Government of Canada launches new Apprenticeship Incentive Grant for Women to help them get certified in Red Seal trades - apply today

GATINEAU, QC, Dec. 11, 2018 /CNW/ - Canada's prosperity depends on Canadians having the skills, training and experience they need to get good quality jobs and succeed in a changing economy. To help meet the increasing need for more workers in the trades, the Government of Canada is taking a leadership role by introducing new initiatives to encourage women to enter and succeed in Red Seal trades where they are under-represented.

Today, the Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour, announced that the Apprenticeship Incentive Grant for Women is now available to eligible apprentices.

The new Apprenticeship Incentive Grant for Women provides $3,000 per year or level, up to a maximum amount of $6,000, to registered apprentices who have successfully completed their first or second year/level of an apprenticeship program in eligible Red Seal trades. This, in combination with the existing Apprenticeship Completion Grant valued at $2,000, could result in combined grant support of up to $8,000 over the course of their training. Women apprentices who progress in their training on or after April 1, 2018, may be eligible for the new grant.

Applications are available online by visiting Canada.ca/apprenticeship-grants or call toll-free 1-866-742-3644 (TTY: 1-866-909-9757) to request an application form.

The new Apprenticeship Incentive Grant for Women supports gender equality and better economic outcomes for women by giving them more opportunities to access typically higher-paying Red Seal trades where they are under-represented.

Quote

"When people are given opportunities to succeed and reach their full potential, we all benefit. The new Apprenticeship Incentive Grant for Women is one way our government is including under-represented groups to help fill the high demand for workers in the Red Seal trades. When people start their Red Seal training, they are not only starting down a well-paying, fulfilling career path, they are driving our country forward."
? The Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour

Quick Facts

• Approximately one in five employed Canadians are represented in the skilled trades professions. At the end of 2017, there were 309,441 registered apprentices across Canada (2017 Registered Apprenticeship Information System).
• Women account for nine percent of apprentices in Red Seal trades, and only five percent when "traditional" trades (hairstylist, cook and baker) are removed (2017 Registered Apprenticeship Information System).
• The Government of Canada is investing almost $20 million over five years to pilot the Apprenticeship Incentive Grant for Women.
• The AIG-W is one of several Government of Canada initiatives to support women and other groups who face barriers to entering and succeeding in the skilled trades, including the Women in Construction Fund and the pre-apprenticeship program.

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Backgrounder

Other Government of Canada support for apprentices

The Government of Canada makes several other investments in apprenticeship to help Canadians become certified. These include loans, tax credits, Employment Insurance (EI) benefits (during in-school training), project funding and support for the Red Seal program. Additionally, the Government is working with the provinces and territories to harmonize apprenticeship training requirements in targeted Red Seal trades.

• The Apprenticeship Incentive Grant is a taxable grant of $1,000 per year, up to a maximum of $2,000 per person, available to registered apprentices once they have successfully finished their first or second year or level (or equivalent) of an apprenticeship program in a designated Red Seal trade.
• The Apprenticeship Completion Grant is a taxable grant of a maximum of $2,000 available to registered apprentices who have successfully completed their apprenticeship training and obtained their journeyperson certification in a designated Red Seal trade.
• The Canada Apprentice Loan provides interest-free loans of up to $4,000 per period of technical training to help registered apprentices in Red Seal trades with the costs of training.
• Apprentices are also supported through the EI program (Part I). Eligible apprentices can receive up to 55 percent of their average insurable weekly earnings (up to a maximum benefit rate of $547 per week in 2018) in EI regular benefits during periods of unemployment while attending full-time technical training.
• Apprentices may also be eligible for benefits and supports under Part II of the EI Act, which are delivered by the provinces and territories under the Labour Market Development Agreements. Under these agreements, financial assistance can be provided to eligible individuals to defray basic living costs and training costs, including tuition.
• The EI program also allows employers to top up their employees' EI benefits to a maximum combined total of 95 percent of the employee's normal weekly wage through a supplementary unemployment benefit (SUB) plan. In-class technical training by apprentices could be included in an SUB plan.
• The Tradesperson's Tools Deduction allows tradespersons to deduct from their income part of the cost of eligible tools they must acquire as a condition of employment.
• The fees eligible for the Tuition Tax Credit include occupational, trade and professional examination fees required to obtain a professional status, or certification or license in order to practice a profession or trade in Canada.
• The Apprenticeship Job Creation Tax Credit encourages employers to hire new apprentices in eligible trades by providing a tax credit of 10 percent of the wages payable to eligible apprentices in the first two years of their apprenticeship program (up to a maximum credit of $2,000 per apprentice, per year).
• The Union Training and Innovation Program supports union-based apprenticeship training, innovation and enhanced partnerships in the Red Seal trades. The program provides $25 million annually to support unions by sharing the cost of training equipment. It also supports innovative approaches to improve apprenticeship outcomes. A key component of this program is to support women, Indigenous peoples, newcomers, people with disabilities and racialized people to enter and succeed in the trades.

Budget 2018 announced two other initiatives:

• a pre-apprenticeship program: $46 million over five years, starting in 2018?19, with $10 million per year ongoing, to encourage groups facing barriers to explore career in the skilled trades, gain work experience, make informed career choices, and develop the skills needed for the trades; and
• the Women in Construction Fund: $10 million over three years, starting in 2018?19, to support projects building on existing models that have proven to be effective in attracting women to the trades, such as mentoring, coaching and tailored supports.

SOURCE Employment and Social Development Canada