Apprenticeship Training while unemployed
Times of unemployment can be an opportune time to continue your technical training. If you are an unemployed Apprentice or if your employer is anticipating a slow-down in work you may want to consider taking your next level of technical training back-to-back with a class you are already registered in or planning to take.
Click here for Questions and Answers pertaining to Apprenticeship Training while unemployed.
What is Apprenticeship?
Apprenticeship combines paid on-the job training, work experience and post-secondary classroom instruction. The majority of an apprentice’s time (80 per cent ) is spent learning their skills and gaining experience on the job (under the direction of a highly skilled journeyperson) and approximately 20 per cent of their time is spent learning in a classroom setting.
The average apprenticeship program takes four years to complete, depending on the trade, (can range from one to five years in length). Upon completion, an apprentice is required to write an exam in order to receive his/her Journeyperson designation. Northern Lights College offers apprenticeship training in 11 different trades areas at our two main campuses, Dawson Creek and Fort St. John. All of the trades offered at Northern Lights College lead to Journeyperson status under the Interprovincial standards (Red Seal) endorsement program. Red Seal certified workers can work anywhere in Canada where their trade is designated. Labour mobility is essential for the Canadian workforce. For skilled tradespeople the Red Seal is the recognized passport to mobility in trades across Canada.
Apprenticeship classes are ongoing in six, eight and ten-week intakes throughout the year. This enables apprentices in levels 1, 2, 3, and 4 to complete their entire training with Northern Lights College. It is no longer necessary to leave family and community to reach training and career goals. Through strong partnerships with regional industry steering committee and the Industry Training Authority, Northern Lights College has become a strong force in addressing the shortage of skilled trades workers by making trades training accessible in the north.
Apprenticeship is a proven method for giving British Columbia workers the skills they need to succeed in the workplace. British Columbia’s apprenticeship system is recognized globally for the quality of its curriculum and its graduates.
Northern Lights College has been offering apprenticeship training for more than 40 years. Apprentices in our programs receive high quality instruction, great service, and a solid foundation on which to build their career in the trades.
How do I become an Apprentice?
First of all you need to secure employment in a trade and have an employer who is willing to provide you with on-the-job training. An apprenticeship is a three party agreement between; the apprentice, the employer, and the Industry Training Authority. As an apprentice, you learn your skills under the direction of a certified journeyperson which the employer assigns to your training. The Industry Training Authority will determine the terms of your apprenticeship, maintains your apprenticeship records and technical training results and ultimately will provide your final examination and certification. You may download an Apprentice and Sponsor Registration form from http://www.itabc.ca/forms/CS001.4_Registration_Form.pdf or contact the Industry Training Authority (ITA) at: 1-866-660-6011.
Most apprenticeships require that you attend technical training as a requirement for completing your trade training. Each trade requires various levels of training. Normally, an apprentice will attend a block of technical training at the College for each level of apprenticeship. The technical training will provide you with additional theory and skills necessary to prepare you for your journeyperson examination. See our training schedule for more information. Another pre-requisite to becoming an apprentice is to ensure you have the appropriate level of secondary school education. Many trades require a grade 12 graduation with a minimum of grade 11 math and sciences. However, a grade 10 education is still an acceptable minimum standard in some trades. You may be referred for a trades assessment. For more information on these pre-requisites check out the ITA website http://www.itabc.ca/TrainingPrograms_Profiles.php?TradeProfileID=2 and select the trade you are interested in.
Foundation Trades Training
If you are having difficulty securing work in the industry, many students enrol in a full-time Foundation Trades Training program before entering into an apprenticeship. Upon completion of a Foundation Trades Training program, graduates will have completed up to two levels of technical training towards their chosen apprenticeship, accumulated hours of work experience, and developed enhanced employability skills. As a Foundation Trades Training grad, you are more attractive to an employer because you already have the basic skills needed to be productive on the job site.
A Foundation program runs from 20 weeks to 10 months in duration depending on the trade. Upon successful completion of the program, and after securing employment with an employer you will receive credit for your first and/or second year apprenticeship technical training in that trade. You are now an apprentice and will return to Northern Lights College for technical training once a year until your apprenticeship is completed. For more information on the Foundation Trades Training programs offered check out http://nlc.bc.ca/subsite.trades.programs.php.
Northern Lights College offers Foundation Trades Training for all of our Apprenticeship programs. In partnership with Northern Opportunities, an innovative north eastern BC partnership, Northern Lights College provide high school students with a seamless learning pathway from secondary school to post secondary trades and apprenticeship training. “Dual-credit” programs combine high school and college studies with work-based training enabling the learner to simultaneously earn their high school diploma and up to two level of technical training in their chosen apprenticeship. This initiative has been very successful for many years and is seeing growing interest from parents, learners, and adults alike.
