Paving the way for tomorrow's leaders: 'Canada's Top Employers for Young People' for 2023 are announced

TORONTO, Jan. 24, 2023 /CNW/ - Canadian employers are redoubling efforts to attract and retain young people with new programs to help ensure their voices are heard and make it easier to grow in their careers. The best of these initiatives were recognized today as Canada's Top Employers for Young People (2023) were announced by Mediacorp Canada Inc., organizer of the annual Canada's Top 100 Employers project. 

"This year's winners understand that what moves the needle are programs that propel young people forward in their careers, beyond the onboarding stage," says Kristina Leung, managing editor at Mediacorp. "These employers are committed to their future, investing in professional development beyond the first year on the job."

Trends among this year's winners include comprehensive learning and development opportunities, clear pathways to advancement, and aligning organizational values with issues important to young people, such as diversity and community involvement. Through these efforts, employers provide stable ground for young people, giving them space to grow in the future. 

"Employers recognize what young people value and are delivering programs and initiatives that align with these values," says Chantel Watkins, assistant editor at Mediacorp. "Whether it's increasing community involvement, recruiting from diverse pipelines of talent, or investing in more long-term development opportunities, top employers are paying attention to what young people are looking for." 

Some of the initiatives singled out by editors this year include:

• AIG Insurance Company helps new graduates make the transition from school to a new career in the industry through a special program (AIG Insurance Academy) over their first 100 days at work. Through the initiative, new recruits develop innovative solutions to strategic challenges the organization faces – and learn about the insurance industry in the process.
• Corus maintains a focus on diversity and inclusion in their entry-level recruitment. The company recently partnered with a non-profit group (OYA Emerging Filmmakers) to launch an internship program (Corus Unscripted) that offers training, networking and mentorship opportunities for emerging Black filmmakers interested in careers in the television industry.
• Employees at Fluor Canada aspiring for a promotion to management can take part in the company's ASAP Program, designed to accelerate learning and skills development through rotations across different business areas. The program ranges from two to four years and includes a site assignment, concluding with participants graduating into a project or engineering management role.

Now in its 21^st 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 of the competition 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 in the organization.

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 18 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, which reaches over two million job-seekers annually and features exclusive editorial reviews from the Canada's Top 100 Employers project. The company also publishes The Career Directory, now in its 31^st year – a free online guide for recent college and university graduates looking for employers hiring candidates from their educational background.

The complete list of Canada's Top Employers for Young People (2023) was announced in a special magazine co-published with The Globe and Mail this morning. Detailed reasons for selection with additional stories and photos were released simultaneously on the competition homepage.

SOURCE Mediacorp Canada Inc.

Stephanie Leung, Editor, [email protected]