Labour College of Canada

The Labour College of Canada (LCC) is a union-made education program for active union members, including today’s and tomorrow’s union leaders. The new LCC Certificate Program is more accessible, more affordable, and more relevant than ever before to today’s unions and the labour movement as a whole.

Are you committed to building stronger and broader labour and social justice movements? Do you want a better understanding of the forces that shape workers’ lives? Do you want to be part of an activist network, and build up your research and strategic planning skills? Are you an activist with a demonstrated commitment to playing a leadership role in your union and building the labour movement for the future? If so, then the new LCC Certificate Program is for you!

First offered over 50 years ago, the LCC continues to deliver in-depth courses on issues related to work and the rights of workers in Canada. Graduates are equipped to take on leadership roles in their union, their labour council and the wider labour movement for the benefit of all workers.

About the Labour College of Canada (LCC)

Post-secondary level learning created by, for and with workers and their unions. For 50 years the Labour College of Canada has been a catalyst for leadership in the labour and social justice movements in Canada.

• Union run post-secondary level study
• Rooted in workers’ experience, struggles and victories
• Unique place for deeper reflection and visioning across unions from all parts of the country
• 50 years + of fostering labour and community leadership

What is the new LCC Certificate Program?

A labour studies and leadership program for labour active union members that supports critical thinking and collaborative learning in a flexible format.

The LCC Certificate Program:

• Builds leadership skills and provides leadership tools
• Fosters empowerment, self-confidence and new networks of labour leaders
• Strengthens critical thinking skills
• Examines working class struggles and human rights issues that affect all workers
• Creates change!

How does the new program work? When and where are the courses offered?

Continuing on the success of the previous Labour College programs, the new LCC Certificate Program built on creating collaborative learning moments and student cohorts from start to finish. The new program offers greater flexibility by blending online and in-class learning.

Areas of study will include:

• Political Economy
• Theory and Practice of Unions
• Project Planning and Research Skills
• Organizing and Education for Change
• Communications
• Labour Leadership
• Globalization, Laws and Policies
• and more…

The redesigned LCC Certificate Program is flixible and accessible. Sessions include online learning and in person week-long sessions in BC and/or Ontario. Students have the option to complete the program over 13 months or longer, with a maximum of 2 weeks face-to-face, in-class learning each year.

Course Schedule

(based on the session starting in May 2019)

To complete the LCC Certificate program, students must successfully complete the online orientation, the online and in-class courses for all three sessions, and the independent work between sessions, associated with the LCC Project.

1st session

ONLINE: May/June 2019
IN-CLASS: July 7-12, 2019 (ON)

2nd session

ONLINE: December 2019/January 2020
IN-CLASS: February 2020 (BC)

3rd session

ONLINE: May/June 2020
IN-CLASS: July 2020 (ON)

LCC Project:

Independent work (for a total of 40 hours or more), will be required following each session. Some of this work will require online assignments or presentations.

A NOTE ABOUT THE IN-CLASS SESSIONS:

In-class (week-long) sessions take place during CLC week-long schools in BC and/or Ontario.

Courses start at noon on the Sunday and end by 3 pm on the Friday.
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Who should apply?

Union members from CLC-affiliated unions who:

• are or have been active in their union (elected position, active volunteer, committee member, etc.)
• have attended one or more labour education courses
• are active in social and economic justice issues in their community

Members of equity-seeking groups: Women workers, workers of colour, workers with disabilities, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, two-spirit, intersex and Aboriginal workers are encouraged to apply.

How to Apply:

Applications for the December 2019 start of the LCC Certificate Program will open after Labour Day. For more information, please contact labourcollege@clcctc.ca.

Please complete the online application form.

LATE OR INCOMPLETE APPLICATIONS WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED.

Costs related to sending a student to the LCC Certificate Program

Tuition fees

$3,000 for completion within 13 months of admission
an additional $250 yearly administration fee will be factored in for completion beyond this timeline

Meals and accommodation

$1000 to $1450 per week-long course (rates dependant on location and individual or shared accommodation)

Release time and travel

These amounts will vary, based on the provisions and discretion of each sponsoring union. They are determined locally, and not by the LCC. Please contact us for more information, about the fee schedule.

A print-ready copy of the LCC Labour Leadership Certificate Program Fee Schedule is available via this link.

If you have any questions regarding the LCC Certificate Program or the application process, please email labourcollege@clcctc.ca.

A print-ready flyer about the LCC Certificate Program (that started in May 2019) is available here — English version — Bilingual version.