Innovative programs such as these are the reason Northern Lights College is a driver of learning excellence. Meeting the needs of skilled trades workers by providing accessibility to training in the north. Northern Lights College programs are viable with little to no waitlist for learners to enter into our programs. The northern region of British Columbia is in the midst of high economic times. Since 2003, Northern Lights College has seen interest grow exponentially in all areas of trades training.
How can you increase your chances of getting an apprenticeship?
- While you are still in high school, take courses that relate to the trade you are interested in.
- Complete your Grade 12 education or equivalent ensuring you have completed courses such as Grade 10 English, Grade 10 Math (Applications or Principles) achieving a minimum of C+ (67%). Some trades will require Grade 11 English, Grade 11 Math (Applications or Principles) achieving a minimum of C+ (67%).
- Register in a Secondary School Apprenticeship Program in your school district.
- Research the trade of your choice and talk with potential employers.
- Take a Foundation Trades Training program from a post-secondary institution like Northern Lights College.
- Secure employment in a related field until an apprenticeship vacancy comes open.
Apprenticeship Financial Incentives
Tradespeople’s Tool Expenses
http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/whatsnew/tools-e.html
The federal government will now provide tax recognition for the costs that many employed tradespeople incur to provide their own tools in their employment duties. A deduction (up to a maximum of $500 per year) will be allowed for the total cost of new tools acquired by an employed tradesperson in a tax year in excess of $1,000. Employers will need to certify that the employee is required to obtain those tools for use in employment activities. New tools acquired on or after May 2, 2006, will qualify. Electronic communication devices and electronic data processing equipment will not qualify as eligible tools. (Apprentice vehicle mechanics will be able to claim this new tradespeople’s tool expenses deduction in addition to the existing apprentice vehicle mechanic’s tools deduction – however, parameters surrounding the existing deduction will be modified.)
Scholarships and Bursary Income
The first $3,000 of scholarship, fellowship, or bursary income received by a taxpayer in a taxation year with respect to post-secondary education or occupational training is exempt from tax.
Apprenticeship Incentive Grant
http://www.servicecanada.gc.ca/en/goc/apprenticeship.shtml
The federal government established this grant January 1, 2007. The Apprenticeship Incentive Grant (AIG) provides direct support to apprentices in the first two years of an apprenticeship program in one of the Red Seal trades. The taxable grant is $1000 for level 1 and $1000 for level 2.
The Apprenticeship Incentive Grant is meant to:
- help cover some of your tuition, travel, and tool costs;
- encourage you to complete your apprenticeship program and get your Red Seal.
You can apply for the grand if you have completed your in-school technical and on-the-job training for the first or second year/level (or equivalent) of your apprenticeship program on or after January 1, 2007. You will have until June 30 of the subsequent calendar year to submit your application. Detail information is available at www.servicecanada.gc.ca
British Columbia Apprenticeship Incentive Grant
http://www.sbr.gov.bc.ca/itb/TTC/ttc.htm
Effective January 1, 2007, the provincial government announced an added incentive for apprentices who complete their 3rd and 4th year of any apprenticeship program beginning in 2007. The apprentice will receive a tax credit when they file their income taxes for the 2007 year (in 2008). Apprentices will be eligible for a tax credit of $2,000 for completing Level 3 and a credit of $2,500 for completing Level 4 of any apprenticeship.
BC Training Tax Credit
British Columbia's basic credits has complemented the Government of Canada's incentives for training. The federal incentives (above) are limited to the first two years' enrolment in Red Seal Apprenticeship program. British Columbia's basic training tax credits will provide similar incentives to the 79 British Columbia non-Red Seal Aapprenticeship programs for Apprentices who complete higher training levels.
The basic credit for employers will be 10 per cent of wages paid up to $2,000 per Apprentice in the first 24 months of a non-Red Seal Apprenticeship program.
If an Apprentice completesLlevel 3 of any Apprenticeship program the employer will receive 15 per cent of wages paid to an apprentice or lesser of $2,500. If an apprentice completes Level 4 of any Apprenticeship program the employer will receive 15 per cent of an Apprentice’s wages paid or lesser of $3,000.
