LINDSAY, ON, May 13, 2013 /CNW/ - The Government of Canada announced new funding to support recent graduates in Lindsay to help them gain the skills, knowledge and experience they need to enter and succeed in the job market. The announcement was made by Barry Devolin, Member of Parliament for Haliburton- Kawartha Lakes-Brock, on behalf of the Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development.
"Our government's top priorities are creating jobs, economic growth and long-term prosperity," said Mr. Devolin. "The Government of Canada's Youth Employment Strategy is helping youth develop the skills and gain the experience they need to get jobs now and prepare for the workforce of tomorrow."
The Gamiing Nature Centre is receiving over $45,000 from the Career Focus program to help recent graduates gain on-the-job experience and apply the skills acquired through education to ease the transition to work. Career Focus is part of the Government of Canada's Youth Employment Strategy (YES).
As recent post-secondary graduates, the participants will receive paid internships at the Gamiing Nature Centre in the fields of outdoor education, environmental studies and forestry. Interns will develop and deliver educational programming, conduct workshops and gain hands-on experience through various activities related to ecosystem management. The experience they gain will allow them to better transition into the job market.
"The Gamiing Nature Centre thanks the Government of Canada for its support," said Mieke Schipper, Volunteer Executive Director for the Gamiing Nature Centre. "The funding will offer graduating students internships to gain practical experience in their chosen field. In return, Gamiing will offer programs to help the community better understand environmental issues."
With annual funding of more than $300 million, YES helps youth, particularly those facing barriers to employment, obtain career information, develop employment skills, find jobs and stay employed. YES includes the Skills Link and Career Focus programs and the Canada Summer Jobs initiative, which creates thousands of job opportunities for students every summer.
Economic Action Plan 2013 proposes an additional investment of $70 million over three years to support 5 000 more paid internships. This is further to the extra $50 million that was invested through Economic Action Plan 2012 to enhance YES with a new initiative that connects young Canadians with jobs that are in high demand and helps them develop tangible skills and gain work experience.
Youth employment programs are part of the Government of Canada's broader strategy to create an educated, skilled and flexible workforce. The Government underscored its commitment to this strategy in Canada's Economic Action Plan. A key component of the Plan is to create more and better opportunities for Canadian workers through skills development. To learn more about Canada's Economic Action Plan, visit actionplan.gc.ca.
The Government of Canada is helping youth plan their careers, learn new skills and find jobs through enhanced online services available at youth.gc.ca.
BACKGROUNDER
Economic Action Plan 2013 proposes new measures to connect Canadians with available jobs and equip them with the skills and training they need. These include the Canada Job Grant, creating opportunities for apprentices and providing support to under-represented groups such as people with disabilities, Aboriginal peoples, newcomers and youth.
The Youth Employment Strategy is the Government of Canada's commitment to help youth make a successful transition to the workplace.
Skills Link, which is part of YES, helps youth facing barriers to employment, including youth who are single parents, youth with disabilities, young newcomers and youth in rural and remote areas, to develop the skills and gain the experience needed to find a job or the confidence to return to school.
Career Focus provides funding to employers to hire young post-secondary graduates to give them career-related work experience and help them acquire skills to transition into the job market.
Canada Summer Jobs provides funding to not-for-profit organizations, public-sector employers and small businesses with 50 or fewer employees to create summer job opportunities for young people aged 15 to 30 years who are full-time students intending to return to their studies in the next school year.
To learn more about Canada's Youth Employment Strategy and other youth employment initiatives, please visit youth.gc.ca.
For more information about these initiatives, visit www.actionplan.gc.ca.
SOURCE: Canada's Economic Action Plan
Jan O'Driscoll
Press Secretary
Office of Minister Finley
819-994-2482
Media Relations Office
Human Resources and Skills Development Canada
819-994-5559
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IF THERE IS A DISCREPANCY BETWEEN ANY PRINTED VERSION AND THE ELECTRONIC VERSION OF THIS NEWS RELEASE, THE ELECTRONIC VERSION WILL PREVAIL.
This news release is available online at actionplan.gc.ca.
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