APPRENTICESHIP FEE UPDATES

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Saskatchewan Apprenticeship is committed to maintaining a responsive, industry-driven apprenticeship certification system that meets labour market needs. In order to meet this mandate, Saskatchewan Apprenticeship is raising apprenticeship fees.

These increases will allow us to continue providing our apprentices with timely, high-quality technical training, and will help ensure the long-term sustainability of the apprenticeship and certification system of training in Saskatchewan.

Apprenticeship training and trade certification remains one of our province’s most cost-effective post-secondary training options. Apprentices do the majority of their learning on the job while earning a good wage. And apprenticeship leads to a rewarding, well-paying career in the skilled trades. Apprentices spend only 15 per cent of their time in technical training, and they only pay tuition fees while attending training.

Affected Fees:

  • Tuition fees are increasing by $10 per week, from $85 per week to $95 per week for most programs.
  • Apprentices usually attend eight weeks of technical training over a course of four years. Technical training will now cost approximately $760 per year with the increase. Previously, apprentices paid about $680 per year. So the increase works out to about $80 more per year
  • Apprenticeship registration fees are also increasing from $150 to $175
  • Access to the Accuplacer / MyFoundationsLab will cost $25 per person rather than being provided for free

Why:

  • In order to ensure that our apprentices continue to have access to timely, quality training, we need to adjust fees from time to time.
  • Saskatchewan Apprenticeship contracts a variety of post-secondary institutions, including Saskatchewan Polytechnic, to provide training. Training costs continue to increase over time.
  • Participants in Accuplacer / MyFoundationsLab have been charged $0 since it started as a pilot program. However, many people didn’t fully complete the program.
  • By requiring a modest $25 fee for Accuplacer / MyFoundations Lab, it is hoped that participants will be incentivized to successfully finish the Accuplacer / MyFoundationsLab program and become apprentices.

When:

  • New tuition fees are effective January 1, 2017
  • New apprenticeship registration fees and Accuplacer / MyFoundationsLab fees are effective October 1, 2016.

Who Does It Affect?

  • These fees impact apprentices—those who are attending technical training, those who are registering with us, and those who need to access Accuplacer / MyFoundationsLab.

Financial Assistance Available:

  • Employment Insurance while attending training
  • Provincial Training Allowance offered through the Ministry of the Economy while attending technical training, for those who qualify
  • The Federal Apprenticeship Incentive Grants in Red Seal trades offer $1,000 for successful completion of Level 1 training, $1,000 for successful completion of Level 2 training, and a $2,000 Apprenticeship Completion Grant for achieving journeyperson certification
  • Federal Tradesperson’s Tools Deduction of up to $500 annually to help cover the cost of new tools
  • The Saskatchewan Graduate Retention Program provides a tax credit on tuition fees paid by eligible graduates who live in Saskatchewan and who file a Saskatchewan income tax return
  • The Canada Apprentice Loan provides apprentices registered in Red Seal trades with access to up to $4,000 interest-free for each level of technical training

For More Information:

  • Please call 1-877-363-0536 or email [email protected] if you have questions, or would like further information