Frequently Asked Questions

Individuals can apply for Foundational Learning Assistance up to 8 weeks prior to the start date of school. 

Yes you can. Financial Assistance will start the month your application is received by the Foundational Learning & Skills Development Office.

The amount you receive will depend on your household financial need. The fees may cover things like school fees owing for the year you are applying (Mandatory Fees, Book Costs, Grad Fees), as well as Living Costs while attending training (rent, food, bus pass, child care). 

You will also receive confirmation from Foundational Learning after completing your on-line application.  As well a Funding Decision Letter will be sent to you outlining the amount of financial assistance you will be receiving and the months it will be provided.

Yes. Your Support Manager can provide you with options for eligible schools in your region.

No, Foundational Learning Assistance only covers the time you are in school (September – June).
** There are specific criteria that are required for Summer School approval. Talk to a Support Manager for details.

Yes, working part-time can assist you with saving money for the summer months when no financial assistance is available.

No! Quitting your job may jeopardize your eligibility for Foundational Learning Assistance. Talk with your Support Manager about your situation and they will advise you of the process for attending school full time while working.

Possibly. You must inform your Support Manager to discuss any possible changes to your planned courses so that they can ensure this does not impact your full time eligibility status.

Your Support Manager will discuss your living situation and be able to advise your on your eligibility for Foundational Learning Assistance.

As a student receiving Foundational Learning Assistance, you are responsible for attending and progressing at school. Lack of attendance will jeopardize your ability to continue to receive Foundational Learning Assistance.

Possibly. You will need to discuss this with your Support Manager to see if you would be eligible to repeat the course and continue to receive Foundational Learning Assistance.

If you apply for Foundational Learning Assistance prior to turning 20, you can continue to receive Foundational Learning Assistance for the remainder of the school year and receive supports through the North Assessment Centre.

JobConnect is designed to assist individuals 18+ who are ready, willing and able to work full-time but require: Assistance with employability and personal development skills, coaching on developing or refining their job search skills and help with making connections to employers.

No. BGS works with participants and employers to support their employment and career needs. We do not charge a fee for assisting participants to obtain employment.

YES. If a specific ticket/ certification is required by employer or industry expectations, JobConnect can potentially arrange for/ reimburse the training/ certification.

JobConnect provides services to meet your specific needs. This can range from a few weeks up to a few months depending on your needs. Our goal is to provide you with the pre-employment supports you require to gain and maintain long-term employment.

A successful job search requires a full-time commitment.  The expectation is that you are participating in JobConnect full-time. This includes on-site (Workshops, Job Club) and off-site (Interviews, Networking events) job search activities.

To be eligible for JobConnect, you are required to be unemployed or have irregular employment (i.e. no guarantee of hours from week to week).  

To be eligible for JobConnect, you must live within the greater Edmonton region. Many of our participants are seeking employment outside of Edmonton and JobConnect can definitely assist with locating employment opportunities beyond the Edmonton region.

No. We offer ongoing support and assistance for 6 months after you gain employment. This assistance can include coaching on any worksite/ personal concerns you may have and can looking for additional employment opportunities if the initial employment ends.

Unemployment can be one of the most stressful events in a person’s life. Job Search can be difficult and challenging. Too often, people get discouraged and lose hope in their ability to be successful at reconnecting with employment. 

The JobConnect team will show you that you are not alone in your situation and even though you think you may have exhausted all of your employment leads, there are always other opportunities to be identified.  We will also use our employer network to identify opportunities that could match your skills and employment goals. 

The JobConnect team will coach you through your job search challenges. They will provide encouragement when you need it and will work to keep you focused on putting in the required work for Job Search Success!

JobPLUS is specifically designed to address the employment needs of participants who are 18+ years of age.  This includes a focus on identifying Transferable Skills and reviewing career priorities based on the stage of your career.  Participants will have access to AI Career Based Tools such as Resume Creators, Interview Practice and Coaching, and an immersive Virtual Reality career exploration in over 30 careers

To be eligible for JobPLUS, you must be seeking full-time (>30 hrs./week) employment.

The goal of JobPLUS is to assist you to obtain employment within 16 weeks.

