FAQs for Second Career Students

Q.  How do I know if I am eligible for Second Career?
A.  If you were laid off since January 2005, you could be eligible for Second Career. 

Q.  I've heard that there were some changes to Second Career.  What are these changes?
A.  Effective November 20, 2009, priority is given to applicants* who:

•      are gaining new skills for a high-demand occupation;
•      have been unemployed for a long period of time;
•      have a high-school education or less, or post secondary education credentials not recognized in Ontario; and
•      are working toward a college certificate, diploma or license.

* Applicants will also be assessed for financial needs and may be asked to contribute towards their training.

Q.  I would like to find out more about Second Career, what should I do?
A.  If you have not done so yet, please contact the Employment Ontario Hotline at 1-800-387-5656.They will provide you with information regarding the nearest Assessment Centre so that you can book an appointment with an Employment Counsellor to determine your eligibility for Second Career.

Q.  What happens when I meet with the Assessment Centre?
A.  Once you met eligibility for funding, your Employment Counsellor at the Assessment Centre will work with you to determine a Career pathway plan for you.  This could involve participation at career-specific workshops as part of your career research.

Q.  How do I enter into Second Career at Centennial College?
A.  Once you know which full-time program you are interested in taking at Centennial College, please visit http://www.centennialcollege.ca/secondcareer for a listing of programs* eligible for Second Career. Review the admission requirements for the program you are interested in. You can also pick up a copy of our Viewbook or full-time Calendar from any one of our campuses.

*Programs listed will be subject to Ministry approval; program availability is subject to change.

Q.  What if I am still not sure which program I want to take?
A.  You should be working with your Employment Counsellor to assist you with your career search. 

For additional program details, please review program content on our website at www.centennialcollege.ca.

Graduate employment statistics can be found at http://www.centennialcollege.ca/AboutCentennial/GraduateKPI

Q.  I have seen an Employment Counsellor at an Assessment Centre and I was told that I need to ‘research the colleges’.  I am interested in Centennial and have a list of questions to be answered and need to obtain Start/Stop dates for programs and costs.  I also require an Offer Letter for a program.  Where can I get this information?
A.  If you are at the researching stage and have questions that need answered, please e-mail us at employmenttraining@centennialcollege.ca for immediate information. Please indicate the program and program code you are interested in and we will e-mail you the information.  As part of your program research, you will need to provide labour market information and other supporting documentation.

Centennial College cannot complete your research package for you. We can, however, provide you with information that you require in order to answer the majority of questions.

Before you receive an Acceptance Package from Centennial (including an Offer of Admission), you must complete all necessary assessments at Centennial.

The Employment Training Centre is located on the second floor of the Progress Campus (941 Progress Avenue) in Room C2-09. The Centre is open Monday to Friday, from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm.

Q.  How do I book an assessment at Centennial College?
A.  Please call Centennial College at 416-289-5300 and press #3.  Let the Call Centre Representative know that you are a Second Career candidate and you would like to book your assessment(s). 

Please advise them of the name of your program of choice.  You will need to complete an English assessment and a Math assessment, depending on your program. The earlier you book your assessment, the sooner we can assist you with your application process. 

To find out more on assessments and for sample questions, please click here or go to www.centennialcollege.ca/skillsassessment .

IMPORTANT NOTE:  Please remember to bring your original transcripts with you (if you have them) when you come in for an assessment test. 

Q.  Why do I need to bring my original transcripts with me to the assessment?
A. If you score low in your English assessment, the transcripts will help us to know more about your previous educational background.   

Q.  Can I book an appointment with a Representative at the Employment Training Centre to discuss Second Career?  What is the application process?
A. After you have completed your assessments, you are ready to meet with a Representative at the Employment Training Centre.  Please contact or email the Centre to schedule your next appointment as soon as possible

If you are only interested in applying to Centennial College, you can complete an in-house application form with a Representative from the Employment Training Centre.  Processing the form will help to create the Offer Letter, if program requirements have been met.             

Depending on the time of year, there can be a longer processing time to receive an Offer letter. Times can vary between 7 - 10 business days.

NOTE:  If you are interested in applying to more than one community college, then you must apply on-line through www.ontariocolleges.on.ca. There is a $95 non-refundable application fee required. If you have applied on-line through ontariocolleges,please contact the Employment Training Centre (Progress Campus) immediately. We will assist you with your next step for Second Career.

**Please check our website for any recent updates**