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Second Career Program - Feedback .

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Member
Nov 4, 2008
355 posts
27 upvotes
tmaj2004 wrote: Your counselor cannot do anything till 5 days prior to due date. My due date is June 23rd and this wait has been bull...stressing everyday with the what if's...but...nothing neither of us can do..I have a feeling I'll be calling my counselor the 17th to call on my behalf.
Did they tell you what's the difference between 14 days and 5 days? I mean, what can't they do now that they can do when there's only 5 days left before the due date.
Newbie
Mar 7, 2006
64 posts
6 upvotes
Kitchener
You should contact the school you want to go to and let them know you are waiting for approval through Second Career. The school I'm planning on attending in September has a Payment Deferral Form specifically for people waiting for Second Career funding.

Flipcharmer wrote: Be prepared to wait for 6 weeks or more but you might have better luck than me.

I've been waiting for 6 weeks now and I've called my counselor every day about it and all she says is that "They'll call you and there's nothing that we can do about it.". I've asked if I could contact any other person to get more information and she says there's no one else. Fee payment is due on June 24, 2009 and it's only 2 weeks away from now.

For those that got approved-
* Did you receive a call from the government or the career centre/TDSB saying that your application was approved and you need to sign papers?

* What happened after you signed the papers? i.e. Was the fees covered immediately? etc.
Member
Nov 4, 2008
355 posts
27 upvotes
blinded99 wrote: You should contact the school you want to go to and let them know you are waiting for approval through Second Career. The school I'm planning on attending in September has a Payment Deferral Form specifically for people waiting for Second Career funding.
There is a $300 fee associated for Payment Deferrals and I'm not willing to pay that amount since I don't even know if I'm approved yet. Not to mention the fact that $300 is not chump change for me right now.
Sr. Member
Feb 4, 2006
704 posts
204 upvotes
Flipcharmer wrote: Did they tell you what's the difference between 14 days and 5 days? I mean, what can't they do now that they can do when there's only 5 days left before the due date.
My guess is laziness

I think it's absolutely asinine if it reaches that 5 day mark...but am I really in the position of complaining? I didn't even know about SC till my parents told me in April..it's been stressful waiting day after day without an answer though, let me tell you....I don't even know what I will say on the phone if I am declined....
Member
Nov 4, 2008
355 posts
27 upvotes
tmaj2004 wrote: My guess is laziness

I think it's absolutely asinine if it reaches that 5 day mark...but am I really in the position of complaining? I didn't even know about SC till my parents told me in April..it's been stressful waiting day after day without an answer though, let me tell you....I don't even know what I will say on the phone if I am declined....
I hear you on that one. I wish they'd process the applications faster and get it over with instead of dragging the results. The sooner they tell us the results then the sooner we can get it off our chest no matter what the outcome is.
Sr. Member
Feb 4, 2006
704 posts
204 upvotes
Flipcharmer wrote: I hear you on that one. I wish they'd process the applications faster and get it over with instead of dragging the results. The sooner they tell us the results then the sooner we can get it off our chest no matter what the outcome is.
It's unfair for me to say lazy...afterall...MANY people are unemployed in Ontario...but having it reach 5 days prior to due dates is absolutely unacceptable and not fair...I understand the hard work they are doing in going through time with each and every applicant..and all the paperwork involved...

So here's to crossing my fingers to hear news before having to hound down an answer on the 17th...I need this bad
Newbie
Mar 7, 2006
64 posts
6 upvotes
Kitchener
Flipcharmer wrote: There is a $300 fee associated for Payment Deferrals and I'm not willing to pay that amount since I don't even know if I'm approved yet. Not to mention the fact that $300 is not chump change for me right now.
They don't have a special deferral specifically for Second Career that has no fee involved? That's too bad. I actually went yesterday to fill out the form that defers my payments until my Second Career funding comes through and they waive the deferral fee and I haven't been approved for the funding yet.
Newbie
Mar 7, 2006
64 posts
6 upvotes
Kitchener
tmaj2004 wrote: My guess is laziness

I think it's absolutely asinine if it reaches that 5 day mark...but am I really in the position of complaining? I didn't even know about SC till my parents told me in April..it's been stressful waiting day after day without an answer though, let me tell you....I don't even know what I will say on the phone if I am declined....
In my area (Kitchener Waterloo) the reason the approvals are taking so long is due to the number of people applying for funding. There aren't enough people to process the applications. But apparently changes are being made very soon (maybe starting as soon as this week) that will increase the number of people who are allowed to approve applications. I'll find out more on Monday because I have an appointment with my employment counsellor and hopefully I will be able to submit all my paperwork.
Sr. Member
Feb 4, 2006
704 posts
204 upvotes
I contacted my YMCA person today and they said to contact her June 24th if I do not receive a call before then...how in the world does this help me if fees are due June 23rd?

Lets see her response...this is getting silly now.
Member
Nov 4, 2008
355 posts
27 upvotes
tmaj2004 wrote: I contacted my YMCA person today and they said to contact her June 24th if I do not receive a call before then...how in the world does this help me if fees are due June 23rd?

