WHAT IS THE LNG CANADA TRADES TRAINING FUND (TTF)?
Through the TTF, LNG Canada has already invested more than $1,800,000 to support apprenticeship training as part of its Construction Workforce Program. The fund is administrated through the BC Construction Association. It is designed to support Industry and Apprenticeship Training for the construction and related trades in BC.
WHY WAS THIS FUND ESTABLISHED?
LNG Canada recognized that if British Columbians were going to be ready to take part in the skilled trades opportunities opening up as a result of the growing LNG industry, they needed to start their training as soon as possible. LNG Canada also recognized that the employers who sponsor apprentices today will play a big role in training those skilled journeypersons that the LNG sector will need in the future. The Trades Training Fund was established to:
WHY HAVE YOU STOPPED ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS?
We have reached the limit of program funding. We have temporarily hit pause on receiving new applications for the time being, so that we may have time to evaluate our needs. Sign up to be notified of program developments through the LNG Canada TFF Application tab, so that you can be among the first to be alerted when and if applications open back up in 2024.
WHAT ABOUT MY EXISTING APPLICATION?
All 2023 applications have been processed. If you had applied for a 2024 training program, you should have received an email advising you that the program was entering hiatus. You will be notified when and if applications open back up in 2024.
WHO CAN ACCESS THE FUND?
We have reached the limit of program funding. While we temporarily hit pause on receiving new applications for the time being, be sure to sign up to be notified of program developments through the LNG Canada TFF Application tab.
The Trades Training Fund can be accessed by employers on behalf of their apprentices. Employers can make funding requests to help cover costs of foundation or apprenticeship training for employees in high demand trades:
Apprenticeship training: The Fund will cover the cost of technical training through ITA approved training providers, at any level of the apprenticeship for the trades listed below. The apprentice must be registered with the Industry Training Authority.
Foundation training: The Fund may be accessed to pay for approved Foundation training (see list of approved training below) where:
DOES THE FUNDING COVER ALL TRADES?
The original funding covered all apprenticeships in construction or construction-related trades. As demand shifts in the marketplace, the TTF has focused on high demand trades. Effective November 3, 2020, only these high demand trades will be eligible:
Available to applicants across all of BC:
Available to applicants in Northern BC only:
Non-Trades Available to Applicants in Northern BC Only:
The list of demand trades may change over time as the workforce evolves, at the discretion of LNG Canada.
CAN THE FUND BE ACCESSED FOR LIVING OUT EXPENSES, BOOKS, OR WAGES LOST WHILE AT SCHOOL?
The funding will not cover living out expenses or wages lost but it may include mandatory student fees, textbooks, software and other required materials, and examination fees. The funding per application is capped at $1,300.
CAN INDIVIDUALS APPLY FOR THE FUNDING?
No, only employers who committed to hiring a graduate, are seeking upgrade training for existing employees, or who are sponsoring an apprentice may apply for the Funding.
HOW DOES AN EMPLOYER APPLY FOR THE FUNDING?
Applications and further information can be found here.
WHO WILL RECEIVE THE FUNDING PAYMENT?
The funding will be paid directly to the school providing the training, not to the employer or to the employee receiving the training.
HOW WILL APPLICATIONS FOR FUNDING BE ASSESSED?
Applications for funding will be assessed based on criteria developed by the funders and will be processed in the order in which they are received. Only small companies with 20 employees or less, who are supporting apprenticeship in the demand trades, are eligible.
WHAT IS THE TIME FRAME FOR APPLYING? IS THERE A DEADLINE?
Effective November 3, 2020, applications must be received one month prior to the month the classes start. For example, if your course beings in January the application must be submitted no later than November 30. If your course begins in February, your application must be submitted no later than December 31. Applications will be accepted until the funding has been fully committed.
HOW WERE THE CRITERIA ESTABLISHED?
The LNG Canada TTF criteria were established to achieve the most significant positive impact on BC’s construction workforce: the goal is to assist small and medium employers to upskill and train apprentices and other workers who, without the LNG Canada Trades Training Fund, would likely not be able to receive the training they need. Additional eligibility criteria added for the latest round of funding (November 3, 2020) have been introduced with the intention of reducing repeat use to a larger group of participants and modulating the speed of consumption to give more apprentices the chance to participate.
IS THE FUND OPEN TO ALL EMPLOYERS REGARDLESS OF THEIR LABOUR AFFILIATIONS?
Yes, the Fund is open to all employers who sponsor and train apprentices in the construction and related trades in BC.
Be sure to subscribe to our monthly BCCA Briefing to get the latest on important topics like prompt payment and compulsory trades.
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