Skills Development Program (Newfoundland and Labrador)

What you will need

• ✓ Completed Request for Service form
• ✓ Completed personalized Employment Plan
• ✓ Approval for funding before your training starts (funding is not retroactive), for a training program of 12 weeks or longer

About this award

No fixed dollar amount is posted — contact Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, Department of Jobs, Growth and Rural Development to confirm the value for your specific award before you apply. You may need to contribute some of your own money toward your costs depending on your personal financial situation. This is for you if you are currently unemployed or underemployed and want to start a new career or upgrade your skills to get better job opportunities and higher pay. No deadline is posted publicly — before you start the application, check Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, Department of Jobs, Growth and Rural Development's program page or call their office to confirm when applications open and close this year. You will need to work with a case manager to determine when you will be notified of a decision. Selection depends on the completion of a personalized Employment Plan developed with staff from Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, Department of Jobs, Growth and Rural Development. They will assess your goals and barriers to employment to determine if you qualify for funding. Ask Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, Department of Jobs, Growth and Rural Development during your application how the money will reach you — some awards pay students directly, others apply funds to tuition. Confirm this so you can plan your cash flow. Renewal conditions aren't listed — if you're counting on this for multiple years, confirm with Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, Department of Jobs, Growth and Rural Development whether it's one-time or renewable and what you need to maintain.

Who qualifies

To qualify, you must live in Newfoundland and Labrador and be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident who can work in Canada. You must have been out of high school for at least two years and actively looking for work during that time. Additionally, you must meet the definition of an EI (Employment Insurance — the federal program that provides temporary income to unemployed workers) participant, whether you are a past or current recipient. This funding is for full-time post-secondary training leading to a certificate, diploma, or degree that is not longer than three years. You may also be eligible for up to three years of academic upgrading or Adult Basic Education. If you are already halfway through your first university degree, you may still qualify.

This is what the award's official page said when we last checked. Rules change, so confirm on the award's official page before you apply.

• ✓ Canadian citizen or permanent resident
• ✓ Open to college, undergraduate or certificate students
• ✓ Resident of Newfoundland and Labrador

How to apply

1. 1

   Read the award's official page

   Check you meet every requirement, and note each document they ask for.

2. 2

   Check this year's deadline

   We don't have a confirmed date for this round. The award's official page will have it.

Tips for applying

• Employment PlanAvoid treating the Employment Plan as a quick formality. Instead, view it as the most important step of your application. Reach out to staff as early as possible because this process can take several weeks to complete.
• SupportAvoid trying to navigate the application alone. Instead, visit one of the 19 Employment Centres to get direct help from a case manager. This ensures your goals match the program's funding criteria.
• StrategyAvoid starting your classes before you have a formal approval. Instead, secure your funding first. Remember that funding is not retroactive, meaning soon-to-be students cannot get money for classes they have already started.
• RealismAvoid assuming the program covers 100% of your costs. Instead, prepare a backup budget. Since you may be required to contribute financially based on your situation, knowing your gap early prevents stress later.

Questions students ask

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