Upgrading Your Skills: A Return to the Classroom
Thinking of returning to school to upgrade your skills? Lots of people do that for any number of reasons: Canadian accreditation, lost their job or are still in a job and realize that their current skills can be updated in order to make them more competitive; bored and want a career change, in the hopes of landing their dream job; or simply wanted new challenges.
The other thing you want to look into is getting exemptions in a few subjects. You may be offered prior learning and assessment recognition for previous studies.
The Ontario Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities funds a program called Second Career. It provides up to $28,000 in grants for tuition, books, transportation and a basic living allowance. As it is a grant, you are not required to pay it back to the government. Getting approval isn't easy – it involves travelling around the city research schools, completing labour market research and talking to people who are in the field to which you are aspiring. I suppose the goverment does that in order to ensure that each candidate truly has the desire and ability to complete their program successfully. Job hunting techniques are also included, eg. preparing an effective resume, cover letter and interview techniques.
On another note, the Ontario Ministry of Community and Social Services offers a program called Ontario Works. For those in temporary financial need and can show that they fulfill certain criteria, Ontario Works can provide them with money and help them find a job.
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