GATINEAU, QC, July 15, 2021 /CNW/ - Canada's future recovery depends on the opportunities and support we provide to our young people today. As a result of the pandemic, many students and youth have faced unique challenges and have seen their plans disrupted. As we build back better and stronger, the Government of Canada is focused on providing young people with greater access to post-secondary education, skills training and the job opportunities they need to succeed as they prepare to enter the labour market.
Today, to mark World Youth Skills Day, the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion, Carla Qualtrough, highlighted the Government's Budget 2021 investments to help students and young Canadians access skills training and learning opportunities this summer and over the upcoming years.
Building off of previous investments, the Government's historic Budget 2021 funding of nearly $5.7 billion over the next five years to support young Canadians and students includes:
- Over $371.3 million in new funding to the Canada Summer Jobs program in 2022–23 to support the creation of 75,000 new work opportunities for young Canadians. This investment builds on the record-breaking 150,000 Canada Summer Job opportunities available to young job seekers right now on jobbank.gc.ca/youth, which will help tens of thousands of Canadians gain meaningful work opportunities and save up for school this fall.
- New investments of $109.3 million towards the Government of Canada's Youth Employment and Skills Strategy to support 7,000 additional work opportunities for young people who face barriers to employment in 2022–23. This is in addition to funding announced in the Fall Economic Statement of 2020, which is expected to result in over 30,000 new placements for young Canadians this year, until 2022.
- Over $239.8 million in 2021–22 to fund the Student Work Placement Program, creating an additional 50,000 placements for post-secondary students through both existing and new delivery partners across Canada. Budget 2019 expanded the Student Work Placement Program, by working with seven new partners to provide placements for post-secondary students in fields outside STEM and business such as in the arts, humanities and social sciences. These investments are helping to ensure that work placements are available to every student who wants one.
- Recent investments to create the new Apprenticeship Service over three years, beginning in 2021–22. Over $470 million will be allocated to Employment and Social Development Canada to establish the new Apprenticeship Service, which will help 55,000 first-year apprentices start their careers in eligible Red Seal trades.
- Approximately $298 million over three years, beginning in 2021–22, through Employment and Social Development Canada, in a new Skills for Success program that will help 90,000 Canadians, at all skill levels, improve their foundational and transferable skills.
Today's announcement builds on the Government's ongoing actions to help young Canadians and students move forward from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Getting Canadians back to work and helping our young people to succeed requires opportunities for fulfilling and rewarding careers in all sectors. These investments demonstrate the Government's commitment to helping young Canadians and students embark on, and stay on, the road to success.
Quote
"On this global day of recognition, I would like to thank the millions of young people, both in Canada and around the world, who have used their talent, education and skills to help others during these unprecedented times. Young people and students are powerful leaders of change, which is why our government will continue to make sure that they have the tools and supports that they need to succeed. It's when all Canadians are working, learning and succeeding that Canada will be able to build back better, and these historic investments reflect just how essential young people are to the future of this country."
– Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion, Carla Qualtrough
Quick Facts
- On April 21, 2021, the Government committed an additional $5.7 billion through Budget 2021 over the next five years to help young Canadians pursue and complete their education, acquire new skills and access more work opportunities. This is on top of the $7.4 billion already invested to support young Canadians during the pandemic. Altogether, the Government of Canada's response to the pandemic represents one of the largest youth support packages in the world.
- In addition, Budget 2021 proposes to invest $4.1 billion to help make post-secondary education more affordable, and to provide direct support to students with the greatest need. This includes doubling the Canada Student Grants for two additional years; waiving interest on federal student loans and the Canada Apprentice Loans until March 31, 2023; enhancing repayment assistance so that no person earning $40,000 per year or less will need to make any payments on their federal student loans; and extending disability supports for recipients of student financial assistance whose disabilities are persistent or prolonged, but not necessarily permanent.
Related Products
- Statement by the Prime Minister on World Youth Skills Day
- Budget 2021: A Recovery Plan for Jobs, Growth, and Resilience
Associated Links
- World Youth Skills Day
- Youth Employment and Skills Strategy
- Canada Summer Jobs
- Job Bank website and mobile app
- Student Work Placement Program
Backgrounder
Young people and students have an important role to play in supporting Canada's economic recovery and future growth. That is why we are taking strong action to ensure that young people and students have the skills and opportunities they need for their long-term goals. A description of youth and student supports delivered by Employment and Social Development Canada, a department of the Government of Canada, is featured below.
