to internet connection, a computer, microphone and webcam.

The University of Hawaiʻi can help! When your class registration is confirmed, please let the program coordinator know that you need a laptop loaner and/or help getting internet access.

Once you receive the registration confirmation, please inform the program coordinator of your documented disability. They will connect you to the relevant services.

In August 2021, there were 27,593 job ads posted in Hawaiʻi. Explore available jobs at the Hawaiʻi Is Hiring website or Hirenet Hawaiʻi.

Participating in the program improves your opportunity to obtain a job since the program provides training for jobs that are currently hiring. While the program does not guarantee employment, the goal is for participants to become employed.

Some classes will have internship opportunities for more on the job training with an employer. Opportunities may be compensated.

There will be virtual and in-person hiring events to connect participants with employers who are hiring. Please go to Hawaiʻi Is Hiring website or Hirenet Hawaiʻi for more information on open positions and career exploration opportunities.

Oʻahu Back to Work classes are short term, non-credit training classes that do not award college credits toward a degree. Some classes may provide an opportunity to advance toward a college degree. If you are interested in pursuing a college degree, email oahuwork@hawaii.edu for more information about degree programs and how to apply for the Spring 2022 semester, which starts on January 10, 2022. Deadline to apply for a community college campus is December 15, 2021.

Yes, if you need help getting to campus for class or your internship site, Oʻahu Back to Work can help by providing you with a Holo card for TheBus! Contact your program coordinator or email oahuwork@hawaii.edu for more information.

If you need to leave a course before it is completed, notify your instructor ASAP.

If you would like to take classes that lead toward a college degree, apply online at apply.hawaii.edu or contact oahuwork@hawaii.edu for more information. Admissions applications to enter UH Community College degree programs in Spring 2022 are due on December 1, 2021.

If you are interested in additional job training (not a college degree at this time), there may be other opportunities to further improve your skills. Please let your program coordinator know of your interest or contact oahuwork@hawaii.edu for more information.

You may email us at oahuwork@hawaii.edu.