CUPE 951 career development fund

The CUPE Local 951 Career Development fund has improved its structure for the 2024 cycle.

Please take care when reviewing the changes. New for 2024 includes three application deadlines, replacing paper forms with an online form, and reiterating the extra approvals for technology requests.

Career development fund policies and procedures

The purpose of the fund is to provide regular employees with opportunities for career development within the university’s work force that are not directly related to their current employment. All regular CUPE 951 employees are eligible. Please review the policy for further details.

Administration of the fund

The 2024 Fund will be administered across three application periods.

  • Oct 30th, 2023 Deadline: Any course with a start date between January 1st and April 30th, 2024
  • Feb 28th, 2024 Deadline: Any course with a start date before August 30th, 2024
  • June 30th, 2024 Deadline: Any course with a start date before Dec 30th, 2024

The fund committee will consider funding requests that are directly related to career or personal development. Requests may include:

  •  tuition fees, courses, exams, workshops or seminars;
  •  expenses such as books, course materials, software materials, and associated fees, etc.
  •  membership fees in learned societies and professional organizations;
  •  equipment such as computer equipment including laptops, tablets, smartphones and audio-visual equipment;
  •  learning supports for those employees with disabilities;
  •  travel to attend training including accommodation expenses.

Fees for job related departmental courses are not eligible. These costs are the responsibility of the department.

Funding is available up to a maximum of $5000.00 per employee on an annual (January - December) basis.

Personal growth training

Personal learning and development will be approved, however, employees are required to describe how their personal learning and development is linked to their career and personal growth in their application.

Personal development may include career counselling; personal productivity related to goal setting; leadership development; cultural learning related to diversity, equity, inclusion and truth and reconciliation; financial planning; organizational skills training; etc.

Please note that the CRA considers courses taken purely for personal interest or technical skills not related to the business are taken mainly for the employee’s benefit and, therefore, are a taxable benefit. These cases are rare. If you have questions about this, please reach out to us.

Application process

Each submission must made by completing the online form. Continue reading below for more details on how to prepare your application. 

Requests for funding:
  • Must be made before the start of the course
  • Course changes after the start date will be considered only if there are extenuating circumstances, and the committee is notified immediately in writing.
  • The career development committee should be notified in writing if you do not use the approved funds.
  • Requests to take courses during periods of extended sick leave must be supported by a doctor’s certificate stating that the course requirements will not adversely affect the employee’s health or prolong their absence from work.
  • A maximum of $5000.00 may be awarded per applicant during the calendar year (January – December)

In particular, the committee encourages courses that further your equity-related learning and/or courses that relate to the university plans including the Strategic Framework, the Indigenous Plan and the Equity Action Plan.

Prepare your application

Please visit the online application form to get a sense of what you might need to prepare your request. All requests for funding must be made electronically via the online form. 

Things to prepare
  • Course, exam or workshop information – cost, start dates, course description
  • Description of your career or personal development goals
  • Breakdown of requested costs
  • Department head approval, in the case that your course is scheduled during work hours, as per 26.06 and 26.07 of the Collective Agreement.

Are you wanting to apply for more than one (1) course in a funding round? Please include all courses in one application, being mindful to include clarity on describing each course (incl. costs) separately.

Technology requests

If you are including a request for technology in your application, such as a computer or a tablet, you must obtain your Technology Solutions Centre (TSC) approval BEFORE submitting your application.

Please obtain guidance and approval for your technology by visiting the UVic Systems Technology Solutions Centre at this link.

Once you obtain approval for the type of technology you would like to purchase from TSC, you must include any appropriate communication and approvals WITH your Pro-D Application.

Ownership

Items and equipment purchased through the CUPE Local 951 Career Development Fund are the property of the University. Upon retirement or termination of employment assets acquired through the CUPE Local 951 Career Development Fund must be returned to the department. If the University is unable to re-allocate the assets the employee may purchase the assets at its current fair market value by contacting Purchasing Services for an evaluation.

Application Form for CUPE 951 Career Development Fund

Outcome notification

3 weeks after a submission deadline you will receive an email notification. If your application is approved, the message will include an approval letter with the tentative award.

Reimbursement requirements

Submission of reimbursement must be made within two months of course completion.

To claim the funding, please complete a Business Reimbursement Form (BER) to the specifications and example provided below. Completed BER packages should be forwarded to  for processing and approval. HR will forward your request to accounts payable for reimbursement.

Please include in your reimbursement package:

  • Completed BER form, with all details included as shown in this example
  • Approval letter
  • Technology approval (TSC), where applicable
  • Proof of successful completion of course.
  • Copy of invoice showing cost breakdown together with original receipts.

Approved courses taken during layoff, leave, vacation or extended sick leave will be reimbursed after the employee has returned to work. You must still be employed at UVic to receive reimbursement.

If for any reason you decide not to continue with these plans, please notify the Committee in writing as soon as possible.

Appeal procedure

If your application for funding has been rejected, you can appeal the decision by submitting in writing the reason(s) for the appeal to the chair, career development committee, c/o Human Resources.

The committee will review the written submission with the original application; invite the applicant to make a verbal presentation and advise the applicant in writing of the outcome of the appeal.

For more information, please see your collective agreement.

Questions

Questions? Please contact  for assistance.