Federal government helps local youth find jobs
November 12, 2014– Pickering, Ontario – Employment and Social Development
The Harper Government is helping equip young Canadians in Pickering with the skills and work experience needed to get jobs. The announcement was made today by Chris Alexander, Canada’s Minister of Citizenship and Immigration and Member of Parliament for Ajax–Pickering, and the Honourable Kevin Sorenson, Minister of State (Finance), on behalf of the Honourable Candice Bergen, Minister of State (Social Development).
The YMCA of Greater Toronto and the Youth Education Arts and Health Foundation are receiving a total of more than $749,000 from the Skills Link program to help nearly 200 youth facing barriers to employment get the skills and knowledge they need to find jobs.
Participants in both organizations will develop the skills and knowledge they need to make a successful transition into the labour market or return to school. They will learn or improve employment skills, such as time management, budgeting and communication, and gain hands-on work experience. Many participants will further increase their employment opportunities by obtaining practical industry certification, such as Food Handling and First Aid/CPR.
As Canada is facing labour shortages, the Government is investing in youth employment, skills and apprenticeship programs to help connect young Canadians with available jobs to strengthen local economies.
“Our government’s top priorities are creating jobs, economic growth and long-term prosperity. The project announced today will help youth in Pickering get the skills needed to obtain jobs in today’s economy.”
– The Honourable Candice Bergen, Minister of State (Social Development)
“Initiatives like Skills Link help connect youth with jobs while ensuring that Canada’s economy benefits from the skills and talents of young Canadians. Our government is proud to support initiatives that help youth in communities such as Ajax–Pickering position themselves for success in the labour market.”
– Chris Alexander, Canada’s Citizenship and Immigration Minister and Member of Parliament for Ajax–Pickering
“Since 2006, the Government has helped more than half a million young Canadians develop the skills they need to help them succeed in the job market. I am pleased to announce that young Canadians in Pickering will benefit from our initiatives to connect young people with jobs.”
– The Honourable Kevin Sorenson, Minister of State (Finance)
“As one of the largest employers of young people in the GTA, we know first-hand the job-service needs of youth in our communities. With this funding support, at least 150 young people will learn communication, problem solving, job search and presentation skills. We look forward to continuing our long-standing partnership with the federal government in delivering youth employment programs so that more people can reach their full potential.”
– Darlene Holowachuk, Senior Vice-President, Operations, Employment and Community, YMCA of Greater Toronto
“The Skills Link funding allows the YEAH Foundation to train youth with employability life skills, which prepare them for the work place. It also provides wage subsidies to employers to allow them to mentor and provide youth with practical work experience. The Foundation could not carry out this needed project without the support of this funding. To date, 134 youth have received life skills training and job placements, with 65 percent becoming employed and 10 percent returning to school.”
– Pauline Bennett, President, Youth Education Arts and Health Foundation
Media Relations Office
Employment and Social Development Canada
819-994-5559
media@hrsdc-rhdcc.gc.ca
Follow us on Twitter
The Youth Employment Strategy (YES) is the Government of Canada’s commitment to help youth make a successful transition to the workplace. With annual funding of approximately $330 million, YES helps youth between the ages of 15 and 30 get the information and gain the skills, job experience and abilities they need to make a successful transition to the workplace. 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.
Skills Link helps youth facing barriers to employment—including single parents, youth with disabilities, young newcomers 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. Skills Link has helped over 179,000 youth since 2006.
Career Focus helps post-secondary graduates transition to the labour market through paid internships and helps to provide youth with the information and experience they need to make informed career decisions, find a job and/or pursue advanced studies. Since 2006, the Career Focus initiative has helped over 26,000 youth acquire skills needed to join 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. Since it began in 2007, Canada Summer Jobs has helped over 296,000 students.
Through Economic Action Plan 2014, the Government of Canada is investing $40 million towards supporting up to 3,000 internships in high-demand fields and $15 million annually towards supporting up to 1,000 internships in small and medium-sized enterprises under the Youth Employment Strategy.
The Government of Canada also provides a range of support—including Canada Student Loans, Canada Student Grants, the Canada Learning Bond and the Canada Education Savings Grant—to help young Canadians pursue and save for their post-secondary education, so that they can acquire the skills and training they need to succeed in the job market and in the future economy.
