Governments of Canada and Manitoba support jobs and opportunities for youth in Winnipeg

WINNIPEG, Aug. 19, 2014 /CNW/ - The Governments of Canada and Manitoba are helping equip young Canadians in Winnipeg with the skills and work experience needed to get jobs, today announced the Honourable Shelly Glover, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages and Member of Parliament for Saint Boniface, on behalf of the Honourable Candice Bergen, Minister of State (Social Development), along with Erna Braun, Manitoba Minister of Labour and Immigration.

Employment Solutions for Immigrants is receiving a total of more than $1.1 million from both governments for two projects to help 140 youth facing barriers to employment find jobs.

One project will help 120 immigrant youth gain life and employability skills through workshops on topics such as job search techniques, communications skills and understanding Canadian employer expectations. The participants will also benefit from work experience with local employers. Potential sectors for work placements include retail, health care, professional and technical services, and the trades.

The other project will provide 20 youth with work experience in high-demand fields such as manufacturing, transportation and health care services. In addition, youth will participate in workshops on topics such as time management, communications skills, goal setting and conflict resolution.

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.

Quick Facts

• The Government of Canada's Youth Employment Strategy (YES), has helped over 555,000 youth since 2006.
• The Government of Canada is helping Canadian youth get the skills employers are looking for with the Canada Job Grant, the Apprenticeship Incentive and Completion Grants. The Government also offers tax credits, such as the tuition, education and textbook tax credits, tradesperson's tools deduction, and the Apprenticeship Job Creation Tax Credit.
• Economic Action Plan 2014 is introducing the Canada Apprentice Loan by expanding the Canada Student Loans Program to provide apprentices registered in Red Seal trades with access to over $100 million in interest-free loans each year. At least 26,000 apprentices are expected to apply annually.

Quotes

"Our government's top priorities are creating jobs, economic growth and long-term prosperity.That includes helping to equip young Canadians with the right education, skills and training they need to find good jobs. Today's announcement will help youth in Winnipeg get the skills and experience needed to obtain jobs in today's economy."
- The Honourable Candice Bergen, Minister of State (Social Development)

"Since 2006, our 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 youth in the Winnipeg area will benefit from our initiatives to connect young people with jobs."
- The Honourable Shelly Glover, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages, MP for Saint Boniface

"Manitoba Start plays an essential role in working with employers to hire newcomers who have chosen Manitoba as their permanent home. We are pleased to once again work with Employment Solutions for Immigrants and the Government of Canada to deliver this important program."
- Erna Braun, Manitoba Minister of Labour and Immigration

"We are grateful to Service Canada for its continued belief in, and support of, our programs. These programs offer newcomer youth with a much better chance of entering the Canadian workplace, not only with enhanced preparation and increased confidence, but also in a field and at a job level that is on a par with their existing skills and experience. In short, these programs set up newcomer youth for career success."
- Loraine M. Nyokong, Executive Director, Employment Solutions for Immigrants Inc.

Associated Links

• Services for Youth
• Economic Action Plan

Backgrounder

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 260,000 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.

SOURCE: Employment and Social Development Canada