Apprentice Evening Classes

Evening classes for apprentices are commencing the week of January 4th, 2010 at Algonquin College. All apprentices have been scheduled to attend the courses being offered. Please be advised that these evening classes are compulsory, you must attend! Scheduling letters are being mailed the week of December 26th.

Mechanical Contractors Association Apprenticeship Awards

The Mechanical Contractors Association (MCA) of Ottawa are offering cash awards in the name of the Apprenticeship Award Program for the sheet metal sector. These annual awards go to the apprentice who meets the highest criteria established by MCA Ottawa.

There are four awards as follows: One each of $500.00 for the 3 Day School intakes (Basic, Intermediate, & Advanced) as well as one overall award of $1,000.00 after any apprentice has written the C of Q and attained the highest combined mark throughout his/her apprenticeship schooling and highest C of Q mark as described below. (call Local 47 or MCA for copy of official criteria & rules)

$1,000.00 Apprenticeship Award annually to the apprentice having attained the highest combined GPA of all 3 levels of Day School, and having passed with the highest mark of his/her C of Q exam within 3 months of completing his/her apprenticeship

Three $500.00 Apprenticeship Awards, to the apprentice having attained the highest mark with an acceptable minimum Term GPA mark 2.85 (=70%) in Basic, Intermediate, Advanced intakes in the year (May to May)

2008 WINNER OF THE $1,000.00 AWARD: STEVEN GAUTHIER, Irvcon Sheet Metal, Pembroke ON ....Congratulations Steven

Something new for first-year apprentices, Loans for Tools

The Loans for Tools program offers new apprentices a loan to help them buy the tools and equipment they need to perform the trade in which they are registered. The loan, which is interest-free for the duration of an apprentice's training, allows participants to invest in their own skills training – giving them a stake in making it work.

How does the program work?

	The loan offers new apprentices an opportunity to access funds that will help them offset the initial cost of the tools and equipment they need during the early years of their training.
	The program recognizes that the cost of tools and equipment varies with the trade sector in which an apprentice is registered. The following maximum loans are available in each sector:

Construction sector
(includes jobs such as brick and stone mason, electrician, carpenter, hoisting engineer, ironworker, lather, plumber, refrigeration and air-conditioning mechanic, sheet metal worker) (follow the Link to MTCU Web Site http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/training/apprenticeship/loantool.html

Apprenticeship Incentive Grant For Apprentices

The Apprenticeship Incentive Grant (AIG) is a taxable cash grant of $1,000 per year. It is available to registered apprentices once they have successfully completed their first or second year or level of an apprenticeship program in one of the Red Seal trades.

Specifically, the AIG is meant to:

	help cover some of the tuition, travel and tool costs
	encourage apprentices to complete their apprenticeship program and get their Red Seal, which will allow them to apply their skills and knowledge anywhere in Canada (Follow the link to Service Canada Web Site http://www.servicecanada.gc.ca/en/goc/apprenticeship.shtml

Apprentice Tuition Refund Cancelled unless apprentice applies to PTC

In a decision by the Operational Board of the Provincial Training Trust Fund regarding refund of the Ministry of Training Colleges and Universities $400.00 tuition fee that is currently being charged to apprentices attending the in-school portion of their apprenticeship, the Board has made the following change:

This refund is currently only available to apprentices attending the Provincial Training Centre located in Oakville Ontario for their in-school training. The only exception to this ruling is that a refund will still be issued to any 5th year apprentice who first applied to attend the Oakville facility but could not be accommodated due to lack of room for a given course intake and by missing out on such intake will be out of his/her time before the next intake, the student may then apply to any of the four community colleges in the province and his/her tuition refund would then be paid by the PTTF upon successful completion.

Should any LU 47 apprentice wish to apply at the provincial Training Centre, please call the office for an explanation of what funds are available for travel & accommodation etc.

Sheet Metal Workers' International Association, Local Union 47