Saskatchewan gov’t invests $2.2M in retraining program

The Saskatchewan government is looking to help people whose livelihoods were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic get back to work.

The government announced Thursday $2.2 million in funding through the Training Voucher Program, which it said “will make retraining accessible and affordable to workers impacted by recent economic challenges.”

“As we emerge from the pandemic, we recognize economic challenges caused by COVID-19 have impacted some Saskatchewan workers who might want to develop new skills as they re-enter the labour force,” Immigration and Career Training Minister Jeremy Harrison said in a media release.

“The Training Voucher Program will help us achieve the important goal of training and retaining a skilled workforce to match employer needs and help drive Saskatchewan’s economic growth.”

The program is available for certain public and private training institutions and focuses on sectors of the economy like information technology, health care and hospitality. Tuition and other eligible costs will be covered under the program.

Saskatchewan Polytechnic, Carlton Trail College, Cumberland College, Great Plains College, Lakeland College, Northlands College, North West College, Parkland College, Southeast College, the Saskatchewan Indian Institute of Technologies, and the Gabriel Dumont Institute are the public institutions involved.

The private training institutions included are 18-Wheels Training Services, Lifemark Health Group, Northern Resource Trucking, the Academy of Learning and the Saskatoon Business College.

More information is available at the program’s website or by contacting SaskJobs Career Services at 1-833-613-0485 or by email at careerservices@gov.sk.ca.