An education and training fund has been set up for recently dislocated workers from Aloha Airlines, ATA Airlines, Molokai Properties Limited (Molokai Ranch), NCL America and Weyerhaeuser Corporation.

The fund has been set up by the University of Hawai'i Community Colleges, in cooperation with the State of Hawai'i Workforce Investment Board.

It will provide a one-time only 50 percent discount on the cost of tuition, up to a maximum of $500 per eligible laid-off employee, for those who wish to begin or resume a college education or who wish to obtain new job skills through non-credit instruction.

The University of Hawai'i Community Colleges will pledge $70,000 from its Rapid Response Fund, a fund created last year by the Legislature to meet workforce related high-demand training needs.

The funds will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis until exhausted. The discount ends June 30, 2009.

Participants must be laid-off former employees of Aloha Airlines, ATA Airlines, Molokai Properties Limited, NCL America or the Weyerhaeuser Corporation. All participants will be certified as eligible by the Workforce Investment Board's One-Stop Center in the county where the UH Community Colleges deliver courses.

The UH Community Colleges comprise seven campuses—four on O'ahu (Kapi'olani CC, Honolulu CC, Leeward CC and Windward CC), and one campus each on Maui, Kaua'i, and the Big Island. Applications may be obtained at any community college admissions and records office or at any One-Stop Center.

Former employees of Molokai Properties Limited who want to participate must be certified as eligible by the Workforce Development Division's Worksource Molokai. Applications can be obtained at the Maui Community College Molokai Education Center or at Worksource Molokai.

Questions about the program should be directed to Vaughn Baker, Director of Workforce Development in the University of Hawai'i Office of the Vice President for Community Colleges, at (808) 956-5145 or via e-mail at bakerl@hawaii.edu.