The Apprenticeship START program

The objective of the Apprenticeship START program is to encourage employers to register, retain and support their apprentices to completion during their apprenticeship journey. The START program has a focus of small to medium-sized businesses/organizations including not-for-profits and social enterprises that have business locations and jobs in Nova Scotia. Companies with headquarters outside of Nova Scotia are eligible to apply only if they also have a physical location in Nova Scotia. Employers can receive up to $25,000 in funding for the duration of the apprenticeship. If the employer hires an apprentice from an under-represented group, the funding increases to $30,000.

Grant Deadline

Deadline not available

Funding Amount

$30,000

Type of Grant

Grant, Hiring

Sectors

All Sectors

Demographics

Black, Women, LGBTQ2+, Indigenous, Visible minority, Person with Disabilities, Newcomer

Incorporation

For Profit, Non Profit

Perks

Region Restriction

This grant is restricted to whole of Canada

Keywords

startup, training, grants, hiring, Nova Scotia, Grants to start a new business, apprentices, Environmental Protection

Age Restriction

This grant is age restricted from 18 to 100

Eligibility and Requirements

2. Eligibility


Eligibility is determined at the time of registration. An eligible employer is defined as any small or medium sized (SME) business who:

• has 499 employees or less,

• has 15 apprentices or less,

• is a not-for-profit organization,

• has a physical location in the province,

• is in good standing and has an active membership with the NS Registry of Joint Stocks,

• is a social enterprise (business or organization operated for the purpose of addressing social, economic, or environmental challenges),

• is otherwise deemed eligible by the Chief Operating Officer.


Apprenticeship START is available to eligible employers who:

• register an apprentice to their company anywhere in Nova Scotia where the population is less than 20,000.


Employers operating in urban areas where populations exceed 20,000 (Halifax Regional Municipality, Truro, and Sydney) are not eligible unless they are registering an equity-deserving apprentice who selfidentifies, at the time of registration, as belonging to one or more of the following equity groups:

• Newcomers,

• African Nova Scotians,

• Indigenous Peoples,

• Visible minorities,

• Persons with physical disabilities,

• Persons with learning disabilities,

• Women in trades where they are under-represented,

• Gender-diverse individuals who identify as a member of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community.

Grant Application website

https://www.nsapprenticeship.ca/employers/employer-supports

Contact

General

Apprenticeship Board

Compliance & Enforcement

Media Inquiries