Prince Edward Island is introducing a one-year pilot program to assist Island apprentices who have begun the in-school training process, but have not been able to obtain or maintain an employer connection. The pilot program is the first of its kind in Canada.
“In an effort to assist Islanders seeking work in their chosen trade, we have been working to eliminate a program barrier which will allow us to train apprentices in Prince Edward Island, regardless of an employer attachment,” said Workforce and Advanced Learning Minister Richard Brown.
The program, effective immediately, will allow registered apprentices in any province to enrol in one block of in-school training offered through the PEI Apprenticeship Section, without needing an employer connection.
“This flexibility will provide apprentices with the opportunity to increase their training and become more attractive to Island employers to secure that employer attachment for the future. We’re thrilled to be able to connect apprentices with potential employers, while at the same time, helping them develop the required skills necessary to obtain sustainable work,” said Minister Brown.
The one-year pilot program, approved by the PEI Apprenticeship Board, will be monitored and evaluated by program staff over the next year. This program aligns well with the current apprenticeship efforts of the Atlantic and National Harmonization Projects.
For more information on how to enroll in this pilot program, please contact one of our training officers: Ken MacDougall (902) 888-8034, kdmacdougall@gov.pe.ca or Alan Large at (902) 368-4464, amlarge@gov.pe.ca
Program eligibility:
• Must be at least 18 years of age;
• Must be EI eligible and be unemployed at the beginning of training;
• Must be an Island resident;
• Must be a registered apprentice with another Canadian jurisdiction in a trade designated for apprenticeship training on PEI;
• All levels of training are eligible; however, if you are taking your final block of training you will have to meet all the apprenticeship criteria of the province you are registered in; and
• Training is only provided in trades that PEI has designated for apprenticeship training