Education & Development
The purpose of Union Education and Development activities is to educate members to become Union Activists in a way that is mutually beneficial to the individual member and to all Local 3550 members. The Locals’ Education Committee will review all applications submitted in order to determine the total number of members sponsored and establish the funding for each event.
When educational opportunities become available they will be posted here and we ask that each member wishing to attend please fill out the Education Funding form.
Information Regarding Education Funding Applications
Access the Education Funding Form here!
(You can access a printable copy of the above form can find it here)
Please fill out the above form if you are interested in attending a course, conference, or educational event.
- Please know that there is no cost to Local 3550 members taking any of the courses held virtually or in-person.
- If an education that you are interested in that requires book-off from school, please get your DU’s approval prior to submitting the Education Funding application form.
- For eligible delegates to Local 3550 sponsored educationals, the local covers the cost of registration, book-offs (supply cost), meals in the form of per diems (if not included in the cost of registration), flights, hotels, etc.
- Please refer to Section 15 of CUPE 3550 Bylaws: Delegates to Conferences, Conventions and Educationals.
- Members are welcome to sign up for workshops that are being hosted in other provinces. As usual if you are interested, please submit the Education Funding form – check out the https://cupe.ca/mrm-union-education/events for online workshops that are being offered across the country. Please note that if a course is being held in any other region, the Alberta time zone may not be reflected on cupe.ca.
Please email 3550education@gmail.com if you have any questions.
Interested in being part of CUPE Local 3550 Education Committee?
Contact: Amy at 3550education@gmail.com
List of courses/workshops available.
Please continue to check on the website – most of the CUPE courses are held virtually and run between 1.5 to 3 hours in the day or evenings.
Upcoming CUPE National Courses
(Click the purple heading to learn more about each course)
Jan 13, 2026
(9:00 AM – 12:00 PM & 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM PST)
Note that Introduction to CUPE occurs from 9 AM to 12 PM, and Introduction to Allyship occurs from 1 PM to 4 PM. Participants sign up for both courses when registering.
Introduction to CUPE:
In this workshop you will:
- Explore union values;
- Learn about CUPE’s structure;
- Find out how unions solve problems ;
- Gain skills that will help you play a stronger role in your CUPE local.
Introduction to Allyship:
Participants will learn how to build a practice of allyship in their personal lives as well as in their locals, workplaces and communities. Learners will explore definitions, principles and applications of good allyship, and discuss related topics like white supremacy, privilege, comfort zones and strategies for collective action.
Jan 20, 2026
Part 1 (9:00 AM – 12:00 PM MT)
Part 2 (1:00 PM – 4:00 PM MT)
This 2-part online workshop serves as an introduction into the world of health and safety and explores different basic concepts such as the:
- Identification of hazards;
- Hierarchy of controls;
- Basic role of health and safety committees;
- Basics on the right to refuse.
NOTE: Completion of Part One is required to attend this workshop. Once both parts are complete, you will have fulfilled the pre-requisite to register for all other workshops in the Health and Safety Learning Series.
Feb 11, 2026 (5:00 PM – 8:00 PM CT)
When using a computer/laptop to register, please hit “Tab” on your keyboard after entering your Local number. If using a cellphone to register, please hit “Done” on your cellphone keyboard after entering your Local number. The option to select Unit/Employer will then generate for you to select one (1) listed.
What does a CUPE steward do? If you are a new steward and want to learn how to help CUPE members solve workplace problems, this introductory online workshop is for you!
Note: This is Part 2 of Introduction to Stewarding. Part 1 is a pre-requisite to this course.
March 30, 2026 (9:00 AM – 4:30 PM MT)
March 31, 2026 (9:00 AM – 12:30 PM MT)
In-person at Alberta Regional Office (Suite 600 South – 10130 112 St NW, Edmonton, AB)
This workshop is being offered over 1 and a half days. It is open to all CUPE members who identify as women.
Parking is available in the surface lots around the building.
Learn about women’s oppression, politics and social change – all from a woman’s perspective. Explore the barriers, challenges and opportunities for women in the union. Discover your own personal leadership style and develop a plan for your personal next step.
Deadline to Register: March 23, 2026
April 25, 2026
In-person at the University of Alberta North Campus
You can sign up for the conference mailing list below to receive notifications and reminders!
CUPE ALBERTA 2026 WEEKLONG SCHOOL
April 26 to May 1, 2026
Come and join CUPE Alberta in Canmore for the 2026 Weeklong School! Courses include basics of Stewarding, Communications, and Occupational Health and Safety!
Deadline to apply via the CUPE Local 3550 Education Committee is December 1st, 2025! Get your education funding form in before then!
Keep checking our website as we will be adding more workshops soon.
Email 3550education@gmail.com for more information or if you have any questions.
CUPE ALBERTA SCHOLARSHIPS
CUPE Alberta offers a number of scholarship opportunities to CUPE members as well as the dependents of CUPE members.
You can find the list of scholarship opportunities offered by CUPE AB here!
You can find the CUPE AB Scholarship Application Form Here!
Please note that CUPE AB Scholarship applications require a letter of endorsement/support from your Local Union. Please contact the union office at 780 455 1435 or cupe3550@telus.net if you would like to request a letter of endorsement.
Star12 / SkillPath e-Learning
SkillPath is an online educational service/platform for administrative professionals. It hosts several short courses, webinars, and reference material on topics such as leadership and management, office software, personal development, and more! Two subscriptions available for members. Email 3550education@gmail.com if you would like more information on how to access the subscription.
Did you know that CUPE Local 3550 will come out and visit schools to provide information on ‘Know Your Collective Agreement’. This can be on early dismissal, non-instructional or PD days. Please call your union office at 780-455-1435 for more information. You must have prior permission from your supervisor.
CUPE Local 3550 offers a number of short professional development courses, through Star12, that can be taken online or as On-Demand webinars. The online courses can be taken during your lunch hour or anytime, any day and at your own time!
If you are interested or require more information, please contact Mabel Ong via email at 3550education@gmail.com
Canadian Association of Labour Media Courses
There are many courses and conferences available. Please click on the link below for more information.
https://uniontraining.ca/calm-conference/
GET IN TOUCH WITH US
Address and Contact Information
CUPE Local 3550
14207 115 Avenue
Edmonton, AB T5M 3B6
Phone
(780) 455 1435
Fax
(780) 452 1462
Email
contact@cupe3550.ca