Lets see her response...this is getting silly now.
Let me know what your counselor will say since we're pretty much on the same boat.
Sr. Member
Feb 4, 2006
704 posts
204 upvotes
Flipcharmer wrote: Let me know what your counselor will say since we're pretty much on the same boat.
Still waiting....she said she would let me know today, and nothing yet....if no response today, I'm thinking of just calling repeatedly tomorrow =| but...what if she just contacts them and says 'cancel it'. June 23rd approaches =(
Member
Nov 4, 2008
355 posts
27 upvotes
tmaj2004 wrote: Still waiting....she said she would let me know today, and nothing yet....if no response today, I'm thinking of just calling repeatedly tomorrow =| but...what if she just contacts them and says 'cancel it'. June 23rd approaches =(
I called my counselor again then mentioned that there are only 4 business days left before the due date to pay the fees and she said that she can't do anything once she has submitted the papers. Her exact words were "Once it's out of our door then it's on the Ministry's hands now." Kept telling me that I need to wait for the Ministry's call whether I'm approved or not.

My last recourse was to call the school I'm going to and explained the situation to one of the Financial administrators and she told me that Second Career Students have been given an extension of 1 month to pay for the fees.

I just hope it won't take another month before I hear anything from the Ministry. I submitted my application last week of April... so if it takes the ministry another month then it would be close to 10-11 weeks of waiting compared to the scripted 2-3 weeks wait time.
Sr. Member
Feb 4, 2006
704 posts
204 upvotes
Flipcharmer wrote: I called my counselor again then mentioned that there are only 4 business days left before the due date to pay the fees and she said that she can't do anything once she has submitted the papers. Her exact words were "Once it's out of our door then it's on the Ministry's hands now." Kept telling me that I need to wait for the Ministry's call whether I'm approved or not.

My last recourse was to call the school I'm going to and explained the situation to one of the Financial administrators and she told me that Second Career Students have been given an extension of 1 month to pay for the fees.

I just hope it won't take another month before I hear anything from the Ministry. I submitted my application last week of April... so if it takes the ministry another month then it would be close to 10-11 weeks of waiting compared to the scripted 2-3 weeks wait time.
Yeah, I was kind of given the run around. It's false that your counselor can't do anything; they can get a status update 5 days prior to due date.

Since the 23rd is coming up, I called the school and they said to keep my place, all I have to do is put down $150 while we wait for SC; which I did yesterday.

basically it's been like this for the past week:

-contacted couns tuesday, she said she would follow up wednesday
-end of day wednesday, I contact her, she replies back thursday saying it takes a day or two (so thursday would be day 2, right? awesome!)
-nothing yet...I wait till Friday AFTERNOON asking again to which she says she contacted them again today (Friday) and found out the person is on vacation for the past week. She said she will update me mon when the person is back>

My only question is how would you not find out the person that makes decisions is gone for the past week on the first phone call?

This is sooooooooooo stressful....I really pray SC comes through for me...
Sr. Member
User avatar
Jun 2, 2008
504 posts
62 upvotes
Get ready for a rant!!

I am currently in College thanks to Second Career. I am 2 month in to a 1 year program. Let me tell you...I have never seen a more disorganized, ridiculous, degenerate process as I have witnessed trying to get funding through Second Career.

My program started at the beginning of May. I started my application at the end of January. 1 week before class started is when I actually got approval for the funding, and that was after having to contact my local MPP and b*tch and complain to him.

No one knows how the program works (counselors or Government officials), they are making changes to it daily and backlogging the whole thing. The way they calculate your budget for the purpose of determining how much living expense you get (ie. employment insurance) is flawed at best and does not take into account a good portion of expenses for the average person, let alone someone with extenuating circumstances. They don't take into account that some college programs are different than others and they need to be addressed on an individual basis rather than placed in the broad category with every other program at every other college.

At best, Second Career is a "Look what we are doing to help people" tactic by the Ontario Government to make it seem that they are making an effort to help people. In reality, its a headache, stress-inducing, clusterf**k program.

When I applied I was told that I would be part of the group that would be closely monitored and tracked to get my feedback and make the program better. Not a peep from them. In fact, it took 5 days to get a response when my first payment was weeks late and I emailed and called multiple times to find out what was going on. The Government doesn't care that the college has a deadline for payment or else their system kicks the student out for being delinquent with payments.

I can go on and on, but I won't. Some of you might think "I can't believe this guy, the Government is giving him money to go to school and he is complaining". Trust me, the money I am getting from the Government was given to them many times over through taxes, IE, etc. And when I am done school and back to work, they'll get that money back many more times over through taxes once again.

If anyone has any specific questions about Second Career, let me know. I'll do my best to answer.
Newbie
May 14, 2009
9 posts
toronto
Has anyone on here taken or is thinking about taking Dental hygiene through second career? and if so which school did you go to or are trying to go to.. or any programs in the healthcare field..
Sr. Member
Feb 4, 2006
704 posts
204 upvotes
No response yet, BIG SHOCKER

I emailed my ymca person today at 4pm, but I think I'm just going to contact my local MPP, because though this is "free" for those who qualify, us that apply for this deserve a bit more on the respect side.
Member
Nov 4, 2008
355 posts
27 upvotes
tmaj2004 wrote: No response yet, BIG SHOCKER

I emailed my ymca person today at 4pm, but I think I'm just going to contact my local MPP, because though this is "free" for those who qualify, us that apply for this deserve a bit more on the respect side.
Let me know how it'll go and what steps you'll take. My fee is due tomorrow and I haven't received any phone calls or emails.
Sr. Member
User avatar
Jun 2, 2008
504 posts
62 upvotes
I urge all of you that are experiencing difficulty with the Second Career application process to contact your local MPP. Its the only way this Government will actually realize that this program is far from helping the taxpayers who fund it. I am in the process of writing up a nice little letter for the Hon. John Milloy, Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities, to let him know that his little program is failing miserably.

Lets speak up people, get this fixed!!

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