What is the Tennessee ETPL?
The Tennessee Eligible Training Provider List is the set of programs that WIOA money can pay for in the state. It is Tennessee's ETPL, kept by the Department of Labor and Workforce Development and applied for through Jobs4TN. Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development (American Job Center Tennessee) keeps it. A program has to be on the list, and lead to a job the local board calls in demand, before an American Job Center will issue an Individual Training Account for it. 1,683 Tennessee programs are on the federal index, including 44 CDL, 27 CNA, and 38 LPN programs.
Capstone Workforce's free navigator checks your WIOA eligibility door in two minutes, and the $4.99 apply guide lists the Tennessee programs in your field with the documents the state asks for, so you walk into intake with the program already picked.
What is on the Tennessee list
| Program type | Programs in Tennessee | What that means for funding |
|---|---|---|
| All listed programs | 1,683 | Every program the state reported to the federal index |
| CDL (Class A and B) | 44 | See the CDL guide for what boards pay |
| CNA | 27 | The most-funded short healthcare program |
| Phlebotomy | 35 | Four to twelve weeks, funded nearly everywhere |
| LPN or LVN | 38 | Funded where the program fits the board's length cap |
| RN (associate degree) | 15 | Funded by boards that allow two-year programs |
| BSN | 14 | Rarely funded; four years exceeds most caps |
Counts from the DOL ETA-9171 index at TrainingProviderResults.gov, counted by program name and credential in September 2026. The state's own list is the one a counselor funds from; the two usually match but the state list updates first.
Tennessee reviews the school, not only the course, every year on its numbers. So a program at an institution whose overall performance slipped can come off the list even if that particular course did fine, and a reader should confirm the listing for the current year rather than relying on a school's brochure.
How to search the Tennessee ETPL
- Use the state's own tool. Tennessee's ETPL is searched inside Jobs4TN and with your counselor, weighted toward TCAT programs and regional in-demand lists.
- Cross-check the federal index. TrainingProviderResults.gov lists the same programs with the completion rate, employment rate, and median earnings each provider reported. Two schools teaching the same credential can differ by 30 points on completion.
- Ask your counselor which listed programs the board funds. The list is statewide; the money is local. No statewide cap; each of the nine areas sets its own. Ask your counselor for the area cap and whether funds remain this program year.
- Check the exact program, not just the school. A college can have four programs listed and six not. WIOA pays only for the listed one.
How WIOA pays for a program on the Tennessee list
- Find your center. The Tennessee WIOA guide covers intake, documents, and timing in the state.
- Register on Jobs4TN; most areas require it for intake.
- Find your American Job Center and book intake.
- Complete the assessment and Individual Employment Plan.
- Choose a program on the ETPL that is in-demand for your area and receive the ITA.
WIOA is a grant. You do not pay it back if you finish the program. The national application guide covers the six steps in detail, and the occupation guides cover what boards typically pay for CDL, CNA, LPN, phlebotomy, and the trades.
Not sure which job fits you?
A free 5-minute assessment. See the jobs that fit you and your situation, with the pay, the training, and openings near you. No account.
Find the work that fits me5 minutes. Free. One tap per question.
How a training provider gets on the Tennessee ETPL
A school applies online at jobs4tn.gov. Whether it is based in Tennessee or out of state, it has to hold authorization to operate within Tennessee from a state authorizing body before it can be listed. Registered Apprenticeship programs registered under the National Apprenticeship Act get automatic inclusion.
Initial eligibility asks for the program's credential, length, cost, and the occupation it leads to. Continued eligibility asks for outcomes. Annual, and decided on performance. Tennessee makes every institution's and every program's eligibility determination on an annual basis, based on that institution's performance data.
Registered apprenticeship sponsors are listed automatically on request in every state; the apprenticeship guide covers that path.
Before your intake appointment
Rehearse your Tennessee WIOA intake appointment: $6.99 for 7 days
The counselor's first question is usually this one: "Why this training, and how will you get to class every day for the length of the program?" Your answer at that appointment decides your funding. Practice it and the rest of the visit out loud for 7 days. The AI plays the counselor and scores how clear you were. One payment, nothing renews.
New to intake? Read how to prepare for your WIOA appointment.
Not sure yet? Answer the first question free
What staying on the list requires: the reporting
Every listed program reports the same federal measures each year: how many participants completed, how many were employed in the second and fourth quarters after exit, their median earnings, and how many earned the credential. States pull employment and earnings from wage records; providers supply completions and credentials. A program that misses the state's minimum levels comes off the list, and a provider that misses the reporting deadline comes off with it.
The two numbers providers most often cannot produce on demand are credential attainment inside the one-year window and a verified placement record. The credential attainment guide and the six-indicator guide cover what each requires.