Funding for Continuing Education Courses

Foundational Learning Assistance offers grant funding to adult learners enrolled in Red Deer Polytechnic's Life and Employment Skills for Independence (LESI) program.

Basic Funding Eligibility: 

• You must have an Alberta address 
• You must be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident or refugee 
• You must be 18+ years old
• You must be unemployed or working less than 20 hours per week. If you are employed more than 20 hours per week, Counsel To Leave Employment approval may be required.

How do I access this funding?

• To begin the funding process, you will need to request and submit an application package for the Life and Employment Skills for Independence (LESI) program. To do so, please contact Continuing Education & Corporate Training at 403.356.4900 or email.
• Once you are accepted into the LESI program with an RDP acceptance letter, monitor your email as you will receive an email from FLSDCSD@gov.ab.ca which will include a link to access your funding application. Check your spam, junk and promotion folders so you don't miss this message.
• Before completing the FLA application, you will need to ensure you have a verified Alberta.ca Account. You will also need the following:
  • Your Alberta.ca Account login information (keep this information private, but ensure you know your username and password and can log in during your appointment)
  • Your Social Insurance Number (SIN)
  • Your Alberta Student Number (ASN)
    • Not sure what your ASN is? Look it up. 
• Monitor your mail and email for important follow-up information, and stay in touch with the RDP Student Connect Centre. Feel free to contact the Student Connect Centre should you have any questions about your funding. 

If you are employable, but lack a specific skill which could be obtained by attending a short-term training course, you may be a suitable candidate for Exposure Course Funding.

• Is your training less than two weeks in length (if attending full-time) or less than 6 weeks in length (if attending part-time)?
• Are you unemployed or marginally employed?     
• Are you job ready, except for certain job-specific skills?
• Are you committed to obtaining employment at the conclusion of your training?
• Are you an Alberta resident, Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or convention refugee (and legally entitled to work and train in Canada)?

If so, contact Alberta Supports with the following information: 

• Your name
• Your phone number and email address
• The town/city you reside in
• The course(s)/program(s) you are seeking funding for

Are you an employee looking to develop your skills and achieve greater success in the workplace? Are you an employer who is interested in sending their employee(s) for additional training?  

This government program will help employers invest in employees. Employers can apply for the Canada-Alberta Job Grant in order to send an employee for training. The Canada-Alberta Job Grant will reimburse up to two-thirds of the direct training costs for qualifying programs and courses, with the employer paying the remaining third.  

If you are employed and are interested in furthering your education in order to enhance your current professional capacities, talk to your employer about the Canada-Alberta Job Grant today! 

If you are an employer wishing to provide your employees with an opportunity for training, but are not sure where to start, contact Continuing Education at 403.356.4900 for a complimentary training needs assessment. 

Visit the Canada-Alberta Job Grant for more information, including applicant, employer and program eligibility as well as application steps.