Skills development opportunities for youth
Youth Employment and Skills Strategy
The Youth Employment and Skills Strategy (YESS) is a Government of Canada initiative delivered in collaboration with 11 federal departments and agencies, including Employment and Social Development Canada. Through the YESS, the Government of Canada helps young people, particularly those facing barriers to employment, get the information and gain the skills, work experience and abilities they need to make a successful transition into the labour market. The YESS supports organizations that provide job placements and skills development services to young people, as well as a broad range of supports such as job coaching, mental health support, clothes for job interviews, day care services for parents and subsidized Internet access to help with job searches.
Canada Summer Jobs
Canada Summer Jobs is part of the Youth Employment and Skills Strategy, which is the Government of Canada's commitment to help young people—particularly those facing barriers to employment—get the skills, work experience and abilities they need to transition successfully into the labour market. The program provides wage subsidies to private sector organizations with 50 or fewer full-time employees, not-for-profit organizations and public sector organizations to create quality summer work experiences for young people between the ages of 15 and 30. Through quality job placements, it provides them with opportunities to develop and improve their skills. It also responds to national and local priorities and improves access to the labour market for youth, including those who face barriers.
Student Work Placement Program
The Student Work Placement Program supports partnerships between industry and post-secondary education institutions to create quality work-integrated learning opportunities for post-secondary students so they can develop work-ready skills required to secure meaningful employment upon graduation. To build on the success and high-demand for student work placement opportunities, Budget 2019 expanded the Program with $631.2 million in funding over five years to create up to 20,000 student work placements per year by 2023–24.
The seven organizations funded under today's announcement will provide work-integrated learning placements for students in the arts, humanities and social sciences fields.
Organization: Canadian Agricultural Human Resources Council
Project title: Growing Opportunities: Work-Integrated Learning in Agriculture
Description: Create work placements in the agriculture sector, targeting students in both agriculture-related programs and disciplines not related to agriculture, with a focus on under-represented groups.
Region: All Canadian provinces and territories
Funding amount: $675,918
Target number of placements: 125
Organization: Canadian Tourism Human Resource Council
Project title: Launching Future Careers in the Visitor Economy
Description: Create work placements with formal learning and applied experiences for students seeking careers in the visitor economy.
Region: All Canadian provinces and territories
Funding amount: $1,721,002
Target number of placements: 350
Organization: Cultural Human Resources Council
Project title: Student Work Placement Program
Description: Deliver student work placements in the arts and cultural sector, focusing on relevant needed skill sets in the sector, including technology and business.
Region: All Canadian provinces and territories
Funding amount: $750,000
Target number of placements: 160
Organization: Fédération des chambres de commerce du Québec
Project title: Accompagnement aux entreprises pour favoriser l'accueil de stagiaires
Description: Create opportunities for work-integrated learning among the various players in the Quebec workforce development ecosystem.
Region: All Canadian provinces and territories
Funding amount: $7,487,170
Target number of placements: 4,300
Organization: Food Processing Skills Canada
Project title: Work-Integrated Learning for the Food and Beverage Processing Industry
Description: Deliver student work placements in the food and beverage manufacturing sector, targeting 75% under-represented students.
Region: All Canadian provinces and territories
Funding amount: $2,106,003
Target number of placements: 425
Organization: Trucking Human Resources Canada
Project title: Delivering Student Work Placements in Truck Transportation and Logistics
Description: Deliver student work placements in the truck transportation and logistics sector.
Region: All Canadian provinces and territories
Funding amount: $1,553,029
Target number of placements: 300
Organization: Canadian Media Producers Association
Project title: Screen Content Production Mentorship Program
Description: Establish a mentoring program that provides on-the-job training and mentoring to students in the screen-based production industry.
Region: All Canadian provinces and territories
Funding amount: $148,200
Target number of placements: 29
Apprenticeship Service
To help small and medium-sized employers create more jobs, Budget 2021 committed $470 million over three years in the new Apprenticeship Service. This initiative will help 55,000 first-year apprentices in eligible Red Seal trades connect with opportunities at small and medium-sized employers. Additional supports will be provided to employers who hire those from under-represented groups, including women, racialized Canadians and persons with disabilities, to help support a more inclusive skilled trades workforce.
Skills for Success
To equip Canadians with the skills they need to get and keep good jobs in our evolving labour market, Budget 2021 committed $298 million over three years in the new Skills for Success program. The program will fund organizations to design and deliver training to help all Canadians to enhance foundational skills such as numeracy, as well as soft skills, such as collaboration. Through the program, approximately 90,000 Canadians will be able to improve their foundational and transferable skills to better prepare for, get and keep a job, and adapt and succeed at work.
SOURCE Employment and Social Development Canada
For media enquiries, please contact: Ashley Michnowski, Director of Communications, Office of the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion, Carla Qualtrough, [email protected]; Media Relations Office, Employment and Social Development Canada, 819-994-5559, [email protected]
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