A recent announcement by the Government of Manitoba is one that will positively impact Manitoba’s trucking industry.

As of January 1, 2018, Manitoba Education and Training, through the Skills and Employment Partnerships branch, will implement a revised policy approach for supporting Class 1 truck driver training under the Skills Development Program. The revised policy will be implemented as a one-year demonstration project with renewal dependent on an internal evaluation.

Revised policy

Under this revised policy, individuals who obtain a conditional offer of employment from an employer and a letter of acceptance from an accredited Class 1 truck driver training school will be eligible to receive 100% full tuition funding for truck driver training. Tuition is capped at $9,000. If employed, Manitoba Education and Training will authorize these individuals to quit their job to participate in training regardless of income level. The authorization to quit ensures individuals remain qualified to receive Employment Insurance benefits after they quit their job.

Other financial supports, including living allowances and other incidental costs, will be negotiated on a case-by-case basis depending on individual need. Total Skills Development Program funding caps are $17,500 for clients residing in Rural and Northern Manitoba and $15,000 for those residing in Winnipeg.

Individuals unable to obtain a conditional offer of employment will be eligible for negotiated financial supports. The department will authorize low-income workers to quit their job to participate in programming, regardless of whether they have a conditional
offer of employment.

Current accredited Class 1 truck driver training schools include:

• Arnold Brothers Transportation Academy (Winnipeg)
• First Class Training Centre (Winnipeg and Brandon)
• Learn Right Driving School (The Pas)
• Professional Transport Driver Training School (Winnipeg and Brandon)
• United Transportation Driver Training (Steinbach and Winkler)

Watch for further communication from the MTA on this new policy. The MTA strongly encourages its members to consider taking advantage of this program as a viable option for putting well-trained drivers in their trucks.