Looking for Flexible Working Hours

Work before kids, and work after kids are two different ballgames, as we all know. There are some careers which are more flexible when it comes to childcare arrangements. Hospitality, film work, and medical shift work can be incredible difficult when it comes to scheduling childcare unless you have a partner with a 9-5 schedule. If you’re thinking about retraining for more flexible working hours, there’s a grant program you should know about.

BC Access Grant

If you qualify for BC StudentAid funding and sign up for a full-time program at an approved BC post-secondary institution in a program that trains you for an in-demand job, you can apply for a BC Access Grant. This grant can defray some of your loan, go towards the purchase of tools, and even help towards moving if you have to relocate.

What’s in demand?

Jobs like pipefitter, industrial electricians, ironworkers, and carpenters all can qualify for the BC Access Grant. These kinds of jobs often involve apprenticeships – where you work for a period of time, and then attend classes for a few weeks, and return to work again. If you’re not keen on the idea of sitting through classes for months, this might be the right fit for you.

According to the National Household Survey of 2011, salaries for pipe fitters, electricians and ironworkers run approximately $53,000 – $95,000 per year. There’s the opportunity to run your own business in many of these professions as well, which translates to more flexibility.

All of the jobs mentioned are forecast to be in demand for the next 10 years, according to WorkBC.

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This post is sponsored by the Government of BC. There are grants and tax credits available to help you retrain, help pay for tools, or help pay for childcare. The B.C. Access Grant for labour market priorities provides grant funding to encourage students with financial need to attend targeted high priority programs at eligible B.C. public post-secondary institutions. Find out more about these programs at gov.bc.ca.