Workbased Training for the Unemployed

Workbased Training for the Unemployed provides financial assistance to employers to deliver recognized on-the-job training for unemployed Saskatchewan residents that leads to permanent employment.

Employers will provide recognized on-the-job training for new, full-time positions in the workplace. Eligible employers are registered Saskatchewan businesses, particularly in growth sectors of the provincial economy, such as agri-value, mining/minerals, energy, forestry, information technology and telecommunications and tourism and cultural industries.

The program will provide up to 50 per cent of approved training costs for each trainee. The maximum available per trainee will depend on the size of the business. Eligible costs include wages, training materials and supplies, instruction and other delivery costs. Trainees must become full-time employees of the sponsoring firm and training must lead to an ongoing, full-time job with the employer. Training leading to part-time or seasonal employment may be considered. Training must also be recognized by industry or a public training institution or government.

Preference will be given to proposals providing training and employment for the unemployed, and designated groups such as youth, social assistance clients, women in non-traditional jobs, First Nations and Métis peoples, people with disabilities and visible minorities.

The Role of the Employer

Workbased training is a partnership between employers and trainees. Employers have an important role and responsibility to ensure they deliver quality training in the workplace. Employers should:

• identify the skills and tasks the trainee must learn;
• assess what the trainee already knows and what needs to be learned;
• develop training activities and schedules;
• provide suitable facilities and equipment;
• provide mentors, instruction and practice time;
• monitor progress;
• provide constructive feedback to the trainee and training institution;
• and evaluate the trainee and the training
  

Training Consultants are available at regional colleges and SIAST institutes to provide assistance to employers.

Program Objectives

• To assist employers in providing workbased training for the unemployed;
• To provide an expanded range of training options that will lead to ongoing, full-time employment;
• To develop new approaches to workbased training that meets the needs of industry;
• To develop recognition for workbased training by industry and/or public training institutions or government;
• To provide support from public training institutions for workbased training; and
• To encourage employers to hire a diverse workforce.

Program Criteria

Eligible Training

• Funding will be provided to employers who train unemployed Saskatchewan residents for new positions that offer strong prospects of ongoing, full-time employment.
• Training for full-time, seasonal or permanent part-time employment may also be considered.
• Training must be portable and recognized by industry and/or a public training institution or government. SIAST will review training proposals to determine whether SIAST credit can be given.
• Training must occur primarily at the work site or on-the-job.
• Hiring should not take place prior to approval.
• Excludes training that leads to displacement or a reduction in the number of hours worked of other employees.

Eligible Employers

Employers can include registered businesses, industry associations, non-government organizations and local governments.

Eligible Trainees

Eligible trainees must be:

• unemployed
• legally entitled to work in Canada
• at least 18 years of age

• youth
• women
• First Nations and Métis people
• people with disabilities
• visible minorities
• social assistance recipients

• Canada-Saskatchewan Career and Employment Services Centres
• First Nations and Métis Employment Centres
• Community organizations that serve designated groups

• Employee/trainee wages
• Instructor salary and benefits, including employees reassigned to deliver the training
• Training-related materials and supplies used exclusively for training
• As applicable, classroom training costs

Financial Assistance

• For employers with fewer than 100 employees the program will provide up to 50% of the approved training costs to a maximum of $5,000 per trainee.
• For employers with 100 or more employees the program will provide up to 50% of the approved training costs to a maximum of $3,500 per trainee.
• Additional funding and/or support of up to $1,000 may be available to meet the needs of trainees who require more assistance or special aids to complete the training. Normally the maximum available will be $1,000 per trainee. These requests will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
• The program reserves the right to limit the amount of funding available to any one employer.
• Normally, the maximum funding available to any one employer is $150,000 per year.

Proposal Development

Training proposals must include the following:

• Rationale - Why is this training necessary?
• Objective - What do you hope to accomplish?
• Description - What will be done?
• Training outline - What skills will be taught during the course of the training? What training approaches or methods will be used?
• Timeframe - When and for how long will the training be?
• Employment - What type of employment will the training lead to (full-time, seasonal etc.)? Is the job sustainable?
• Budget - Provide a detailed listing of projected expenditures, including any other sources of funding.
• Evaluation - How will the training be evaluated in the short and long terms?
• Trainee Recruitment Plan - How do you plan to recruit new trainees?
• Recognition Process - How is the training recognized by industry and/or a public training institution or government?
• Partnerships - Who are the other partner(s) assisting you in providing the training and what is their role or responsibility?
• Union and management confirmation.

Submission Process

• Training proposals will be accepted until all funding has been committed.
• Training proposals should be submitted to the appropriate training institution.
• It is the responsibility of the submitting employer to ensure all of the components of the proposal are complete and submitted to the training institution.
• SIAST/Regional Colleges will make training consultants available to assist employers with the development of proposals, training plans and recruitment.
• SIAST/Regional Colleges will submit workbased training proposals to Saskatchewan Advanced Education & Employment for approval.

For more information call:

Or e-mail: jobstart@sasked.gov.sk.ca.