Brantford, Ontario, March 16, 2012—The Government of Canada announced new funding to help youth in Brantford gain the skills, knowledge and experience needed to enter and succeed in the job market. The announcement was made by Phil McColeman, Member of Parliament for Brant, on behalf of the Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development.
“Our government’s top priority is creating jobs and economic growth,” said Mr. McColeman. “Our government’s Youth Employment Strategy is helping youth develop the skills and gain the experience they need to get jobs now and prepare for the workforce of tomorrow.”
Habitat for Humanity Brant is receiving over $19,000 from the Career Focus program to help a youth gain on-the-job experience and apply the skills acquired through education to ease the transition to work. Career Focus is part of the Government of Canada’s Youth Employment Strategy (YES).
With annual funding of more than $300 million, YES helps youth, particularly those facing barriers to employment, obtain career information, develop employment skills, find jobs and stay employed. YES includes the Skills Link and Career Focus programs and the Canada Summer Jobs initiative, which creates thousands of job opportunities for students every summer.
A recent graduate of a construction or carpentry program will gain valuable work experience through the ReStore salvage program. The program collects donations of salvageable items for Habitat for Humanity, bringing a positive environmental impact to the community and helping to build homes and build lives. The graduate will market the program, supervise volunteers and assist with maintaining a salvage program for the residents of Brant County.
“Our organization is thrilled to receive support through the Career Focus program, which will help the development and growth of our ReStore Salvage Program,” said Linda Moyer, ReStore Manager at Habitat Brant. “Habitat will benefit from the education and energy a new staff member will bring to our Salvage Team, increasing community awareness and our capacity to complete more kitchen salvages.”
Youth employment programs are part of the Government of Canada’s broader strategy to create an educated, skilled and flexible workforce. The Government underscored its commitment to this strategy in Canada’s Economic Action Plan. A key component of the Plan is to create more and better opportunities for Canadian workers through skills development. To learn more about Canada’s Economic Action Plan, visit www.actionplan.gc.ca.
The Government of Canada is helping youth prepare for, find and maintain meaningful employment through enhanced online services available at Youth.gc.ca.
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This news release is available in alternative formats upon request.
For more information, contact:
Alyson Queen
Director of Communications
Office of Minister Finley
819-994-2482
Media Relations Office
Human Resources and
Skills Development Canada
819-994-5559
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This news release is available online at: www.actionplan.gc.ca.
Skills Link helps youth facing barriers to employment, such as single parents, youth with disabilities, and youth in rural and remote areas, to develop the skills and gain the experience needed to find a job or the confidence to return to school.
Career Focus provides funding to employers to hire young post-secondary graduates to give them career-related work experience and help them acquire skills to transition into the job market.
Canada Summer Jobs provides funding to not-for-profit organizations, public-sector employers and small businesses with 50 or fewer employees to create summer job opportunities for young people aged 15 to 30 years who are full-time students intending to return to their studies in the next school year.
To learn more about Canada’s Youth Employment Strategy and other youth employment initiatives, please visit Youth.gc.ca.
