BCITO tools grant

What is the BCITO Tools Grant?

The biggest expense when you start your apprenticeship is the purchase of tools. We hope these Grants will help new apprentices offset the initial purchase of tools.

How many grants are available?

Thirty (30) $1,000 tools grants will be available in 2025, to current first year apprentices who signed their BCITO Training Agreement after 19 August 2024. Individuals can only be awarded a BCITO Tools Grant once.

How much are the grants worth?

Each grant is for $1,000 incl GST (if applicable).

Who is eligible?

Applicants must be:

• Current first year apprentices who signed their BCITO Training Agreement after 19 August 2024.

OR

• Be a secondary school student currently being assessed for BCATS as a subject and/or enrolled in a BCITO Gateway programme, to sign a BCITO Training Agreement within ten months of 22 August 2025 (by 22 June 2026).

What can the grants be used for?

Grant recipients can purchase tools and/or equipment needed for their trade apprenticeship.  

How do you apply?

Applications can be made by completing the BCITO Tools Grant Application.

Your portfolio should include:

• Personal and contact details.
• Employer or school details.
• A brief summary of a project they have completed or are working on, covering:
  • What they enjoyed most.
  • What they are most proud of learning/doing.
  • Their favourite tool and how they used it.
  • How the Tools Grant will benefit them.

When should applications be made?

Applications for the 2025 BCITO Tools Grant open on 21 July 2025 and close at 5:00 PM on 22 August 2025. They are now closed.

How will applications be considered?

All applications will be considered by BCITO managers who may request additional information from the applicant or from their Training Advisor. The managers will assess how well the intended use of the grant meets the purpose of this scheme. All decisions made will be final.

How and when will applicants be notified?

All applicants will be notified by email or phone within one month of the managers meeting (19 September 2025), held immediately after applications close. Those awarded grants may also be published on BCITO media channels and must be available for media interviews if required.

How are grants claimed once awarded? 

Payment will be made direct to the nominated bank account provided by the successful candidates.

A bank statement or a screenshot must be provided from their online banking, showing the bank’s name and logo, account holder’s name and bank number. The payment will then be processed within two months of the grant being awarded.

BCITO reserves the right to request evidence of how the grant has been used up to one year following payment. 

Applications are now closed.

Email toolsgrant@bcito.org.nz for enquiries.

Terms and conditions will be available once the grant is open.