Employment Minister Patty Hajdu launches Canada Summer Jobs 2017

OTTAWA, June 9, 2017 /CNW/ - A strong middle class and a growing economy will increasingly depend on Canada's young people getting the education, skills development and experience they'll need to succeed. That means making sure that students get access to paid work experience right at the start of their working lives.

Today, the Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour, launched the Canada Summer Jobs (CSJ) 2017 program at an event co-hosted by Canada Learning Code, a digital skills not-for-profit national initiative supported by Ladies Learning Code, a CSJ employer.

Recognizing the value of work experience for young people, the Government of Canada has nearly doubled the number of jobs for youth offered through Canada Summer Jobs. This summer, tens of thousands of students from across Canada will have access to meaningful paid work experience. The experience gained from summer jobs will help students build their resumés, contribute to their communities, and earn money to help pay for next year's tuition.

Every year, the Government identifies national priorities that guide the selection of employers who will receive CSJ funding. This year's five national priorities are:

• creating opportunities in science, technology, engineering and mathematics industries;
• small businesses, in recognition of their contribution to the creation of new jobs;
• employers getting involved in welcoming and settlement of immigrants (including Syrian refugees);
• employers that hire Indigenous people; and
• employers involved in celebrating Canada's 150th anniversary of Confederation.

Students from coast to coast to coast can visit the Canada Summer Jobs website to connect with employers who are hiring in their communities.

Quotes

"Our government knows that young people are leaders today; they need supports and opportunities today in order to succeed tomorrow. Canada Summer Jobs allows students to develop their skills and gain valuable paid workplace experience, helping ensure our middle class gets stronger and our economy continues to grow."
– The Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour

"Youth-focused programs such as Canada Summer Jobs help young Canadians gain the skills and experience they need with a boots on the ground approach as they to make a successful transition from school to the workplace."
– Peter Schiefke, Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister (Youth)

"As the economy changes and evolves, teaching young people how to code is critical. Programs like Canada Summer Jobs give organizations like ours the resources and support we need to train and hire the next generation of Canadian coders."
– Melissa Sariffodeen, CEO of Ladies Learning Code

Quick Facts

• Canada Summer Jobs is part of the federal government's Youth Employment Strategy (YES). Each year the Government invests more than $330 million in YES to help young people gain the skills, abilities and work experience they need to find and keep good, well-paying jobs.
• In March, Budget 2017 proposed an additional $395.5 million over three years for YES, starting in 2017–18.
• In 2016 the federal government significantly increased its investment in the Canada Summer Jobs program by allocating an additional $339 million to create more summer jobs for young Canadians. As a result, in 2016 the CSJ program funded roughly 65,800 jobs, which nearly doubled the number of jobs created over previous years.
• Since 2005, YES has helped over 820,000 young Canadians get the training and work experience they need to enter the job market.

Associated Links

Budget 2017  
Youth Employment Strategy 
List of employers

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Youth Employment Strategy

The Youth Employment Strategy (YES) is the Government of Canada's commitment to help youth make a successful transition to the workplace. 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 workforce. YES includes Skills Link, Career Focus and Summer Work Experience and is delivered by 11 federal departments.

• Summer Work Experience provides wage subsidies to employers to create summer employment for secondary and post-secondary students. The Summer Work Experience program includes Canada Summer Jobs.
• Skills Link helps youth facing barriers to employment—including single parents, youth with disabilities, Indigenous youth, young newcomers and youth in rural and remote areas—to develop employability skills and gain the experience they need to find a job or return to school.
• Career Focus helps post-secondary graduates transition to the labour market through paid internships. It helps provide youth with the information and experience they need to make informed career decisions, find a job or pursue advanced studies.

Each year, the Government invests more than $330 million through YES to help young people gain the skills and experience they need to find and keep good jobs.

Budget 2016 provided $165.4 million in 2016–17 for YES to create new green jobs for youth, increase the number of youth who access the Skills Link program and support employment opportunities in the heritage sector. In 2016, Employment and Social Development Canada received an additional $339 million to create up to 35,000 additional jobs under the Canada Summer Jobs program each year for three years.

To further expand employment opportunities for young Canadians, Budget 2017 proposes to provide an additional $395.5 million over three years, starting in 2017–18 for YES.

The 2016 and 2017 investments will help more than 33,000 vulnerable youth develop the skills they need to find work or go back to school; create 15,000 new green jobs for young Canadians; and provide over 1,600 new employment opportunities for youth in the heritage sector.

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SOURCE Employment and Social Development Canada

For further information: Matt Pascuzzo, Press Secretary, Office of the Honourable Patty Hajdu, P.C., M.P., Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour, [e-mail], 819-654-5613; Media Relations Office, Employment and Social Development Canada, 819-994-5559, [e-mail]