There is no limit to the types of jobs that we assist our participants with finding. The only consideration is that the job must be realistic for current labour market requirements/ conditions.

YES. If a specific ticket/ certification is required by employer or industry expectations, JobPLUS can potentially arrange for/ reimburse the training/ certification.

A successful job search requires a full-time commitment.  The expectation is that you are participating in JobPLUS full-time. This includes on-site (Workshops, Job Club) and off-site (Interviews, Networking events) job search activities.

Unemployment can be one of the most stressful events in a person’s life. Job Search can be difficult and challenging. Too often, people get discouraged and lose hope in their ability to be successful at reconnecting with employment.

The JobPLUS team will show you that you are not alone in your situation and even though you think you may have exhausted all of your employment leads, there are always other opportunities to be identified.  We will also use our employer network to identify opportunities that could match your skills and employment goals. 

The JobPLUS team will coach you through your job search challenges. They will provide encouragement when you need it and will work to keep you focused on putting in the required work for Job Search Success!

No you will not be affected. JobPLUS is not considered training as you are actively seeking and available for employment.

No. We offer ongoing support and assistance for 3 months after you gain employment. This assistance can include coaching on any work-site/ personal concerns you may have and can looking for additional employment opportunities if the initial employment ends.

JobCO is specifically designed to develop employment opportunities for job seekers over 18 years of age, who are actively receiving Employment Insurance or have received EI in the past. JobCO accomplishes this by working with Edmonton area employers to set up Workplace Training opportunities that develop the skills and qualifications needed for long term employment and career opportunities.

18 years of age and older.

To be eligible for JobCO, participants must be unemployed, marginally employed and not attending secondary school or full time training.

Workplace Training opportunities vary in time depending on the type of employment position.  Remember: You become an employee of the company at the start of the training opportunity so you will remain employed with the employer when the training period ends.

The jobs are as varied as the individual target of JobCO participants. Together, we will look for an opportunity that meets your employment/ career goals.

That will vary according to the type of job you’re looking for and current labour market conditions.  With the right focus, our target is to set up an opportunity within 2-6 weeks.

The wage will depend on the position and will be negotiated as part of the training plan.

NO you will not be affected. JobCO is not considered training as you are actively seeking and available for employment.  Once you begin your Workplace Training opportunity, you become an employee and would report that status change to EI as required.

No. We offer ongoing support and assistance for 3 months after completion of the Workplace Training opportunity. This assistance can include coaching on any worksite/ personal concerns you may have and can looking for additional employment opportunities if the initial employment ends.

Feel free to register online OR call our office at 780-425-6655.

Yes. Please see the Career & Employment Workshops section of our website.

Yes. Currently we are offering a hybrid model for our workshop delivery with in person and on-line delivery being offered for most workshops.

Our workshops are open to anyone who would like to enhance their job search skills, understanding of the career planning process or personal development.

To respect fellow participant’s learning experience and to receive all workshop information, you should plan to attend the workshop at its starting time. If you are not able to attend for the full workshop, you should consider attending another session that better meets your schedule.

Yes, there are regular breaks including a lunch break for full day workshops.

There are many reasons why people benefit from our workshops depending on their current stage of job search/ career. For those who have not had to job search for some time or have not been successful in their current job search, we offer many workshops that provide information that will help you achieve employment success.  For those currently working but want to enhance their career opportunities, we offer workshops that explore available options and opportunities. Please look through our workshops menu and see what workshops could best meet your needs.

Zoom is the video-conference application that BGS uses to deliver our online workshops. When you register for a workshop being offered online, you will be sent a link to join the Zoom session.

Click here for a good introduction to using ZOOM.

We offer several technology-based workshops including Intro to Computers and Online/ Social Media Job Search. Please see our Workshops Calendar for scheduled dates.

If you are not able to attend for the full workshop, you should attend another session that better meets your schedule.

Yes. Our Workshops Calendar offers multiple options depending on demand. Please see our Workshops Calendar for scheduled dates.

The Resume Workshop is primarily intended to provide an introduction to resumes for participants who do not have a current resume or those who have a resume but do not fully understand the resume elements that are required for a successful job search.  Even if you have a resume but it has been some time since it has been updated, you could benefit from attending and hearing about new resume concepts and strategies for today’s labour market.