Education/training
Career flashThe Government of Canada is committed to helping youth find employment. |
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 [ 2002-04-10 ] |
Jane Stewart, Minister of Human Resources Development Canada, recently announced federal funding of $458,798, through the Youth Employment Strategy (YES), for a Youth Internship Canada (YIC) project, which will help 108 Toronto area youth gain valuable work experience and transferable skills that will help them in their future endeavours.
"Not only are the youth gaining employment from participating in the project, they are also building on their skills and learning new techniques that they can apply to future employment and their lives as a whole," Stewart said.
Under this project, entitled Youth One-on-One Internship Program, Youth Clinical Services will place the unemployed youth in internships. Internships can last up to six months, depending on the needs of the client.
Participants will receive ongoing job coaching, and help with job search skills including interview tips, labour market information and resume writing. Some clients will participate in a seven-week life skills/employment skills workshop delivered by the sponsor.
The project starts this month and continues until March 31, 2003. Surveys of young participants show that 83% of YIC participants remain employed or return to school for further education in the six- to 12-month period following their placement.
The Youth Employment Strategy (YES) is the Government of Canada's commitment to help Canadian youth get the work experience, knowledge, skills and information they need to prepare for, and participate in, the world of work. YES also assists employers who hire youth.
The Youth Employment Strategy is a key initiative in the Government of Canada's skills and learning agenda. It promotes partnerships with all levels of government, employers, unions, educators and communities, and creates a climate in which youth can enhance their skills, gain practical experience, and access learning opportunities that will help them find and retain work in the future.
The Youth Employment Strategy programs are targeted towards youth and students who are unemployed or underemployed, with special emphasis on youth experiencing multiple barriers to employment.
It also provides summer jobs for students, connecting them to their first career-related jobs.
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The introduction of baccalaureate degrees in applied programs will provide Ontario college students with more choice than ever while meeting the needs of employers.
"This significant and visionary action by government recognizes the quality of Ontario college programming, the needs of Ontario's students and the demands of the job market. These degrees will give students greater choice in the global economy," says Howard Rundle, chair, Committee of Presidents of the Association of Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology of Ontario (ACAATO).
Approval to offer the new baccalaureate (or bachelor's) level degrees was recently granted to nine Ontario colleges of applied arts and technology by Dianne Cunningham, Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities. The 12 degree programs are the first of 24 that will be introduced in a pilot project.
Ontario's colleges traditionally have awarded certificates or diplomas to students who complete one-, two or three-year postsecondary and postgraduate diplomas. The ability to award baccalaureate degrees for some applied programs recognizes marketplace need and the breadth and scope of training the colleges provide in many areas, Rundle says.
Examples of applied fields where bachelor's degrees can be incorporated include business, computing technology and information sciences.
Rundle stresses that college-based bachelor's degrees do not undervalue the status of diplomas that will continue to be offered in a majority of college programs.
"An Ontario college diploma is a highly-regarded credential, and will continue to be," Rundle says. "It has great value in the job market and is recognized as a high level of excellence in applied academic programming."
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