What is Better Jobs Ontario? Better Jobs Ontario (BJO) is a ministry-funded program that provides eligible applicants with financial support to complete academic programs linked to in-demand jobs. Better Jobs Ontario is a grant that provides funding support based on a participant’s individual needs. Funding may be provided for: Tuition Books Other instructional costs, including student fees, supplies, and electronic devices Transportation Basic living allowance Additional funding may also be available for: Childcare Disability-related supports Living away from home Academic upgrading You can visit the Ministry’s official Better Jobs Ontario webpage to learn more about the program guidelines and eligibility requirements. How do I get started? The first step is to contact an Employment Ontario agency. A case counsellor will discuss your career goals and help determine if Better Jobs Ontario is right for you. Determine the program you wish to attend with the assistance of your counsellor. (See the program options listed below.) The Better Jobs Ontario office at Durham College will provide you with training proposals based on our eligible programs, along with everything you need to apply for your program of interest. You must contact a Durham College Better Jobs Ontario advisor to obtain your personalized proposal package at betterjobsontario@durhamcollege.ca. You may need to apply through OCAS if you are pursuing a two-year diploma (e.g., Social Service Worker or Early Childhood Education). If you are unsure whether an OCAS application is required, please reach out to the Better Jobs Ontario office for confirmation. Notify your case counsellor and inform them of your decision and/or acceptance. Once you are accepted and receive your signed contract, you must send it to betterjobsontario@durhamcollege.ca. This allows deferments to be added to your student account, indicating that you are funded through BJO, so that your tuition payments can be processed by the College once your funding is received. Frequently Asked Questions Which programs are potentially BJO eligible? Programs that can be completed within two years or less may be eligible, such as: Certificate Programs: Accounting Specialty (Certificate) Bookkeeping (Certificate) Building Environmental Systems – Facility Management (Certificate) Building Environmental Systems – Operator (Certificate) Business Fundamentals (Certificate) Client and Customer Relations (Certificate) Construction Estimator (Certificate) Home Inspection (Certificate) Hospital Nursing Unit Clerk (Certificate) Human Resources Management Professional (Certificate) Legal Office Assistant (Certificate) Medical Transcriptionist (Certificate) Office Administration Fundamentals (Certificate) Sales Professional (Recognition of Achievement) Taxation and Auditing (Certificate) Diploma Programs: Business - Accounting (Two-Year Ontario College Diploma) Business - Human Resources (Two-Year Ontario College Diploma) Business - Marketing (Two-Year Ontario College Diploma) Business – Supply Chain and Operations (Two-Year Ontario College Diploma) Early Childhood Education- (Two-Year Ontario College Diploma) Education Support - (Two-Year Ontario College Diploma) Social Service Worker -(Two-Year Ontario College Diploma) Am I eligible for funding? You qualify for Better Jobs Ontario if you either: have been laid-off and have not been working or are working a temporary job just to cover costs have not been laid-off but have been unemployed for six months or longer and are part of a low-income household You can still apply if you receive either: Employment Insurance (EI) Ontario Works (OW) Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) Contact the nearest Employment Ontario agency to see if you qualify for funding. Am I required to meet the entrance requirements that are listed for my program of choice? Our two-year diploma programs require admission through OCAS. If you do not meet the admissions requirements, you can pursue Academic Upgrading options. If specific prerequisite courses are required for your Better Jobs Ontario skills training, you are allowed up to one year to complete them. Durham College offers Academic Upgrading to help you meet your program's admission requirements. Alternatively, you can complete academic upgrading through your local board of education. Please note that all completed credits must match the specific level indicated for your chosen program. My counsellor said I need an acceptance letter; how do I this from Durham College? The letter of acceptance will be included in your Better Jobs Ontario Proposal package. Course Delivery The Professional and Part-Time Learning department delivers its programs in an asynchronous online format. Asynchronous online learning provides flexibility and autonomy, allowing students to engage with weekly course content, lessons, assignments, and resources at times that best fit their schedules. Students can interact with instructors and peers through discussion forums or email and will receive ongoing feedback throughout the course. While students have the flexibility to progress through learning activities at their own pace within each week, these courses are not entirely self-paced, nor can they be completed on an accelerated timeline. Each course follows a prescribed weekly schedule with specific deadlines, and students are required to adhere to all assessment due dates and course timelines. As a general guideline, we recommend that students devote between four to six hours of study time per course, per week, to be academically successful. Note that this estimate may adjust based on the weekly content, an individual's previous experience, and their prior knowledge of the material, among other factors. Students taking online courses are responsible for arranging their own access to a computer, any required software or hardware, and a reliable internet connection during their studies. Additionally, desktop computers and internet access are available on-site at the Oshawa and Whitby campuses in the Campus Library and Computer Commons.
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