Employee Skill Development

Introduction

Shooniyaa Wa-Biitong will support workplace–based training initiatives that enable existing employees to upgrade their current skill levels in order to meet current and future job requirements within the workplace. Emphasis will be placed on those projects that can demonstrate the potential to create additional employment as a result of training activity. Financial assistance is aimed at off-setting actual training costs.

Objective

To provide an opportunity for employed individuals to upgrade their skill levels in order to retain their existing positions or access higher paying positions within their workplace.

Guidelines

  • Employer must demonstrate a need for training or retraining of employee(s);
  • Employers must demonstrate a shared commitment towards training projects by contributing a minimum of 10% towards direct training costs;
  • Training activities must be structured and centered on tasks or responsibilities of a job description or similar job functions, include the acquisition of knowledge, skills and procedures. Training that is considered a normal responsibility of the employer (i.e. orientation) and training for skills that would normally be a requirement of the job upon hiring are not acceptable under this program;
  • Training is conducted and supervised by qualified person(s);
  • Training where employees receive certification recognized by other employers is desirable.

Applications for Assistance

As a minimum, applications for assistance will include:

  • A signed application with a covering letter by the employer that outlines how the proposed training meets the overall training strategy of the workplace and indicating how the training will increase competencies, productivity, and competitiveness in the workplace;
  • A training plan which outlines training objectives & topics describing knowledge, skills and procedures to be learned, a description of methodology and evaluation methods;
  • The duration of training, including number of training hours;
  • The training staff & facilities to be used;
  • A list of trainee names, present occupations and job descriptions;
  • A detailed estimate of costs, including the amount of costs to be contributed by the employer;

Additional information may be requested as required to support the application.

Who Can Apply?

  1. Priority will be given to not-for-profit and for-profit Aboriginal employers who are located within Grand Council Treaty #3 territory.

Who is Eligible to Receive Assistance?

The program is aimed at training Treaty #3 members who are currently employed.

Financial Assistance

  • A contribution towards training costs may be made at competitive rates normally up to $9.00 per participant training hour for off-the-job training only. Eligible training costs include instructor fees, accommodation, facility rental, training materials and other directly related training costs. The employer is responsible for contributing towards costs related to administrative staff, office rental, utilities, purchase of equipment that the employee would normally require to perform their job function.

Duration

Training is between 30 hours and not to exceed 12 weeks. Modularized training (i.e. one week of training per month) over a period of 52 weeks is acceptable.

For further information or to obtain an application package, please contact our head office or a Program Officer in your area:

Head Office: P.O. Box 2909, Kenora, Ontario, P9N 3X8

1-800-545-5113 (phone), 807-468-1813 (fax)

Program Officers: