This release was issued under a previous government.

Launched in October 2014, the Canada-Alberta Job Grant responds to Alberta’s labour challenges by helping employers build a skilled workforce to meet current and future needs. The program is delivered by the Government of Alberta with joint funding from the Government of Canada and employers.

“Investing in training means employers can focus on growing their business and more Albertans have the skills they need in today’s job market. This grant is helping employers plan ahead by supporting training that improves their competitiveness in tough economic times while encouraging a more productive, engaged and motivated workforce.”

Christina Gray, Minister of Labour

“The Canada-Alberta Job Grant enables us to continue to make training our people in trade specific engineering, design, management and leadership a priority regardless of the economic environment. Our focus on investing in training gives us and our people a long-term competitive edge, and allows us to be leaders in our industry.”

Sean Rayner, President and CEO of the VETS Group

Since the launch, more than $20 million has been committed for training. More than 5,700 applications have been approved for more than 2,400 unique employers in Alberta.

More than 11,000 training courses have been approved for a variety of training programs such as project management, risk management, health and safety courses, leadership skills and driver training.

The program lets employers decide who gets trained and what type of training their current or prospective employee should receive. For employers who are training potential workers, it’s expected the individual will be hired upon completion of training.

The CAJG is flexible enough to meet the needs of all business sizes, in all industries and regions of Alberta. Employers are expected to cover one-third of training costs, while government contributes two-thirds to a maximum of $10,000 per trainee.

Approximately $26 million is allocated for CAJG funding in 2016-17, an increase of $6 million. Employers can apply online by visiting AlbertaCanada.com/jobgrant.