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Skills Development

for Job Seekers

Skills Development is an employment program that provides financial assistance to eligible individuals to help them obtain the skills training they need to re-enter the labour market.

Program Objective

Skills Development provides funding to eligible individuals who require skills training to secure employment. These individuals will arrange and pay for their own training, with the financial assistance provided by Skills Development.

Eligibility Information

Who can apply?

To be eligible for participation in Skills Development (SD), you must be an unemployed individual ("insured participant") as defined by Section 58 of the Employment Insurance Act. This means that you are an individual for whom:

1. an unemployment benefit period has been established or has ended within the 36 months (3 years) prior to the date of requesting assistance; or
2. a benefit period that included a maternity or parental claim has been established within the 60 months (5 years) prior to the date of requesting assistance, after which you remained out of the labour market in order to care for a newborn or newly adopted child and are now seeking to re-enter the labour force.

Other criteria may apply. For more information on which other criteria may apply for eligibility into this employment program, please contact Enquiry BC.

What are the financial benefits?

Eligible costs covered under Skills Development may include tuition costs, living expenses, dependent care expenses, disability needs, and transportation costs. Individuals are generally required to make a contribution towards the cost of their training.

Individuals approved for financial assistance who are currently on an active EI claim may continue to receive their regular EI benefits until the end of their benefit period.

How do I apply?

If you are seeking financial assistance through Employment and Labour Market Services;

• You must first meet with a Case Manager at the EAS office nearest to you. To locate an EAS office in your area, please check out the complete EAS Directory.
• During the initial meeting, the Case Manager will conduct an employment assessment interview, develop a return-to-work action plan and provide support throughout the process.
• The Case Manager will then refer you to the Employment and Labour Market Service they feel is most suitable for your specific situation.
• You will then fill out the application for the employment program and submit it to the appropriate authority for assessment and decision making.

These employment services are provided to unemployed individuals free-of-charge.

How can I get more information?

You can get more information on Employment and Labour Market Services through your local EAS, or through Enquiry BC.

Enquiry BC is a provincial call centre that provides services to all British Columbia residents, on behalf of provincial government ministries, Crown corporations and public agencies.

Hours of Operation for Enquiry BC are 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m Monday through Friday.