Government of Canada launches student work placements
Helping 60,000 post-secondary students get important work-ready skills over the next five years
DORVAL, QC, /CNW/ - Giving post-secondary students the chance to learn in a hands-on work environment is part of the Government's plan to put Canada's greatest strength—its skilled, hard-working people—at the heart of a more innovative new economy.
The Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour, today announced that the Government of Canada will help create 60,000 student work placements over the next five years.
The Government of Canada is rolling out a $73-million investment in the Student Work-Integrated Learning Program to create 10,000 paid student work placements over the next four years, facilitating stronger partnerships between employers and partnering polytechnics, universities, and colleges. Budget 2017 also announced $221 million in funding over five years for Mitacs, a not-for-profit organization that provides research internships with a goal of creating 10,000 work placements per year.
Minister Hajdu made the announcement at Air Canada's Montréal maintenance hangar during an event on behalf of the Canadian Council for Aviation and Aerospace, one of several industry partners working with the Government of Canada. The Council, a national partnership organization that helps to ensure the aviation and aerospace industry has sufficient skilled workers to meet current needs and projected growth, will receive $4.8 million. It is expected that more than 1,000 student work placements will be created for post-secondary students through this partnership.
Quotes
"When Canadian students get on-the-job education, they're getting the experience they need to succeed. Our Innovation and Skills Plan is putting Canada's skilled, talented and creative people at the heart of a more innovative future economy."
– The Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour
"The federal government is showing leadership to help achieve a long-term solution to the critical, and growing, shortage of skilled labour. This program provides a firm foundation to address the current shortages and build for the future needs of the industry."
– Robert Donald, Executive Director, Canadian Council of Aviation and Aerospace
"As Canada's largest employer in the aviation sector, Air Canada supports initiatives such as this to help develop Canada's workforce and expertise in aircraft maintenance. Together with our industry partners, we look forward to working with the Canadian Council for Aviation and Aerospace to provide students across Canada access to hands-on learning opportunities and access to state-of-the-art technology."
– Richard Steer, Senior Vice President, Operations at Air Canada
Quick Facts
• Work-integrated learning is a continuum of opportunities offered within the workplace such as internships, apprenticeships, and cooperative placements (co-ops).
• Student work placements help students acquire hands-on experience to build skills and connections that will help them get good jobs.
• Students who participate in these opportunities are more likely to benefit from higher earnings, more employment, be employed in fields more closely related to their studies and develop technical and work-ready skills sought after by employers.
• In 2016, the aerospace industry generated $27 billion in revenues and provided over 160,000 jobs.
Associated Links
The Student Work-Integrated Learning Program will provide post-secondary students in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and business more quality student work placements and improved partnerships between employers and post-secondary education (PSE) institutions.
Agreements will be put in place with employer delivery partners, including recognized industry associations and organizations that represent the interests of businesses in key sectors in STEM and business.
These partners will be responsible for establishing partnerships with employers and PSE institutions and will provide eligible employers in STEM and business with wage subsidies for quality student work placements, up to 50 percent of the wage cost for the placement (up to a maximum of $5,000 per placement) and up to 70 percent (up to a maximum of $7,000 per placement) for first-year students and under-represented groups, such as women in STEM, Indigenous students, people with disabilities and newcomers.
Employers, including small-and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and PSE institutions, will work together to help students become job-ready and develop the full complement of skills employers are seeking.
Mitacs
Budget 2017 announced $221 million over five years, starting 2017–2018, to renew and expand funding for Mitacs, a not-for-profit organization that has a goal of providing 10,000 research internships for post-secondary students and postdoctoral fellows each year.
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Employment and Social Development Canada 9/1/2017 |
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