HALIFAX, July 24, 2015 /CNW/ - The Harper Government is helping equip young Canadians in Atlantic Canada with the information, skills and work experience they need to get jobs. The announcement was made today by the Honourable Peter MacKay, Regional Minister for Nova Scotia, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada and Member of Parliament for Central Nova,, and Scott Armstrong, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Employment and Social Development and Minister of Labour and Member of Parliament for Cumberland–Colchester–Musquodoboit Valley, on behalf of the Honourable Pierre Poilievre, Minister of Employment and Social Development, and the Honourable Rob Moore, Minister of State (Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency) (ACOA).
Through the Government's Youth Employment Strategy and ACOA's Business Development Program, the Saint Mary's University Sobey School Business Development Centre (SSBDC) is receiving a total of more than $895,000 this year for two projects. The funding will support programs that help post-secondary graduates transition to the job market, as well as activities to improve the business climate in Nova Scotia.
The Saint Mary's University SSBDC will deliver a project to help 40 recent post-secondary graduates throughout Atlantic Canada, with an investment of more than $620,000. This is part of a three year commitment to St. Mary's University of $2.3 million for this project. Project participants will gain work experience related to their career goals through paid internships in various high-demand fields, including rubber plastics and chemicals, fabricated metal, electronic and electrical products, and computer system design services.
Additionally, with an investment of $275,000, the Saint Mary's University SSBDC will provide business development counseling and consulting services to potential and existing small- and medium-sized businesses. It will also provide entrepreneurial and business skill development for students.
This is part of the Government of Canada's overall strategy to equip all Canadians with the skills and training they need to connect with available jobs.
Quick Facts
- The Harper Government's Youth Employment Strategy has helped over 611,000 youth since 2006.
- Through Economic Action Plan 2014, the Government is creating up to 3,000 internships in high-demand fields and supporting up to 1,000 internships in small and medium-sized enterprises, under the Youth Employment Strategy.
- Economic Action Plan 2014 introduced the Canada Apprentice Loan, which provides apprentices registered in Red Seal trades with interest-free loans of up to $4,000 to complete their technical training. Loans are interest-free until apprentices complete or leave their apprenticeship training program, up to a maximum of six years. Since January, over 6,000 apprentices across Canada have benefited from the Canada Apprentice Loan.
- The Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency's Business Development Program helps small- and medium-sized enterprises set up, expand or modernize their businesses, develop innovative ideas or improve competitiveness. It also provides funding for non-profit organizations that support the business community.
Quotes
"Our Government is pleased to partner with organizations like the Saint Mary's University Sobey School Business Development Centre, to give young people a chance to show what they can do. We are helping young Canadians get the skills and training they need to find good jobs and build better futures for themselves and their families."
– The Honourable Peter MacKay, Regional Minister for Nova Scotia, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada
"Today's youth are tomorrow's workforce, so by investing in them we are helping contribute to Canada's long-term growth, competitiveness and overall prosperity. We recognize that small- and medium-sized enterprises are the economic lifeblood of our communities and when they succeed, they spur the growth of our towns and cities, creating more opportunities for everyone, including our youth. We are proud to work with organizations like the Saint Mary's University Sobey School Business Development Centre so that young people, including those in Atlantic Canada, gain the experience they need to succeed in the job market."
– Scott Armstrong, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Employment and Social Development and Minister of Labour
"Work Smarts is about connecting young talent with exciting organizations to move both forward. This infuses organizations with fresh ideas and new approaches while allowing our brightest youth to stay in Atlantic Canada and get that vital first job. With the help of Service Canada, we will be able to match 40 recent graduates with employers, most of whom will be retained on a permanent basis."
– Eric Crowell, Director, Sobey School Business Development Centre
Associated Links
Youth Employment Strategy
Career Focus Program
Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency – Business Development Program
Economic Action Plan
Helping Families Prosper
Backgrounder
The Youth Employment Strategy (YES) is the Government of Canada's commitment to help youth make a successful transition to the workplace. With annual funding of approximately $330 million, YES helps youth between the ages of 15 and 30 get the information and gain the skills and work experience they need to succeed in the workplace. 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.
Skills Link helps youth facing barriers to employment—including 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. Skills Link has helped over 191,000 youth since 2006.
Career Focus helps post-secondary graduates transition to the job market through paid internships and helps to provide youth with the information and experience they need to make informed career decisions, find a job and/or pursue advanced studies. Since 2006, Career Focus has helped over 29,000 youth.
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. Since it began in 2007, Canada Summer Jobs has helped over 304,000 students.
The Government of Canada is helping Canadian youth get the skills employers are looking for with the Canada Job Grant, apprenticeship grants and the new Canada Apprentice Loan. The Government also offers tax credits, such as the tuition, education and textbook tax credits, tradesperson's tools deduction, and the Apprenticeship Job Creation Tax Credit.
The Government also provides a range of support—including Canada Student Loans, Canada Student Grants, the Canada Learning Bond and the Canada Education Savings Grant—to help young Canadians save for and pursue their post-secondary education, so that they acquire the skills and training they need to succeed in the job market.
Visit youth.gc.ca and CanLearn.ca for more information.
SOURCE Canada's Economic Action Plan
Media Relations Office, Employment and Social Development Canada, 819-994-5559, [email protected]
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