The Second Career Program at the Work Action Centre

Have you lost your job due to layoff and are on EI? Are you looking to retrain to a new career?

Contact us to see if you are eligible for the Second Career Program. Second Career is an Ontario government program that assists laid off workers in obtaining new skills and training required to gain employment in high-demand occupations.

• Our Work Action Centre staff can assist you with program entry and to transition you into a new career after completing your education or job training. Through this program you can qualify for free tuition, books, transportation and basic living expenses.

What Second Career gives you

You can get new skills – those needed for jobs in demand now – and financial support if you qualify for Second Career.

Apply for up to $28,000 for costs including:

• tuition
• books, manuals, workbooks or other instructional costs
• transportation
• basic living allowance (maximum up to $500 per week)

Additional funding may be available for:

• child care
• disability-related supports
  
  

How you qualify for Second Career

As a start, you qualify for Second Career if:

• you have been laid off and have not been working,
• you have been laid off and are working a temporary job just to cover costs,
• If you’re receiving Employment Insurance (EI), or have in the past, you can still apply.

When preparing your application, you also have to show:

• how long you have been unemployed, or working your temporary job, and looking for work,
• places you have applied and positions you have applied for (for example cover letters, CVs or resumes, and responses from potential employers),
• level of education obtained,
• previous employment, how long you worked there, and skills that were required,
• what skills you want to obtain and where you can get trained in them.