(Last updated: February 27th, 2026)
Facilitator I & II Training
Deadline to apply: *February 27th, 2026
The 5-day Spring 2026 National Facilitator seminar for all CUPW Locals will be held at Dev Hotel and Conference Centre in Cornwall, Ontario from May 25th to 29th, 2026.
- Facilitator Training – Level 1 (Urban/RSMC/PSBU): The Level 1 facilitator training course is for members who have never facilitated or have very limited facilitation experience. Participants explore the fundamentals of popular education and go on to prepare and co-facilitate short course segments of CUPW courses.
- Facilitator Training – Level 2 (Urban/RSMC/PSBU): The Level 2 facilitator training course is for members with significant facilitation experience who want to deepen their skills.
Local applications are now closed. Thank you for your interest. Successful applicants will be contacted.
Union Education Program
Deadline to apply: April 1, 2026
CUPW is gearing up for its flagship education initiative, the Union Education Program (UEP), which will take place over four weeks in 2026. The Program is intended to build leadership capacity in our Union.
Designed to develop knowledge and skills for union activists, the UEP’s intensive experiential learning curriculum focuses on current labour and social issues. The Program seeks to provide a setting to discover and hone tools to combat social and economic injustice; explore the connections between societal systems and oppressive practices; and orient union solidarity in a clear and open direction, to effectively combat exploitation and oppression and fight for a better world.
The Union Education Program is not a tools-based program. You will not learn about the specifics of Collective Agreement issues.
The objectives of the UEP are to increase our knowledge of:
- The labour movement
- The world, politics and economics
- Struggles for social and environmental justice
For more information and the link to the application form, click HERE.
Labour College Applications
Deadline to apply: March 2, 2026
Labour College, the Canadian Labour Congress’ (CLC) flagship trade union leadership development program, is a unique learning opportunity for union leaders and active members to learn new skills and take on the challenges that face the labour movement. It provides university level courses on issues related to work and the rights of workers in Canada. It gives graduates the necessary tools to be effective leaders in their union, their labour council, and the wider labour movement for the benefit of all workers.
CUPW members in good standing are eligible to apply for this post-secondary program, which is offered in English. Francophone members from Quebec are welcome to apply, but may consider attending Le Collège FTQ-Fonds. https://ftq.qc.ca/programme-education-syndicale/
The Labour College program aims to:
- build leadership skills and provide leadership tools;
- foster empowerment, self-confidence, and new networks of labour leaders;
- strengthen critical thinking skills;
- examine working class struggles and human rights issues that affect all workers; and
- create change.
If you are considering applying, please contact your Local and your Region to advise them. All applicants are encouraged to speak with their union education representative and to identify available financial supports before submitting their application form.
Applications are now closed.