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Algonquin College Welcomes New Federal Funding Support for Apprentices

Canada Apprentice Loan program, introduced in 2014 Federal Budget and long advocated for by Polytechnics Canada, will provide apprentices with an additional form of financial support in the form of interest free loans during their training.

 

(Ottawa, January 9, 2015) Hundreds of Algonquin College current and future apprentices could benefit from a new federal loan program, which is now open to Red Seal Trade apprentices.

The Canada Apprentice Loan program, a 10-year program announced in the 2014 federal budget, is designed to assist apprentices in completing their training, and to encourage more Canadians to consider a career in the skilled trades.

The program offers assistance of up to $4,000 to apprentices for a maximum of five periods of technical training. These loans are interest-free for up to six years, provided the apprentice is registered in an approved Red Seal Trade apprenticeship program.

The loans are intended to defray program costs, including educational fees, tools and equipment, living expenses and forgone wages.

“We believe this new program will make apprentices at all postsecondary institutions more successful in their studies,” says Cheryl Jensen, President, Algonquin College. “This program will help alleviate the financial worries faced by apprentices who step away from work to upgrade their skills. We applaud the government for recognizing the importance of supporting those pursuing a hands-on career in the skilled trades at polytechnic institutions like Algonquin College.”

“Canada Apprentice Loans will enable more apprentices to pursue the next level of their technical training at so many training institutions and organizations in Canada,” says Nobina Robinson, Chief Executive Officer of Polytechnics Canada. “These loans, complemented by many other supports the government has opened for trades trainees across Canada, will help to ease the risk faced by apprentices who have to resign from jobs to gain the next level of training and certification in their trade.”

For more information on the Canada Apprentice Loan program, visit www.pca-cal.ca.

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For more information, please contact:

Phil Gaudreau
Communications Officer, Algonquin College
Phone: 613-727-4623 ext 2091
Email: gaudrep@algonquincollege.com
Email preferred

Ken Doyle
Director of Policy, Polytechnics Canada
Phone: 613-688-0690
Email: kdoyle@polytechnicscanada.ca

About Algonquin College – www.algonquincollege.com:

The mission of Algonquin College of Applied Arts and Technology is to transform hopes and dreams into skills and knowledge, leading to lifelong career success. Algonquin College does this by offering hands-on, digitally connected applied learning in over 185 programs. Based in Canada’s capital, the Ottawa Valley, and Saudi Arabia, Algonquin College is the largest polytechnic institute in Eastern Ontario with 18,000 full-time and 37,000 part-time and online registrants.

About Polytechnics Canada – www.polytechnicscanada.ca

Polytechnics Canada is the voice of leading research-intensive, publicly funded colleges and institutes of technology. We are dedicated to helping colleges and industry create jobs for tomorrow through the innovation and talent of our students and graduates. Last year, Polytechnics Canada’s member institutions provided the technical training for over 40,000 apprentices in over 200 programs. Algonquin College is one of 11 Polytechnics Canada members.

CBC Radio interview “Women of Power… careers in electric industry”

WPD Update: CBC Radio interviewed Michelle Branigan from Electricity HR Canada about “Women of Power… careers in electric industry”. A huge thank you to Leacross Foundation, Hydro One and Algonquin College’s Workforce and Personal Development for the success of the Women into Electrical Engineering Technology (WEET) Program.
Without these great partnerships, successful programs such as WEET would be difficult to execute. WPD continues to develop strong partnerships to better prepare students in achieving their ultimate career goal.
Please click here to listen to the interview with CBC Radio.

Kayla O’Brien featured in the Canadian Apprenticeship Forum’s new video series

Click on this link to view a video featuring Kayla O’Brien, a former Sheet Metal Worker Apprenticeship student and employee of the College. Kayla discusses her life in the Sheet Metal trade and what makes working in Sheet Metal a fantastic career for her. If you are inspired by this video and want to learn more about the Sheet Metal Worker Apprenticeship program click here for a direct link to the program’s webpage.

WEET Program Electrifies at Awards Show of National Not-for-Profit

Innovation in HR Practices/Educational category from Electricity Human Resources Canada (EHRC).

 

Algonquin College’s Women Into Electrical Engineering Technology program takes home the inaugural top prize for the Innovation in HR Practices/Educational category from Electricity Human Resources Canada (EHRC).

It’s like all of a sudden, the lights came on – here’s a bold new way to get women into the electrical trades.

A two-year intensive program launched this year by Algonquin College which connects women with degrees with hands-on training and an internship in the electrical industry has received the inaugural top prize for Innovation in the HR Practices/Educational category from the Electricity Human Resources Canada (EHRC).

“The WEET program helps to meet a shortage in the electrical skilled trades industry by creating educational pathways to not only encourage women to seek employment in the electrical trades, but to give them the hands-on skills that they need to succeed,” explains Denyce Diakun, Director, Workforce and Personal Development at Algonquin College. “As the Construction Sector Council noted in their 2010 report, the State of Women in Construction in Canada, efforts to boost the participation of women in construction careers depend on effective career and educational pathways. At Algonquin College, we have connected women seeking a new career opportunity with the chance to try something they would not have considered before, and our economy benefits as a result.”

“This award is presented to an educational institution for its continued commitment to leadership excellence,” according to EHRC’s award criteria. “Above all, they have put in place curriculum dedicated for training that addresses workforce supply needs in the electricity industry.”

22 women enrolled in the first ever offering of the WEET program this year, while the traditional Electrical Engineering Technology three-year program typically attracts fewer than 10 women per year at Algonquin College.

The WEET program was made possible through the support of the Leacross Foundation and Hydro One.

 

For more information, please contact:

Phil Gaudreau
Communications Officer, Algonquin College
613-220-7796
Email: gaudrep@algonquincollege.com