Grant offers firms help in boosting workers’ training
A multimillion-dollar federal-provincial training grant program is slated to help thousands of Alberta employers invest in their workers this year despite the slump in the economy.
The federal government has committed $26 million to the 2016-17 Canada-Alberta Job Grant, an increase of $6 million. The program, which launched in 2014, is administered by the province and aims to build a skilled workforce.
The government pays two-thirds of the training program fees, up to a maximum of $10,000 per trainee and the employer pitches in the rest. The money can be used to cover course and examination fees, as well as the cost of textbooks and software. The employer gets to decide who in their company requires training and what type of training they need. Employers can also choose to train prospective employees with the intention of hiring them once they’re done.
“Planning ahead to train workers is key for employers looking to fill workforce needs, but during tougher economic times, training becomes even more important if they want to remain competitive," Alberta Labour Minister Christina Gray told a news conference Tuesday.
Since the program’s launch, more than 5,700 applications have been approved from 2,400 employers.
Employers have more than 11,000 training courses to choose from, including project and risk management, health and safety courses, leadership skills and driver training.
During trying financial times, training programs are often the first to feel the pinch, said Erin Rayner, whose family has owned and operated Edmonton’s VETS Group, a collection of construction service companies, for 95 years.
“Making the investment in training a priority during challenging economic times isn’t always the easy choice. When cash flow is tight, and job starts are delayed or cancelled for small and mediumsized businesses, finding available financial resources to pay for training can sometimes feel more like an expensive short-term challenge rather than a positive long-term investment,” Rayner, the company’s director of marketing and project management, said.
Faced with some of those difficult decisions, VETS Group turned to the training grant last year.
It has had five people complete training and currently has 14 people enrolled in training programs.
People from management level to the shop floor are getting trades specific engineering, design, management and leadership training, Rayner said.