Students and graduates — Young Canada Works

Youth Canada Works (YCW) is part of the Government of Canada’s modernized Youth Employment and Skills Strategy (YESS), which aims to help young people – and in particular those facing barriers to employment – develop their skills along a continuum designed to help them prepare for work.

Through job and internship programs, YCW youth participants can put their skills to the test, build career equity, earn an income and get started on the right career path. The YCW program creates approximately 2,300 job opportunities per year in the fields of heritage, arts, culture and official languages.

The YCW program contains two components:

Short-term employment programs

Young Canada Works in Heritage Organizations (YCWHO)

YCWHO generally lasts between 6 and 16 weeks, and offers students job opportunities with organizations in Canada that have a heritage mandate. Students might organize cultural or recreational projects in a heritage organization, for example, or learn new skills in preserving and promoting our cultural heritage.

Learn about the eligibility criteria of the Young Canada Works in Heritage Organizations program.

Young Canada Works in Both Official Languages (YCWBOL)

Young Canada Works in Both Official Languages (YCWBOL) is a short-term employment program for young people aged between 15 and 30. It gives them the opportunity to gain work experience in an official-language environment, thereby improving their employability and facilitating their entry into the labour market. These jobs enable young participants to improve their second official language or to use their first official language whilst working for an employer from an official language minority community. Young people can also enjoy a unique experience by exploring another region of Canada whilst improving their second-language skills or living within an official language minority community.

Job opportunities last for approximately 6 to 16 weeks.

Are you aged between 15 and 30 and want to find out more about YCWBOL? Do you have questions about the jobs, eligibility criteria, how to apply, and the application deadlines? Visit the Young Canada Works website.

Are you ready to find a job? Click here: Search for a job - Young Canada Works - Canada.ca

Internship program

Interested in an internship in Canada or abroad in your specific field of study? Young Canada Works (YCW) internships are offered to unemployed or underemployed college or university graduates. Participating in a YCW internship can help graduates to:

• improve their skills through a career-related experience;
• establish contacts in the industry related to their field of study; and
• expand their career options by working in Canada or abroad.

YCW sponsors the following internship program for graduates:

Young Canada Works at Building Careers in Heritage (YCWBCH)

YCWBCH offers several types of internships, giving graduates the opportunity to work with organizations that have a heritage mandate. Internships generally range from 4 to 12 months.

Learn about the eligibility criteria of the Young Canada Works at Building Careers in Heritage program.