For further details about the BC Training Tax Credit program visit the Ministry of Small Business and Revenue website at www.sbr.gov.bc.ca
Apprenticeship Job Creation Tax Credit
The Federal Government has introduced an Apprenticeship Job Creation Tax Credit program for employers hiring new apprentices in eligible trades. Eligible employers will receive a non-refundable tax credit equal to 10% of the salaries and wages paid to qualifying apprentices, to a maximum credit of $2,000 per year per apprentice. Special rules will ensure that where an apprentice works for two or more related employers in a year, the combined credit does not exceed $2,000.
A qualifying apprentice will be someone working for an eligible employer in a qualifying trade in the first two years of his or her provincially registered apprenticeship contract. Qualifying trades will be prescribed and will include the 45 trades currently included in the Red Seal trades.
Employers can carry unused credits back three years and forward twenty years to reduce federal income taxes otherwise payable in those years. The Apprenticeship Job Creation Tax Credit will be available to eligible employers in respect of salaries and wages paid to qualifying apprentices on or after May 2, 2006.
For more information and details on the above initiatives visit
http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/whtsnw/pprntcshp-eng.html
Financial Support for Retraining and Skills Development – Columbia Institute Awards Program
The Columbia Institute Awards program is one of the few scholarship programs designed to support the financial needs of adult learners interested in re-training and skills development. You may be eligible to receive one of 14 scholarships valued at $1,000 each. Qualifying applicants may renew their award up to four years! For more information, application forms and details on the above awards program visit www.columbiainstitute.ca
Passport to Education Awards for Approved Apprenticeship Programs and Trades Training Courses
Passport to Education stamps, Provincial and District scholarship awards may be used to pay for tuition fees for Apprenticeship and Foundation Trades Training programs offered by public post-secondary institutions, and a limited number of other training providers who have been designated (approved) by the Industry Training Authority (ITA) to deliver specific programs. For more information visit www.bced.gov.bc.ca/awards
Employment Insurance (EI) Benefits
Employment Insurance (EI) Benefits are available for apprentices while attending technical training if they have been referred under section 25 of the Employment Insurance Act to attend the course and have worked sufficient hours to establish an EI claim. The amount of insurable hours of work needed, to establish a claim, varies from region to region.
On July 21, 2002, the Employment Insurance (EI) Regulations were amended so that Apprentices in approved training programs, who are applying for EI benefits, may only need to serve one waiting period per apprenticeship program. Effective immediately, applying for EI is as easy as filing online from the convenience of wherever you access the Internet. Visit the following website: http://www1.servicecanada.gc.ca/en/ei/menu/eihome.shtml
Apprentices are advised to apply for benefits after they have finished working or up to 10 days prior to the start date of their apprenticeship training. In addition to EI you may also be eligible for a supplementary allowance (ie. Commuting, living away from home allowance, travel and Day Care expenses).
When to Start You EI Claim
The following is general information for apprentices who will be applying for EI while attending technical training. If the employer has work available, you are expected to remain employed up to the Friday before the start of technical training. If you leave work early, you are choosing to be unemployed and may not be entitled to Employment Insurance benefits prior to the start date of your training. If you wish to have a holiday prior to the start of your technical training, your entitlement to benefits may be effected. If your last day of work is prior to the Friday before the start of technical training, you should apply for EI benefits online with Service Canada immediately after you stop working. You do not have to wait for your Record of Employment (ROE). If you delay filing the application, you could lose benefits.
You will require a reference code to access the Apprenticeship application online at the link below. A personal reference code will be issued to you by Service Canada by mail. With reference code in hand, visit the link below. Be prepared to submit your record of employment (ROE).
For more information contact Service Canada online at: http://www1.servicecanada.gc.ca/en/ei/menu/eihome.shtml or by phoning their general enquiries line at 1-800-206-7218.
Dawson Creek Service Canada Centre
103 - 1508 102nd Ave
Dawson Creek, BC V1G 2E2
Apprentice – Financial Assistance
As of August 31 2009, a number of enhancements have been made to the Apprenticeship Program to assist apprentices.
• Part II eligibility extended to all apprentices who meet the definition of an insured participant
• Tuition costs paid by the student are considered a fully reimbursable cost
• New update – tuition reimbursement capped at $500
*
• All apprentices receive the maximum EI Rate
• Day care = $35/day/child
• Commuting allowance = $.25/kilometre
• Living away from home = $175/week
• Apprentices submit their application within four weeks of their course date
*Tuition enhancements are a short term measure only, intended to respond to economic downturn by providing greater support to clients. Continued apprentice tuition support will be re-assessed as the economy recovers.
