UCSD Extension announced plans last week to apply $100,000 in grants geared toward education programs for unemployed San Diegans amid the current economic crisis. The grants will allow the first 500 San Diegans who apply to take free career-seminar classes at the extension.

According to Ed Abeyta, the UCSD Extension registrar and director of student services, the seminars were designed to instruct students in basic, critical career skills in areas like personal finance, leadership, networking and business etiquette. Participants will learn about corporate politics, salary negotiation, career changes and creating resumes, and develop other necessary abilities such as interviewing.

UCSD Extension began distributing the grants Oct. 30, when the offer went into effect; within the first five days, 60 grants had been handed out.

Participants may choose up to three seminars at once, normally priced at $45 to $75 each, with limited availability. UCSD Extension spokesman Henry DeVries said the distribution of these grants will help the extension achieve its overall goals.

“We saw that part of our mission is helping to train the San Diego workforce,” he said. “We think it will help people discover jobs that are out there that they didn’t know about.”

While the UCSD Extension has never before offered these types of grants, the decision to do so comes on the heels of a plan to promote professional education, workforce development and public service in the community.

Abeyta also stressed that these seminars will allow participants to enhance their career skills by interacting with peers.

“During times like these, being able to come together in the classroom is one of the key components [of the program],” Abeyta said.

According to DeVries, the extension program’s new efforts to provide aid are meant to combat harsh economic conditions — which have left many in the United States struggling to make ends meet — and rising unemployment in California and San Diego County.

“We saw that we could help the local economy by making these grants,” DeVries said. “Our mission is to have a local impact.”

According to the California Employment Development Department, the state’s unemployment rate was 7.7 percent, as of September of this year. The rate in San Diego County has risen significantly since last year, and remains at 6.4 percent as of September.

The same department estimated that 1,300 San Diego jobs were lost between August and September. This level of unemployment is the highest since the mid-1990s, and is expected to continue rising over the next several months.

UCSD Extension instructs over 22,000 individuals per year in 3,200 courses.

The extension program offers 80 certificate programs held at the UCSD campus, as well as in Sorrento Mesa, Rancho Bernardo and Mission Valley.