Second career starts here

Ontario is helping recently laid-off unemployed workers get the training they need for a new career. The Second Career program helps people enter new occupations where there is high demand.

Who is it for?

Second Career is for recently laid-off, unemployed workers, whether eligible for Employment Insurance or not.

What type of help is provided?

Second Career can provide financial support to assist with skills training costs. A list of possible careers is available.

What types of skills training programs are covered?

Second Career can help with training for high-skills jobs that are in demand. For example, there are many high-skills occupations in the growing fields of:

Healthcare
Construction
Hospitality and tourism

Second Career can assist with the training needed for a new career, which might be offered by:

Community Colleges
Private training schools

When and how can people apply?

Recently laid-off, unemployed workers – whether eligible for Employment Insurance or not – can apply to participate in Second Career.

To apply, they need to visit an Employment Ontario assessment centre. At the centre, an employment counsellor will:

Help them identify their skills, experience and education
Ask them about their career goals and interests
Determine which programs and services best suit their needs.
If the assessment centre counsellor thinks Second Career is the right choice, he or she will help with the application process.

Getting started

There are nearly 150 Employment Ontario assessment centres providing Second Career. You can call the Employment Ontario hotline at 1-800-387-5656 to find the centre nearest you. Or call any Employment Ontario office. You can find Employment Ontario offices near you on this website.

Working Together
Ontario receives support for some skills training programs from the Government of Canada