Alberta’s jobs ministry is looking for industry- and employer-led training programs to support with a new $5 million fund.
The Alberta Industry Skills Grant targets skill shortages in aerospace, aviation, construction and technology.
Aviation and aerospace is meant to include scheduled air transportation, non-scheduled air transportation, support activities for air transportation and aerospace product and parts manufacturing. Qualifying construction firms may operate in residential or non-residential construction (this includes commercial and industrial construction). "Technology" envisions information technology (IT) and communication technology (CT), according to a Jobs, Economy and Trade (JET) ministry news release issued Friday, Nov. 29.
“By collaborating with industry partners, the program ensures workers gain industry-recognized credentials and transferable skills that meet the workforce needs of Alberta’s growing economy.”
Eligible projects worth between $300,000 and $1.5 million can be submitted until Jan. 24.
Matt Jones, JET minister, raised the alarm in August when the federal government slashed the Labour Market Transfer Agreement (LMTA), prompting Alberta to suspend the Canada-Alberta Jobs Grant.
The $625-million cut nationwide will cost Alberta more than $70 million and employers here more than $10 million in support, Jones said at the time.
An industry association rep said the change would hit small businesses with fewer than 20 employees hardest.
A ministry spokesperson said the new Alberta grant is not a permanent change. It’s a pilot project supported by existing funding in the Alberta at Work’s Workforce Strategies Grant initiative, which “supports organizations with innovative solutions that will help Albertans develop new skills and assist employers and industry to grow their workforce.”
The ministry intends to use the pilot’s experience to inform the creation of a more permanent program funded by next year’s provincial budget.
“Alberta’s economy is growing, and as we expand, we need a skilled workforce to keep up with industry demands," Jones said in an email, calling the pilot a game-changer. "In future years, the model could be expanded to other high demand workforce areas across Alberta. This would allow the program to be adaptable to changing-industry workforce needs."
Projects are anticipated to start in early 2025 for up to a three-year term. To be eligible, the training offered must be industry-recognized, and will have to offer some sort of credential or certificate.
They’ll have to demonstrate how the industry in Alberta will benefit by addressing a skill shortage or gap, supporting training on new technology or machinery or providing “new, innovative or industry-wide training solutions.”
JET does not currently have a program that seeks to partner directly with industry and/or employers to develop training solutions with industry-wide benefits, while also resulting in broader public benefits.
“Unlike existing programs, this grant will enable recipients to be self-directed in expanding their training offerings or providing new training opportunities for their employees.”
Quentin Huillery, chief operating officer, Civil, Mining and Infrastructure, Ledcor, said in the release that his company, which employs hundreds of skilled workers in the province, supports the new pilot program.
“The local demand for skilled trades workers continues to increase,” he said. “By supporting industry-led training initiatives, this program ensures that Alberta’s workers can access the training they need to thrive in high-demand fields.”
