Minister Bergen highlights career opportunities for youth on Parliament Hill

OTTAWA, Nov. 5, 2013 /CNW/ - The Honourable Candice Bergen, Minister of State (Social Development), spoke to more than 40 youth about career options in politics and government at a job shadowing event on Parliament Hill.

"Our government's top priorities are creating jobs, economic growth and long-term prosperity," said Minister Bergen. "The YOUth in Office Job Shadowing Day on Parliament Hill will give young Canadians a window into the working world and the opportunity to explore different job opportunities in politics."

Youth aged 15 to 25, from the Boys and Girls Clubs of Canada and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada, will experience a typical workday for a parliamentary assistant, communications director, policy advisor or Member of Parliament.

"Today's youth are tomorrow's workforce, so by making them a priority we are helping contribute to Canada's long-term growth, competitiveness and overall prosperity," added Minister Bergen.

Through the Youth Employment Strategy (YES), the Government of Canada is helping young people develop the skills and experience they need to get jobs now and prepare for the workforce of tomorrow. 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. Since 2006, the Youth Employment Strategy has helped more than 555 000 young people get jobs, and the Government continues to invest in post-secondary education so it is accessible to all Canadians.

Youth employment programs are part of the Government of Canada's strategy to connect Canadians with available jobs. This includes the Canada Job Grant, creating opportunities for apprentices and providing support to under-represented groups such as people with disabilities, youth, Aboriginal people and newcomers.

The Government of Canada is helping youth plan their careers, learn new skills and find jobs through enhanced online services available at youth.gc.ca.

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 $300 million, YES helps youth - particularly those facing barriers to employment - obtain career information, develop employment skills, find jobs and stay employed.

Skills Link helps youth facing barriers to employment - including youth who are 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. Since 2006, the Skills Link initiative has helped over 179 000 youth get jobs or return to school.

Career Focus helps youth obtain the information, skills and experience they need to make informed career decisions, find a job or further their education - including providing career-related work experience. A new initiative was recently announced to connect young Canadians with jobs in high-demand fields, such as the skilled trades and the sciences, and the Government of Canada is creating even more paid internships through the Economic Action Plan. Since 2006, the Career Focus initiative has helped over 26 000 youth acquire skills to help them transition into the labour 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. The deadline for Canada Summer Jobs has changed. Applications will be available online beginning in December and must be submitted before January 10, 2014.

SOURCE: Employment and Social Development Canada