Youth facing barriers to employment benefit from job skills training and employment opportunities in Surrey
OTTAWA, Nov. 3, 2017 /CNW/ - Building a strong middle class means giving Canada's youth the tools they need to find and keep good jobs.
Today, the Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour, announced a new project that will give youth in Surrey job skills training and hands-on work experience.
Up to 100 youth will participate in the project, which will be delivered by Alexandra Neighbourhood House, thanks to more than $1 million in Government of Canada funding through the Skills Link program. The youth will develop skills to help them find and keep jobs, such as financial literacy and workplace safety, and will receive tips from guest speakers from the community. They wil also gain valuable work experience in such fields as retail, food services, and tourism.
Skills Link supports projects that help young people who face more barriers to employment than others develop basic employability skills and gain valuable job experience, which, in turn, assists them in making a successful transition into the workforce or to return to school. These youth could include those who have not completed high school, single parents, Indigenous youth, young persons with disabilities, youth living in rural or remote areas or newcomers.
Quotes
"We know that our communities are healthier and stronger when everyone can fully participate. Supporting youth as they transition into the workforce is a key way in which we can grow our economy and strengthen the middle class.Youth in Surrey will benefit tremendously from the opportunity to develop their skills and gain valuable workplace experience."
– The Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour
"The Youth K.R.U. project was developed in response to youth concerns regarding the lack of employment training opportunities in their community of South Surrey White Rock. The youth also expressed concern around emotional wellness, and have identified lack of employment as contributing factor. We believe the Youth K.R.U. program will help ensure that youth who want and need to stay in their home community have the opportunity to do so, contributing to a vibrant, inclusive and caring community."
– Penny Bradley, Executive Director of Alexandra Neighbourhood House
"The Skills Link program has provided me with a community of participants whom all share the same goals and possess determination. This has allowed me to learn about myself, learn about how I work with others, and the type of career I want to work towards and how I'm going to achieve such personal success. At the end of the four month program, I feel as though my ability to self-motivate will be much improved, and my resume is going to be the best it can be! And because of this my confidence going into a workplace will exist, whereas prior to this opportunity leaving the comforts of my own home was a challenge."
– Program participant
Quick Facts
Skills Link is one of three program streams under the Government's Youth Employment Strategy (YES). Each year, the Government invests more than $330 million in YES to help support young Canadians between the ages of 15 and 30 to get the information, skills, job experience and abilities they need to find and maintain good employment.
Total funding for YES was increased by $278 million in 2016–17, representing the largest investment since its launch.
Budget 2017 is investing an additional $395.5 million over three years for YES, starting in 2017–18.
Combined with Budget 2016 measures, these 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.
Related Products
Backgrounder: Youth Employment Strategy
Associated Links
Youth Employment Strategy
Skills Link Program
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, [email protected], 819-654-5613; Media Relations Office, Employment and Social Development Canada, 819-994-5559, [email protected]
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