Youth facing barriers to employment benefit from job skills training and employment opportunities
EDMONTON, Sept. 14, 2017 /CNW/ - Building a strong middle class means giving Canada's youth the tools they need to find and keep good jobs.
Today, the Honourable Amarjeet Sohi, Member of Parliament for Edmonton-Mill Woods and Minister of Infrastructure and Communities, on behalf of the Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour, announced a new project that will give youth in Edmonton job skills training and hands-on work experience. Randy Boissonnault, Member of Parliament for Edmonton Centre, joined Minister Sohi in making the announcement.
Up to 84 recent immigrant youth will participate in the project, which will be delivered by the Africa Centre thanks to more than $1.3 million in Government of Canada funding through the Skills Link program. The youth will develop skills to help them find and keep jobs, such as job search techniques and interview preparation, and will receive tips from guest speakers. They wil also gain valuable work experience in such fields as accommodations, food services and tourism, business and the trades.
Skills Link supports projects that help young people who face more barriers to employment than others develop basic employability skills and gain valuable job experience, which, in turn, assists them in making a successful transition into the workforce or to return to school. These youth could include those who have not completed high school, single parents, Indigenous youth, young persons with disabilities, youth living in rural or remote areas or newcomers.
Quotes
"We know that our communities are healthier and stronger when everyone can fully participate. Supporting youth as they transition into the workforce is a key way in which we can grow our economy and strengthen the middle class.Youth in Edmonton will benefit tremendously from the opportunity to develop their skills and gain valuable workplace experience."
– The Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour
"Developing Canada's youth is a priority. The Africa Centre's project is a concrete example of what we can achieve for youth – especially newcomers --by working in partnership with organizations across the country. Projects like this one can help put regular paycheques into the reach of those who need them most. But more than that, they give young Canadians the chance to change their future."
– The Honourable Amarjeet Sohi, Member of Parliament for Edmonton-Mill Woods and Minister of Infrastructure and Communities
"I'm proud to see the success of the Africa Centre's projects in helping young people who are new to our country get the training they need to become our next generation of successful Canadians."
– Randy Boissonnault, Member of Parliament for Edmonton Centre
"Huge gaps in K-12 education, pre-migration trauma, or experiences with a similar life impact mean that many African refugees finishing a traditional youth employment program may not be ready to succeed in the labour market. "Boost" offers them a sense of purpose and renewed hope for success in Canada."
– Tesfaye Ayalew,Executive Director, Africa Centre
Quick Facts
- Skills Link is one of three program streams under the Government's Youth Employment Strategy (YES). Each year, the Government invests more than $330 million in YES to help support young Canadians between the ages of 15 and 30 to get the information, skills, job experience and abilities they need to find and maintain good employment.
- Total funding for YES was increased by $278 million in 2016–17, representing the largest investment since its launch.
- Budget 2017 is investing an additional $395.5 million over three years for YES, starting in 2017–18.
- Combined with Budget 2016 measures, these investments will help:
- more than 33,000 vulnerable youth develop the skills they need to find work or go back to school;
- create 15,000 new green jobs for young Canadians; and
- provide over 1,600 new employment opportunities for youth in the heritage sector.
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Backgrounder
Youth Employment Strategy
The Youth Employment Strategy (YES) is the Government of Canada's commitment to help youth make a successful transition to the workplace. YES helps youth between the ages of 15 and 30 get the information and gain the skills, job experience and abilities they need to make a successful transition to the workforce. YES includes Skills Link, Career Focus and Summer Work Experience and is delivered by 11 federal departments.
- Summer Work Experience provides wage subsidies to employers to create summer employment for secondary and post-secondary students. The Summer Work Experience program includes Canada Summer Jobs.
- Skills Link helps youth facing barriers to employment—including single parents, youth with disabilities, Indigenous youth, young newcomers and youth in rural and remote areas—to develop employability skills and gain the experience they need to find a job or return to school.
- Career Focus helps post-secondary graduates transition to the labour market through paid internships. It helps provide youth with the information and experience they need to make informed career decisions, find a job or pursue advanced studies.
Each year, the Government invests more than $330 million through YES to help young people gain the skills and experience they need to find and keep good jobs.
Budget 2016 provided $165.4 million in 2016–17 for YES to create new green jobs for youth, increase the number of youth who access the Skills Link program and support employment opportunities in the heritage sector. In 2016, the Government of Canada nearly doubled the Canada Summer Jobs program, creating tens of thousands of additional jobs for young people each year.
To further expand employment opportunities for young Canadians, Budget 2017 provided an additional $395.5 million over three years, starting in 2017–18 for YES.
Combined with Budget 2016 measures, these investments will help more than 33,000 vulnerable youth develop the skills they need to find work or go back to school; create 15,000 new green jobs for young Canadians; and provide over 1,600 new employment opportunities for youth in the heritage sector.
Associated Links
Youth Employment Strategy
Skills Link Program
SOURCE Employment and Social Development Canada
Media Relations Office, Employment and Social Development Canada, 819-994-5559, [email protected]
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