EI funding grants

[shotgun35]

I've searched the forum and all the information on receiving grants while on EI are back from when it was federal. From what I've found I think the funding for job training has shifted to provincial. I was wondering if anyone here has gone through the process lately or knowledge of this? I have been calling around service canada and provincial employment but it seems to be all about who you speak with. I would greatly appreciate any advice.
I'm on EI and my profession is officially listed as pilot(as that was my previous job and I was paid to fly) so I would imagine I have a strong case to upgrade my private to a commercial.

[cdnpilot77]

I'm on EI and my profession is officially listed as pilot(as that was my previous job and I was paid to fly) so I would imagine I have a strong case to upgrade my private to a commercial.

Just to understand exactly what you are asking, You are a paid pilot with a private pilot license looking to upgrade to a commercial license? I hope that isn't the case or I am misunderstanding something.

As for EI paying for training, I seemed to have the one caseworker about 5yrs ago that had never heard of such a thing in Ontario and I was unable to get a different case worker to help me out. I know several people that received a grant to pay their Multi and Multi IFR but I couldn't get it done and got back to working before I could get I sorted out.

[DonutHole]

A few years ago EI caught on to the fact that the profession of professional piloting wasn't a great investment and it because very, very difficult to obtain a grant to go from ppl to cpl. I know because I tried. I ended up getting funding for AME training, they were seeing a lot fewer mechanics layed off (at that time) and it turned out that it paid off bigtime for me, got a job before I went into the field doing the work as an apprentice, got laid off with a promise of a job on the back end of training.

The key, if you are going to try, it to have a job as a commercial pilot lined up pending completion of the license... however, it is still unlikely that they will fund you given the historical trend of the industry.

That being said, if you already have a cpl, you have a better chance getting funding for a rating, such as IFR or MIFR, again with a promisary letter of employment pending successful training.

It is a SLOW process. It will take approximately six months to nail down the grant, expect multiple meetings and a lot of paperwork.

[shotgun35]

Thanks for your replies!
Yeah I'll just keep trying around with different case workers until I find a good one. Also upon completion of a commercial I would be allowed to return to my previous job so that might help convince them.
I was paid to fly without a commercial because it was not civil under transport, Im sure you can guess for what organization. so technically my job position was pilot for EI purposes.
Thanks again for your help

[cdnpilot77]

Got ya, thanks for the clarification...best of luck, have lots of patience!

[azimuthaviation]

Yeah I'll just keep trying around with different case workers until I find a good one.

Ever thought about, oh I dont know, putting in that effort to find a job?

Sounds like you really know how to work the system.

[azimuthaviation]

LOL and look what the embedded ads are now.

[DonutHole]

If the funding is there, why not take advantage of it? Especially E.I. funding. Through the course of your employed lifetime you're gonna pay it back, if you never use the system that is money you've put up for nothing