Resources

Core Eligibility Criteria

• Be a Permanent Resident, Citizen of Canada legally entitled to work in Canada or person whom Refugee Protection has been conferred under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act 2
• Be a resident of the Calgary region
• Be a displaced professional from the Oil & Gas sector, or a related industry supporting the Oil and Gas sector
• Be unemployed or underemployed at the time of application
• Hold a post-secondary degree or diploma in engineering, earth sciences, or a related technical STEM discipline and be a ‘mid-career’ professional with a minimum of 2 years of related professional work experience… OR… Hold a non-STEM degree or diploma and be a ‘mid-career’ professional with a minimum of 5 years of related professional work experience
• CLB Level 7 – English language proficiency (or proof on English fluency)
• Must be able to commit to a period of 6 months full-time
• Be able to support yourself financially while participating in the program

Supporting factors

• EDGE UP 2.0: A Scaling Opportunity is a full-time intensive program that requires a commitment of both time and energy both inside and outside of classroom hours. If you have other commitments that may take you away from committing to the training full-time from Monday to Friday, then this program wouldn’t be for you at this time. “Students who experience success are those who make their training a priority throughout the program and are open to new learning experiences and working with others.”
• A positive attitude to learning, effectively working with others on a capstone project team, and a concentrated commitment to job search immediately following program completion are critical

If you’ve taken a previous EDGE UP training course, you are not eligible to take further training through EDGE UP.

For EDGE UP 2.0, a mid-career professional is considered 32 – 54 years of age.

Yes.  The program design was created in consultation with the needs of employers that are hiring tech talent. Understanding the differences between the tech sector and oil and gas through Transition to Tech Training (building employment readiness skills for the tech sector), and applying your employable skills through Work-Integrated Learning (WIL) were identified as 2 important phases in the EDGE UP program. There are two types of WIL available in this program: (1) Short-term capstone project (2-3 weeks), and (2) a 2-4-month work placement with an employer subsidy (please note this work placement is not a guaranteed part of the program).

All participants will be required to attend full-time training on weekdays, and will be required to complete homework assignments outside of training hours. Below is an example of the time commitment you can expect.

No, this program is for oil and gas professionals displaced from the sector as a result of the downturn.

Please visit the EDGE UP applicants page to read about program phases and to access training outlines for each training stream.

You would be considered as underemployed and potentially eligible for the EDGE UP program.  Note that the program requires a full-time commitment, with full-time weekday training and homework outside of training hours.

Each training stream will have slightly different schedules. Students can expect 7 hours of lectures/class time per day. In addition, instructors expect students to commit sufficient time to homework and project work everyday outside of class.

Courses are delivered online synchronously, however, there is a possibility that some of the instruction will be delivered on-campus in the new year (2023), unless the Government of Alberta establishes new health restrictions preventing in-person instruction.

Yes, the EDGE UP 2.0 program provides potential access to two types of work integrated learning to practically apply your tech skills:

• Capstone Project through Riipen Level UP (2-3 weeks)
• Work Integrated Learning Wage Subsidy Program, if an employer is available (2-4 months)***

***Please note that the 2-4-month placement through the WIL Wage Subsidy Program is not a guaranteed part of the program.

There are two potential work integrated learning components in EDGE UP 2.0. For the capstone project provided through Riipen, you could receive a $1400 stipend upon project completion. For the longer WIL Digital Program***, participating companies are required to pay EDGE UP students fair market value wage, to be eligible for the wage subsidy.

***Please note that the 2-4-month placement through the WIL Wage Subsidy Program is not a guaranteed part of the program.

EDGE UP 2.0: A Scaling Opportunity” is funded by the Government of Canada under the Future Skills program. Those accepted into the program do not have to pay for the training, but there is an expectation of full attendance and participation in project work, commitment to finding a full-time job immediately upon program completion, and responsiveness to the EDGE UP admin team.

If you require new technology to take the program (like purchasing a new personal computer or earphones), you will have to cover that cost yourself.

There are two main technology requirements for EDGE UP students:

1. A reliable internet connection

2. A laptop or computer*** with the following specifications:

• Intel quad core i5 CPU (i7 recommended)
• 8GB RAM (16GB recommended)
• 13-inch 1080p screen (15 inches recommended)
• Dedicated graphics card with 2GB of VRam
• 256GB solid state hard drive (512 GB SSD or greater recommended)
• Portable hard drive (for data backup)
• Windows 10 Pro 64-bit**
• Antivirus/malware protection

***A desktop computer is usually sufficient for online learning, but if the training returns to an in-class format, a laptop will be required.

**MacOSX is not supported for the Data Analytics program

You will receive certificates of completion once you’ve completed the technical training and the work-integrated learning requirements. If participants pass their technical training, and find a relevant job that prevents them from completing the work-integrated requirement, they will also be eligible to receive a certificate.

Not necessarily. Equal consideration will be given to repeat applicants and new applicants. If you are interested, please remember to apply again when a new program is offered (past applications will not be considered).

1. Carefully review the eligibility criteria to determine if the EDGE UP program is the right program for you.
2. Complete initial eligibility questions on the applicants page
3. Complete application form (personal information, educational background, work experience, etc.)
4. Following review of your application – if you are potentially considered for the program, you will be sent an information video to review and to confirm that you are aware of the ‘funded’ program expectations followed by a link for an interview.
5. A short live video interview will then be conducted
6. If you are selected for the program, you will receive an acceptance email. If not, we will share information on other programs and resources in the Calgary region, in case you’re interested. **Please note – due to the overwhelming interest in the program, we can only select a limited number of participants per training cohort.

All EI requests must be directed to Service Canada and any considerations will be directed under the sole discretion of Service Canada.

Please see below for the Individual Eligibility Criteria that is reviewed for Feepayer/Section 25 referrals.

Individual Eligibility Criteria:    

1. Unemployed at the time of the request (must not be counseled to leave employment to attend a training program as a Feepayer or quit their employment to attend training), and
2. Has an active regular EI claim with a start date before the start of training***, and
3. Is legally entitled to work and study in Canada, and
4. Has participated in a Service Needs Determination Assessment (SND), and
5. Lacks the marketable skills needed for employment, and
6. Has identified a tuition-based training program that will provide the new or additional occupational skills or English language proficiency required, and
7. Has established a realistic and achievable goal, and
8. Has the financial resources required to cover living expenses for the period of training, and
9. Has the financial resources required to cover the training program costs (tuition, fees, books and supplies etc.), and
10. Has read the consent/declaration portion and completed the Feepayer application.

Being unemployed, in and of itself, is not considered to be sufficient rationale to approve an individual to participate in training.

***Perhaps the most helpful piece of information for a smooth application process is the presence of an active regular EI claim with a start date before the start of training.

EDGE UP participants are responsible for securing employment. To support participants in this process the EDGE UP team provides career coaching, resume writing support, interview practice, networking events, curated job posting lists and other resources.