Overview

Through Budget 2023, Alberta at Work is a multi-year provincial investment totalling over $700 million towards helping Albertans develop new skills and grow their careers.

Alberta at Work strengthens Alberta’s K to 12 education system, supports access to training and career development opportunities, helps out-of-work Albertans re-enter the workforce and increases awareness of the benefits of living, working and investing in Alberta.

Resources

How we got here

Alberta’s labour market is experiencing challenges, including labour shortages in key sectors, youth unemployment, barriers to entry for under-represented groups and increased long-term unemployment.

The Alberta at Work initiative focuses on solving these challenges while building on Alberta’s strengths to ensure Albertans have access to meaningful support throughout their careers.

Key investments

Through the Alberta at Work initiative, we are strategically investing in Alberta's strengths, such as our world-class K to 12 education system, highly ranked universities and colleges and other career, employment and income support services.

These key investments will ensure that Albertans have access to meaningful support throughout their careers.

  • Building foundations

    The path to a rewarding career begins early in life with a strong foundation. Alberta’s K to 12 education system supports Albertans to become lifelong learners inspired to pursue their interests and contribute to their future and the economy.

    Actions we're taking

    • Investments in public charter schools and collegiate schools to prepare students for Alberta’s commitment to prepare a rapidly changing labour market.
      • $43 million to fund facility upgrades for successful collegiate school applicants.
      • $171 million to support the construction of new or improved facilities for public charter schools.
      • This funding will create more opportunities for students to pursue their passions, which leads to greater engagement in school, higher graduation rates, more pathways into post-secondary education and ultimately greater participation in the labour market.
    • Investing $12 million over 3 years to improve the labour market information available to students, employees and employers.

  • Developing skills

    Targeted supports through Alberta's adult learning system can help individuals find training opportunities and pursue rewarding careers.

    Actions we're taking

    • Transforming Alberta’s adult learning system through the Alberta 2030: Building Skills for Jobs initiative.
    • Investing $193 million to create nearly 8,000 new seats in high-demand post-secondary programs across the province such as health care, business and technology with:
      • $87 million to continue programs announced in 2022 so students can complete their 4-year programs
      • $10 million over 3 years to create more than 1,100 new seats for business, technology and other programs at 23 post-secondary institutions across the province
      • $6 million over 4 years to create 120 new seats in Mount Royal University’s bachelor of aviation management program
      • $3.6 million over 3 years in tech talent funding to create 300 new seats at five post-secondary institutions
      • $86 million to expand health care training programs with:
        • $20 million over 3 years to create 120 new physician seats at the University of Calgary and the University of Alberta
        • $44 million over 3 years to create 1,400 new seats in health-related programs (registered nurses, health care aides, licensed practical nurses, nursing coordinators and supervisors, paramedical occupations and other technicians)
        • $22 million over 3 years to create 2,100 additional seats in nurse bridging programs for internationally educated nurses

  • Seeking employment

    Key investments in job-training will help Albertans if they find themselves out-of-work and in need of support.

    Actions we're taking

    • Investing an additional $12 million over 3 years in the Canada-Alberta Job Grant. This program helps employers hire Alberta workers, and helps businesses develop the skills they need to grow and diversify.
    • Investing an additional $51 million over 3 years in Alberta’s Training for Work programs, which are available to service providers working with Albertans who are unemployed or marginally employed.
    • Delivering $30 million to increase access to Foundational Work Programs to provide many of the basic skills that are required to become employed, including training in literacy and numeracy, soft skills to build foundational competencies and English as a second language courses.
    • Investing $6 million over 3 years to expand work integrated learning programs that provide students with paid experiential learning opportunities, helping establish permanent employment connections.

  • Advancing your career

    Albertans looking to advance their careers can take advantage of opportunities to update or gain new skills.

    Actions we're taking

    • Investing $23 million to support career advancement:
      • $5 million for the New Beginnings Bursary to low-income students studying in qualified high-demand programs including low-income nursing students who have been approved for student loan funding. This is the second year of a 3-year funding commitment for a total of $15 million in grants and bursaries for low-income students.
      • $8 million over 2 years (2022-24) to expand reskilling and upskilling opportunities through 73 new micro-credential based course.

  • Workforce and investment attraction

    Alberta at Work will help address demographic challenges, such as slower population growth and aging workforces, by investing to bring Albertans into the labour market and attract people to our province.

    Actions we're taking

    • Investing $88 million over 3 years to enhance 2 aspects of Alberta’s Investment and Growth Strategy:
      • $73 million over 3 years for the Alberta Technology and Innovation Strategy to help develop areas such as artificial intelligence and quantum science.
      • $15 million for the creation of a new rural investment attraction stream of the Investment and Growth Fund.
    • Providing $15 million over 3 years to create national and international awareness of the benefits of living, working and investing in Alberta.