Are You Eligible for Second Career Funding?

Second Career Strategy (SCS) was created to help people who have been laid off since January 1, 2005 and are still either unemployed or working less than 20 hours per week. The assumption is that, with new skills, you would be eligible for new job opportunities. You may even be eligible if you are working, if your current job is outside your field and you took it just to make ends meet. There's never been a better time to apply for advanced training in the career of your choice. Even if you are turned down for SCS, your information may be used to help you apply for Ontario Skills Development Employment Benefits.

Here's even better news! If your desired training program is less than 6 months long, you don't have to be on EI to be eligible. It only takes 300 hours to earn a diploma in the hospitality industry from Liaison College. You may also find that Second Career Funding will cover the costs for both the Basic and Advanced Cook Diplomas programs.

Second Career covers the costs of your tuition and living expenses up to a total of $28,000 per person. This is exciting! It means that you can begin training now, at any one of our campuses. Our fees fall well within the spending limit. You could be working in a career you love in only 4 short months.

Download our latest Second Career brochure here

So what does Second Career cover?

• Books
• Living expenses
• Help caring for dependents
• Travel
• Transportation
• Disability supports
• Other living and training cost

CAN I BECOME A CHEF? See the success story of Jason Boylan, on the Ontario Government's Second Career website. Jason was laid off from the auto sector, retrained with Second Career Funding and now has a job in culinary management!

Here's How You can Begin Your Second Career!

It's easy, but you must apply before the training commences so start now.

We talked to people who have been through the application process and to counsellors in the Second Career program to find out what you need to know to qualify for government funding. On the basis of our findings we are providing you with answers to some of the most commonly asked questions and giving you a "heads-up" on what you will need to know before you are approved.

GOING TO YOUR INTERVIEW PREPARED WITH THESE ANSWERS WILL SPEED UP YOUR APPLICATION. Check out answers to some of the most common questions you may be asked

On the government Second Career site, you'll read that the first step to your new career is to visit an Employment Ontario assessment centre.

Click here to get information that will help you through that visit so you can get on the fast-track to your hospitality career.

Employment Ontario' s toll-free hotline is 1-800-387-5656. They can locate a centre near you. Or visit any one of our campuses to discuss your options.

Download the Second Career application from the Employment Ontario Partners Gateway.
The Ontario Skills Development Employment Benefit – Application for Financial Assistance application is here.

The Information Sheet that Second Career provides highlights a few important details:

• The objective of the program is to help unemployed individuals who need new skills before they can find work.
• SCS is an extension of Ontario Skills Development OSDEB) so if you are unsuccessful with your SCS application, the information can be used to determine eligibility for OSDEB. Just ask your counsellor. Clive's application was successfully moved from SCS to OSDEB and is is now in school.
• You might be eligible if you were laid off within the last year. Craig was laid off only 2 months ago and he was eligible.
• If you need to upgrade your basic academic skills, SCS may be extended to make it possible.

Here are a few more helpful online resources focussed on Second Career opportunities, to get you started.

• Ontario Ministry of Training, Colleges and Education
• Employment Ontario
• Ontario Colleges