Services
- Adults 50+
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- Pierce County Library 2030: Facilities Master Plan
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- Tools for Tough Economic Times
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- Book List - Living on Less
- Book List - Tough Economic Times
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- Cities Within Pierce County
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- Computer Classes at Pierce County Library
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- Job Search Links
- Keyboarding and Computer Basics
- Legal Help and Information
- Library Helping in Hard Economic Times
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Adult Education
Expand your skills and knowledge. Several programs listed below are free or low-cost. Semester-length classes may cost more. Check with each school or organization for complete information.
Centro Latino - Free basic computer classes in Spanish.
Address: 1208 S. 10th St., Tacoma, WA 98405
Phone: 253-572-7717
Goodwill – Basic Computer Classes are offered for free every Monday and Friday morning from approximately 9:50 to 11:30. No registration required; classes are first come first served.
Address: WorkSource, 1305 Tacoma Ave S, Suite 201, Tacoma, WA 98402
Phone: 253-272-5166
Pierce County Library offers free computer classes.
Self-help Web Sites for building keyboarding, typing and basic computer skills are listed on the Pierce County Library Keyboarding and Computer Basics page.
Washington Women’s Employment & Education (WWEE) offers classes (for a fee) in Access, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint and Word that are open to beginners or those wanting to improve on their current skill level. Admission to the classes requires a typing speed of 25 words per minute.
Address: 3516 South 47th St., Suite 205, Tacoma, WA 98409
Phone: 253-474-9933 or toll-free 888-758-9933
Computer Classes at Community Colleges
- Bates Technical College - Browse the Bates class schedule for beginning computer classes, including Computer Training for the Mature Learner.
- Clover Park Technical College - Look in the Continuing Education/Extended Learning class schedule for beginning computer and software courses.
- Pierce College - Check out the Continuing Education schedule for classes including the Computer Survival Series for the absolute beginner.
- Tacoma Community College - Programs include the Computers for Seniors series as well as training in Microsoft Office software for beginners.
Career Retraining
Unemployed and looking for work? Or underemployed and in need of retraining? Find a variety of programs to help with education and training.
Goodwill - Training and education, as well as job placement for at-risk, disabled and disadvantaged teens and adults; also, the Senior Community Service Employment Program for adults 55+.
Phone: 253-272-5166.
Pierce County CAREER Program (Community Action Resource for Education and Employment Readiness) - Assists in breaking down barriers to self-sufficiency for low-income residents in Pierce County by providing training, employment and support services.
Self-Employment Assistance Plan - SEAP provides a unique opportunity for you to enter into self-employment entrepreneurial training and receive business counseling while you collect unemployment benefits.
While participating, you can create a job in an occupation that interests you and stimulate the local economy. The SEAP program offers a valuable option to eligible people who wish to work but want to run their own business.
Training Benefits from the Employment Security Department - Additional unemployment benefits that provide extra income while you are enrolled in an approved training program.
University of Washington – Tacoma Key Bank Development Center - Offers non-degree education programs for professional development. Programs include test prep (GRE, GMAT, LSAT) as well as classes and certificates in law, business, education and other professional areas.
Washington Women’s Employment & Education - Helps low-income individuals become self-sufficient by providing career advice, job search/interview skills training, basic computer training and more.
WorkSource Training Programs (Work Force Investment Act) - Find and apply for programs that help to retrain the unemployed or those who have been recently laid off.
Retraining Programs at Community Colleges
The Worker Retraining Program helps unemployed, dislocated workers, and displaced homemakers receive assistance to complete job training and re-enter the workforce.
- Bates Technical College
- Job Readiness Training Center
- Worker Retraining
- Clover Park Technical College
- Pierce College
- Tacoma Community College
Back to School
Thinking about finishing high school or getting a college degree? These links provide information on finding the right program and the funding to achieve your goals.
Educational Opportunity Center - The EOC assists people in their pursuit of a college education by providing free career and education advising services, including help with the FAFSA process, and a Career and Education Resource Library and Computer Lab. Call 253-572-5960 to set up an appointment with an advisor.
Free Application for Federal Student Aid - FAFSA - The first step in the financial aid process. Use it to apply for federal student financial aid, such as the Pell Grant, student loans, and college work-study. Provided by the U.S. Dept. of Education
Testing and Education Resource Center -TERC - Considering college or entering a new career? With the Pierce County Library’s TERC database, you can:
- Find academic programs, including distance learning and international, that fit your needs
- Find online practice tests and study guides for most exams, including the GED and ASVAB
- Find scholarships for any area of study in one simple database.
A Pierce County Library card is required for access outside the library.
Washington Career Bridge - A one-stop, searchable database of education and training programs throughout Washington State. Find out which careers are currently in demand, where you can train for them and how to pay for them.
GED Test Preparation
- Tacoma Area Literacy Council - GED reading test preparation.
Phone: 253-272-2471 - Tacoma Community House - Free classes for GED preparation.
Address: 1314 S. L St., Tacoma, WA 98405
Phone: 253-383-3951 - Tacoma Rescue Mission – Challenge Learning Services - Adult Basic Education services are offered free of charge. A faith-based organization that offers instruction for reading, writing, math, effective life skills, GED prep, college prep and employment preparation. Transportation assistance may be available.
Address: 425 S. Tacoma Way, Tacoma, WA 98402
Phone: 253-383-4493
Adult Basic Education/GED Preparation at Community Colleges
Adult Basic Education courses are for students who want to brush up on basic skills in reading, writing, and math. They are also often used as GED Prep.
English as a Second Language and Citizenship Classes
Centro Latino - Free ESL and citizenship classes.
Address: 1208 S. 10th St., Tacoma, WA 98405
Phone: 253-572-7717.
Korean Women's Association – Multicultural and multilingual community services, including citizenship and ESL classes.
My Service Mind – A community-based nonprofit organization. Serves the Puget Sound region and offers refugee assistance, ESL instruction, citizenship classes, low-income housing, legal referral and a free legal clinic.
Address: 11016 Bridgeport Way SW, Lakewood, WA 98499
Phone: 253-584-5615
Puyallup School District - The Puyallup School District offers evening classes for adults who want to learn English. All classes are free and take place through the end of the 2012-13 school year. Participants are welcome to join anytime throughout the year.
Tacoma Area Literacy Council - An all-volunteer organization. Free ESL tutoring. Phone: 253-272-2471
Tacoma Community House - Free classes for GED preparation, ESL and Adult Literacy. Tacoma Community House partners with Tacoma Public Library to offer adult literacy, GED and ESL instruction at the Swan Creek Library and Literacy Center .
Address: 1314 S. L St., Tacoma, WA 98405
Phone: 253-383-3951
St Francis House – Puyallup Valley - A nonprofit organization serving the Puyallup area. Free ESL classes as well as a food and clothing bank. For more information call: 253-848-3618.
ESL at Community Colleges
These low-cost programs offer basic ESL instruction; some also provide career and computer training for ESL students.
Literacy Programs
Literacy Network of Washington - Connects learners with teachers. A division of Tacoma Community House.
Toll-free hotline: 888-444-5744.Tacoma Area Literacy Council - This all-volunteer organization offers free tutoring in adult basic literacy, ESL and GED reading test preparation.
Phone: 253-272-2471Tacoma Community House - Free classes for GED preparation, ESL and Adult Literacy. Partners with Tacoma Public Library to offer adult literacy, GED and ESL instruction at the Swan Creek Library and Literacy Center .
Address: 1314 S. L St., Tacoma, WA 98405
Phone: 253-383-3951
