Helping young people build careers - this year's 'Canada's Top Employers for Young People' are announced

TORONTO, Jan. 21, 2025 /CNW/ - For young Canadians entering the workforce, finding the right employer can feel like a Herculean task. Amid a steady drumbeat of weak economic news and a high youth unemployment rate, young people might be forgiven for wondering whether it's even possible to find an employer where they can build a career. Fortunately, some employers are going out of their way to help recent graduates, tailoring HR programs to support their journey at all stages of career development. The best of these initiatives were recognized today, as Canada's Top Employers for Young People (2025) were announced by Mediacorp Canada Inc., organizers of the annual Canada's Top 100 Employers project. 

Many of this year's winners have created special rotational programs that offer recent graduates the opportunity to work in several areas of the organization before deciding on a role or department that best suits their skills. These rotations allow young people to see what it would be like to work in an area they previously might not have considered – and provide an opportunity for the employer to see if there's a good fit in terms of their skills and interests.

"Young people entering the workforce for the first time have a curiosity to explore different roles, so they can find what best aligns with their interests and career goals," says Chantel Watkins, assistant editor at Mediacorp. "Rotational programs provide the opportunity to do this in-house, offering recent graduates the chance to explore various roles and gain a deeper understanding of their organization and its interconnected functions."

Another distinction that sets this year's winners apart is how keenly they recognize the many ways in which younger employees have been shortchanged by the pandemic. To compensate, employers have prioritized soft skills training, allowing young people to improve skills relating to interpersonal communication, public speaking, and other social aspects that are vital to success in any workplace – regardless of the specific position or role initially taken up by the young person.

"Employers rarely hire recent grads for specific roles, they're hiring someone who will hopefully build a long-term career at the company," adds Kristina Leung, managing editor at Mediacorp. "Siloed departments can be inefficient, so the organization actually benefits by supporting employees in developing a broader knowledge of the company, and how they can best contribute to the company with their education, interests, and skills."

Now in its 23rd year, Canada's Top Employers for Young People is an editorial competition that recognizes the employers offering the nation's best workplaces and programs for young people starting their careers. Winners are chosen by the editorial team at the Canada's Top 100 Employers project based on the programs and initiatives they offer to attract and retain younger workers. These include benefits such as tuition assistance and co-op or work-study programs. The editors also examine each employer's mentorship and training programs, including benefits such as bonuses paid on completing trades or professional designations. The editors also review each employer's career management program, looking for initiatives that help younger workers advance faster in the organization. The competition is open to any employer, private or public sector, with its head office or principal place of business in Canada.

Founded in 1992, Mediacorp Canada Inc. is the nation's largest publisher of employment periodicals. Since 1999, the Toronto-based publisher has managed the Canada's Top 100 Employers project, which includes 19 regional and special-interest editorial competitions that reach millions of Canadians annually through a variety of magazine and newspaper partners, including The Globe and Mail. Mediacorp also operates Eluta.ca, one of Canada's largest job search engines, used by millions of job-seekers annually to find new job postings – and discover what the nation's best employers are offering. The company also publishes The Career Directory, now in its 33^rd year – a free online guide for recent college and university graduates looking for employers hiring candidates based on their educational background.

The full list of Canada's Top Employers for Young People (2025) was announced today in a special magazine published online in The Globe and Mail and on Eluta.ca. Detailed 'reasons for selection' for each of this year's winners, as well as hundreds of stories and photos about their initiatives, were released today by the editors and are accessible via the competition homepage.

Join the discussion about today's announcement on social media:
Instagram & Facebook: @topemployers
Twitter/X: @top_employers
Hashtags: #TopEmployerForYP, #topemployers2025

SOURCE Mediacorp Canada Inc.

Further information: Chantel Watkins, Assistant Editor, [email protected]