Overview

Micro-credentials are rapid training programs offered by postsecondary education institutions across the province that can help you get the skills that employers need. Micro-credentials help people retrain and upgrade their skills to find new employment.

About micro-credentials

Micro-credentials:

  • take less time to complete than degrees or diplomas
  • may be completed online and may include on-the-job training
  • are often created with input from business sectors, so the skills being taught match employer needs

Apply now

The micro-credentials portal is a starting point to explore the hundreds of micro-credentials available in Ontario, with more being added regularly.

This resource is part of Ontario’s Micro-credentials Strategy, helping learners access more opportunities to train or upskill for in-demand jobs.

Loans and grants are also available to eligible learners to rapidly upskill and reskill for in-demand jobs. Hundreds of micro-credentials are approved for financial assistance through the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP), with more to come.

You can also check your local postsecondary education institution’s website to see more information about the micro-credentials they offer.

How to enrol

Once you have selected a micro-credential you’d like to take, register with the school directly. If the micro-credential is OSAP-approved, you can then apply for financial assistance through OSAP for Micro-credentials.

Log-in to your OSAP account to apply for funding for micro-credentials.

Ontario Micro-credentials Challenge Fund

Background

Announced in April 2021, Ontario provided $15 million through the Ontario Micro-credentials Challenge Fund Round 1 to accelerate the development of micro-credentials and expand program offerings. After a successful call for proposals, Ontario approved over 65 projects at colleges, universities, Indigenous Institutes and career colleges across the province, creating over 300 new micro-credentials to support approximately 6,000 learners.

Round 2

Ontario is providing $5 million through the Ontario Micro-credentials Challenge Fund Round 2 to support the co-creation or expansion of micro-credentials to help address Ontario’s labour market gaps.

Ontario postsecondary institutions, working with local industry and employers, are encouraged to apply for funding to develop new or to expand existing micro-credentials focused on Ontario’s priority labour market sectors.

The deadline to submit a proposal is January 5, 2024, 5:00 p.m. EST to psepolicy@ontario.ca.

Learn how to prepare a proposal.

About the fund

The Challenge Fund Round 2 will expand the number and types of micro-credentials available in the province that help to address Ontario’s labour market gaps. These micro-credentials will increase collaboration between the private and public sectors through formal partnerships among postsecondary institutions, training providers and employers.

The micro-credentials developed from this fund will focus on training that is:

  • employer responsive and leads directly to local/regional jobs
  • designed to fill labour market gaps in priority sectors , for example:
    • health care
    • marine transportation
    • advanced manufacturing
    • electric vehicles
    • critical minerals
    • mental health services/accessibility
    • housing

The funding is available to:

  • publicly assisted colleges and universities
  • Indigenous Institutes
  • registered career colleges
  • private institutions offering programs with ministerial consent under the Post-secondary Education Choice and Excellence Act, 2000

How to prepare a proposal

Download the Challenge Fund Round 2 guidelines for full instructions about preparing a proposal, including criteria and eligible expenditures.

Ontario postsecondary institutions are responsible for submitting the proposal, and must partner with employers, industry or sector representatives.

Partners can include:

  • corporations
  • sector associations
  • non-profit organizations
  • municipalities
  • First Nations or Indigenous organizations

Ontario postsecondary institutions are also strongly encouraged to work together to develop collaborative proposals. Employers may also connect with their local public or private college, university or Indigenous Institute to start on a proposal.

For more information about the Challenge Fund, contact psepolicy@ontario.ca.

Progress on our plan

Since 2020, we’ve announced investments of more than $60 million over three years to support micro-credentials.

So far we have:

  • created an online portal to access micro-credential training opportunities
  • supported the creation of over 300 new micro-credentials in response to regional labour market needs through the Micro-credentials Challenge Fund Round 1
  • strengthened partnerships between postsecondary institutions, training providers and employers
  • promoted micro-credentials among learners and employers
  • supported students with financial need to pay for education geared to in-demand jobs, through OSAP
  • piloted a virtual passport that allows a learner to track, store and share their learning experience

Pilot programs

eCampusOntario

In 2019, we funded micro-credential pilots through our partner organization eCampusOntario.

eCampusOntario is a provincially funded centre of excellence and global leader in technology-enabled teaching and learning. They lead a consortium of publicly funded colleges, universities and Indigenous Institutes in Ontario to support digital transformation and encourage innovation, collaboration and partnerships to connect Ontario’s campuses to the future of learning. With funding from the government of Ontario, eCampusOntario has facilitated 36 pilots at Ontario colleges and universities.

Learn more about these pilot programs at eCampusOntario.

We will update this page as we continue to develop and expand micro-credentials.