As you may have heard, the Second Career program in Ontario, Canada launched in June 2008. It was created to help out-of-work Ontarians train for new jobs in popular career fields.Here's what you should know about Second Career:
- Second Career provides you with financial help (up to $28,000) to pay for school tuition, books, living expenses, travel, and more.
- You may be eligible for financial assistance if you have been laid off within the last 12 months or working less than 20 hours a week.
Here's how to sign-up for Second Career financial assistance:
- First, you need to visit with Employment Counsellor at an Employment Ontario assessment centre near you -- or you can talk to an Everest College student finance planner to get details about this initiative. Call 877-390-2799 to learn more.
- Second, you'll need to complete a Return to Work Action Plan, which will help a training advisor figure out how much money you will need for retraining.
Types of Career Training You Can Receive Funding For:
- Training under the Second Career Strategy is focused on programs that lead to careers in occupations that are in Skill Level B of the National Occupational Classification (NOC).
- Types of career training sponsored by the Canadian government include: natural and applied sciences, health care, dental health care, careers in computer and information systems, architecture and construction, business, finance, food services, education, and much more.
- Talk with an Everest College representative to find out what career training programs lead to careers in Skill Level B.
This last November, the guidelines for Second Career also expanded to include:
- Workers laid off as far back as January 1, 2005
- Laid-off workers who have taken an interim job to make ends meet
- Short-term training options for laid-off workers who are not eligible for Employment Insurance
- Potential additional financial assistance to cover expenses for the cost of academic upgrading, living away from home while training, and dependent care
In fact, "the enhancements to Second Career are about ensuring more Ontarians have the opportunities and skills for success, so that they are working inwell-paying jobs in a period of economic uncertainty," said John Milloy,Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities.To learn more about how Everest College can help you get started on your second career (and find funding), contact us today.