For more information contact: Enquiry BC at 1-800-663-7867 or http://www.servicecanada.gc.ca/eng/sc/ei/index.shtml
Foundation students – must contact Service Canada before attending class – failure to do so may result in denial of benefits.
Contact Service Canada if:
- Not registered as an apprentice with the Industry Training Authority (ITA),
- Plan to attend training outside of BC or
- Plan to quit job to attend the program
Failure to do so my result in the denial of benefits.
If you have any questions regarding Apprenticeship Financial Assistance, please contact the Ministry of Housing an Social Development, Employment and Labour Market Services Division at (250) 953-4551.
NEW – Apprenticeship Completion Grant (ACG) – NEW
What is the Apprenticeship Completion Grant
The Apprenticeship Completion Grant is a $2,000 taxable cash grant designed to encourage apprentices registered in a designated Red Seal trade to complete their apprenticeship program and receive their journeyperson certification.
The ACG is meant to:
Provide a taxable grant of $2,000 to those apprentices who successfully complete their apprenticeship program and become certified in a Red Seal trade, which is designated as such in the jurisdiction in which they become certified. Increase the number of apprentices who complete their apprenticeship program and receive their journeyperson certification in a designated Red Seal trade.
Am I eligible for the ACG?
To be eligible for the ACG, you must be:
A Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or protected person;
Out of high school;
Able to show that you have completed an apprenticeship program as a registered apprentice in a designated Red Seal trade; and
Able to provide proof that you have received your journeyperson’s certification in a designated Red Seal trade on or after January 1, 2009.
When can I apply for the ACG?
You can apply for the ACG after completing your apprenticeship program and receiving your journeyperson certification in a designated Red Seal trade (on or after January 1, 2009). Service Canada must receive your application by June 30 of the year after you complete your apprenticeship and receive your journeyperson certification.
For more information
Click servicecanada.gc.ca/apprenticeship
Call 1-866-742-3644
Visit a Service Canada Centre
Enhanced Apprentice Policy and Financial Supports
The Ministry of Housing and Social Development has implemented the Enhanced Apprentice Policy and Financial Supports, effective August 31, 2009. The Response to the Economic Downturn (RED) Project has identified areas within the Skills Development (SD) – Apprentice program that could be enhanced to better support the apprentices as they complete their programs and become more employable. The two (2) key enhancements include:
1) Extending Part II benefits to all registered apprentices who meet the definition of an insured participant under the EI Act.
Section 58 of the EI Act defines an ‘insured participant’ as:
• a person who requests assistance under an employment benefit and, when requesting the assistance, is an unemployed person;
• for whom a benefit period is established or whose benefit period has ended within the previous 36 months; or
• for whom a benefit period has been established in the previous 60 months; and who:
• was paid special benefits under section 22 or 23 [maternity or parental claim] during the benefit period;
• subsequently withdrew from active participation in the labour force to care for one or more of their new-born children or one or more children placed with them for the purpose of adoption; and
• is seeking to re-enter the labour force.
2) Reimbursing the cost of tuition paid solely by the student.* (This enhancement has been included solely as a response to the economic downturn to ensure that the apprentices are able to participate in the required training to obtain their journeyperson status. In the future, this support may be withdrawn based upon availability of funding and current economic conditions.)
Additional enhanced supports include:
• Increased Commuting/Travel mileage rate;
• Increased Dependant Care/Childcare allowance;
• Increased Living Away From Home (LAFH) allowance for apprentices attending training outside their normal place of residence; and
• Providing Basic Living Expenses (BLE) as required.
In order to take advantage of these enhanced supports apprentices must complete and return their "Apprentice Financial Assistance and Referral Request" form within four weeks of the start date of their training.
For more information: contact Enquiry BC at 1‐800‐663‐7867.
For a list of frequently asked questions and answers on the program, click Questions and Answers.
NLC Financial Aid
The Financial Aid office provides information and assistance on:
• sources of student aid and awards for upgrading and certificate, diploma and degree programs;
• applying for government and institutional funds;
• appealing government student aid decisions;
• financial aid planning and budgeting; and
• educational costs.
The cost attending college should be considered by all prospective students. Students who are uncertain of their financial situation are urged to contact the Financial Aid office at any Northern Lights College campus for information in advance of registration.
There are numerous sources of government-sponsored financial assistance for students in postsecondary education. These programs are frequently revised and students should check with Student Services at the College for the most current information. Further, students are advised to seek the assistance of the Financial Aid staff in determining which financial assistance program would best fit their financial need. Visit http://nlc.bc.ca/services.financialaid.php.
