SOWIB Southwestern Oregon Workforce Investment Board

Coos · Curry · Douglas Counties

For Employers

SOWIB funds training for the people you are trying to hire and keep. Three programs are open to an employer directly, and each one has its own eligibility rules and its own status right now.

What you can use

The three programs SOWIB publishes for employers

The four conditions a business must meet for Incumbent Worker Training, and the grant's current status The Incumbent Worker Training page states four conditions in this order: Must operate in Coos, Curry, or Douglas Counties; Must have been in operation for at least one year; Must be current on all local, state, and federal tax obligations; Must match grant funds; the amount required is based on company size. The page then states: Grant applications are currently closed for 2025-2026 program year Must operate in Coos, Curry, or Douglas Counties Must have been in operation for at least one year Must be current on all local, state, and federal tax obligations Must match grant funds; the amount required is based on company size Grant applications are currently closed for 2025-2026 program year
The four conditions, in the order and the words the Incumbent Worker Training page states them, and the status that page carries today.

  • Incumbent Worker Training

    For employers

    The Incumbent Worker Training grant is a competitive grant that provides funding to help businesses effectively train and retain employees by providing skills upgrades and process improvement training for existing, full-time employees.

    To qualify

    • Must operate in Coos, Curry, or Douglas Counties
    • Must have been in operation for at least one year
    • Must be current on all local, state, and federal tax obligations
    • Must match grant funds; the amount required is based on company size
    Not open right now

    Grant applications are currently closed for 2025-2026 program year

  • Dislocated Worker Services

    For workers you are letting go

    If you’ve been laid off, your hours have been reduced, or economic changes have impacted your work, there are services available to help you move forward.

    Available

    This page states no closing date and no application window.

  • Rapid Response

    For employers

    Rapid Response, a service offered by SOWIB, helps employers find alternatives to layoffs during times of economic uncertainty. We understand that layoffs can be a difficult decision for employers and offer the following options:

    Available

    This page states no closing date and no application window.

Hire an apprentice

Four registered apprenticeships, and they open county by county

An apprenticeship that is accepting applications in Coos may be paused in Douglas, because each one opens and closes as its applicant pool fills. Where a program page names your county neither way, contact SOWIB before assuming either.

All programs
Apprenticeship Coos Curry Douglas
Early Childhood Education Childcare Accepting Accepting Paused
Medical Assistant Healthcare Accepting Accepting Accepting
Surgical Technologist Healthcare Not stated Not stated Paused
Nurse Faculty Healthcare Not stated Not stated Not stated

Where the money goes

The sectors this board funds

SOWIB names 7 target sectors. Its maritime and blue economy funding is open to Coos, Curry and Coastal Douglas counties, and its own news record reports the closure of the Roseburg Forest Products facility in Dillard and the federal money that followed it. These are the sectors the region is moving between.

  • Healthcare
  • Transportation
  • Manufacturing
  • Hospitality & Tourism
  • Childcare
  • Construction
  • Maritime

Who to call

The WorkSource office in your county

Each county has its own office, and they are a long way apart. Brookings to Roseburg is four hours over the Coast Range, which is why this site asks where you are before it tells you what is available.