Student and graduate employment programs

Learn about student and graduate employment programs within the federal government. Find out the benefits of working with Health Canada (HC) and the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC).

On this page

• About our student and graduate employment programs
• Benefits of working with us
• Existing employment programs for students
• Recruitment programs available to graduates
• Support resources
• For more information

About our student and graduate employment programs

Close to a thousand opportunities for students are available every year at HC and PHAC.

Student employees work on a broad range of health, social and regulatory issues. Areas of employment include:

• policy
• science
• nursing
• administration
• communications
• human resources
• information technology
• and more…

Benefits of working with us

Working with us provides you with the opportunity to:

• gain work experience
• have flexible work arrangements where possible
• enrich and apply your academic experience
• enjoy competitive salary
• access continuous learning and opportunities for advancement
• contribute to the health promotion and protection of Canadians
• work in a positive and inclusive environment that values diversity
• become eligible for employment both with us and across the public service upon graduation through student bridging programs
• learn first-hand about career options:
  • within the health portfolio
  • across the federal public service
• and more…

Existing employment programs for students

The federal public service offers 3 types of student employment programs. These programs aim to provide you with valuable government work experience or research opportunities before you graduate.

Post-Secondary Co-operative Education and Internship Program (CO-OP/ Internship)

• CO-OP programs allow for classroom instruction alternated with semesters of work placement related to your field of study
• Internship programs allow for supervised, on-the-job training assignments designed to give you the skills and knowledge required for a post-secondary career or profession

The Federal Student Work Experience Program

The Federal Student Work Experience Program (FSWEP) provides full-time students with the opportunity to:

• develop their skills
• explore their interests
• work within the federal public service during their studies

This program also offers an Aboriginal Student Employment Program option which is open to First Nations, Inuit and Métis students.

Research Affiliate Program (RAP)

The Research Affiliate Program provides post-secondary students with part-time opportunities to conduct innovative research and gain experience with federal organizations.

You must be enrolled in a program that requires you to do research to qualify for your diploma. You will gain experience in various aspects of applied research, including:

• design
• execution
• evaluation

Recruitment programs available to graduates

The federal public service offers a range of programs to help post-secondary graduates:

• engage with hiring departments
• find the most suitable federal government opportunities

Student bridging program for Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada

If you are interested in a career with us, we encourage you to apply to our inventory of former students. In order to be eligible for the inventory, you must be:

• a student graduating within six months or a graduate interested in working at HC and PHAC
• and have successfully completed a work assignment through a Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat (TBS) approved student employment program (FSWEP, CO-OP, RAP)

The inventory is a database of candidates who are eligible to be hired into positions that are:

• term (temporary)
• indeterminate (permanent)

You can apply by e-mailing HC and PHAC's Student Office for more information.

Public Service Commission of Canada's (PSC) Post-Secondary Recruitment Campaign

The PSC's Post-Secondary Recruitment Campaign has a range of job opportunities that are suited for university and college graduates.

Eligible graduates should create a jobs.gc.ca account and watch for the annual mid-September to mid-October timelines to submit applications.

Aboriginal Persons Inventory

As part of the PSC's Post-Secondary Recruitment Campaign there is a section on careers for Indigenous persons. Graduates can submit their applications to the inventory for consideration for future openings.

Advanced Policy Analyst Program (APAP)

The Advanced Policy Analyst Program is open to recent master's level graduates (within the last two calendar years). It offers the opportunity to establish a foundation of knowledge and experience for policy roles in federal public administration.

Recruitment of Policy Leaders Campaign (RPL)

The Recruitment of Policy Leaders Campaign recruits exceptional candidates into mid- to senior-level policy positions in the federal public service. The initiative is designed to attract top-level graduates and professionals:

• from an array of disciplines
• with an interest in public policy

Participants in this program have diverse educational backgrounds, such as:

• international aid
• theoretical physics
• management consulting

The Financial Officer and Internal Auditor Recruitment and Development Program (FORD/IARD)

The Financial Officer and Internal Auditor Recruitment and Development Program targets eligible university graduates. Recruits interested in finance and internal audit are placed in full-time, entry-level positions across departments and agencies.

Support resources

Our Student Office provides important resources for students, including:

• advice and support during the:
  • hiring process
  • employment period
• networking opportunities to putstudents in touch with:
  • managers
  • other students

You can e-mail the Student Office for more information.