i live in pa, and was recently laid off.?

you would have to ask at a local unemployment office.

That type of plan DID exist about 15 yrs ago - I took advantage of it - the company I worked for was in an industry that was deemed affected by foreign imports or something like that, so the Pa Dept of unemployment paid for "retraining" - I got laid off in late July and found a computer curriculum at the local community college and barely got accepted in time for the fall semester-- went full time for one semester - found a part time temp job and evenings/Saturday for one semester - found a full time temp job-and got paid unemployment benefits all that time too (only partial or none when I was working 40 hrs a week).

don;t know if your situation is eligible or if the program even still exists - or there may be a totally new program out there - like I said, I did this way back in 1993-94 - ask at a local unemployment office - I think it was called TRA

You will have to inquire at your local unemployment office to see if there are any federal, state, or local programs available in your specific area at present. These types of programs have started up and been abandoned repeatedly for several decades now. Note that states and localities are in desperate financial shape and slashing spending on all kinds of things. Their tax revenues have dried up as people lose their jobs, lose their homes, have no money to spend. Income, property & sales tax revenues have plummeted while welfare demands are skyrocketing. Even if they had a program a month ago, it could be wiped out yesterday or tomorrow.

If you are serious about getting training for a better job, decide what you really want, get accepted into an appropriate school. Then apply for financial aid. Keep looking for work while you are getting yourself set up for school, and if you find a job, grab it and keep it while going to school for a better future. The one sure way to get an education is to do it yourself.