Education, Culture and Employment

GNWT launches new apprenticeship support

The Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) has launched a pilot program titled Build Your Skills, which provides formal essential skills assessments to identify foundational skill gaps in potential and current apprentices.

Through this pilot program, potential and current apprentices can access curriculum supports online and tools to build essential skills. Participation in Build Your Skills can help future apprentices prepare for the Trades Entrance Exam and help apprentices be successful in completing their technical training.

Francophone Community Satisfaction Survey Now Open

The Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) is seeking feedback through the online Francophone Community Satisfaction Survey to help improve the GNWT’s offer and delivery of quality French language communications and services to the public.

Participation in the survey is anonymous and responses will remain confidential. To complete the survey, please click here.

The survey closes at 5 p.m. on February 28, 2022.

GNWT makes changes to Trades and Occupation Wage Subsidy Program (TOWSP)

The Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) is announcing changes to the Trades and Occupation Wage Subsidy Program (TOWSP). The changes will help employers hire and retain third and fourth year apprentices, and will encourage employers to recruit women into non-traditional trades.

In the summer of 2021, participating employers provided their feedback through a survey, which informed the announced changes. In the survey, 90 per cent of employers supported allocating the budget remaining after October 1 to fund third and fourth year apprentices.

Now accepting proposals for NWT Arts Council funding

The Department of Education, Culture and Employment (ECE) is now accepting proposals for NWT Arts Council funding from artists and organizations planning visual, literary, media and performing arts projects, artwork, or events in the Northwest Territories (NWT) from April 2022 to March 2023.

Application deadline: February 28, 2022

The maximum funding amount is $15,000 and must be spent by March 31, 2023. In response to COVID-19, proposals can include virtual/online events, presentations, or showcases.

January Diploma Exams Cancelled for NWT Students

January Diploma Exams for Northwest Territories’ (NWT) students have been cancelled due to the recent change in students’ return to school dates after the holiday break and the evolving COVID-19 situation.

This decision applies to the January 2022 exams only. Decisions around the April and June diploma exams and the Alberta Achievement Tests (AATs) will be made at a later date.

Change in Return to School Date for all NWT Schools

Over the holiday season the number of COVID-19 cases, including the Omicron variant, has increased throughout Canada and in the Northwest Territories (NWT) and there has been significant travel both in and out of the NWT. With the increased risk of transmission, and the current state of COVID-19 cases throughout Canada, the Office of the Chief Public Health Officer (OCPHO) has recommended that schools remain closed for the first week of January. The Minister of Education, Culture and Employment supports the recommendation, and all NWT education bodies have agreed to it.

Minister R.J. Simpson meets with education leaders for final meeting of 2021

The Honourable R.J. Simpson, Minister of Education, Culture and Employment (ECE), met virtually with education leaders on Dec. 14 to provide an update on several ECE initiatives to improve student outcomes in the Northwest Territories (NWT). The ongoing COVID-19 situation was also discussed, including vaccines for children aged 5-11, impacts to Diploma Exams, and Christmas travel protocols for educators.

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