Funding to help create up to 4,000 new work placements for post-secondary students
The federal government is helping Quebec youth to get a good start on their careers.
Ottawa is investing up to $36.7 million through the Fédération des chambres du commerce du Québec to create work placements for post-secondary students.
“The uncertainty many young Canadians are facing today can be overwhelming, but the government of Canada is working to help them. The work placements… will help the province’s students through these difficult times, so they can build their careers and shape their futures,” says Carla Qualtrough, minister of employment, workforce development and disability inclusion.
The funding will help create up to 4,000 new work placements in Quebec through the Student Work Placement Program. This will give employers access to financial support to create work placements.
Students will benefit from meaningful paid work placements related to their interests and field of study.
Nearly a third of young people globally feel their current education is not preparing them with the skills they need to get jobs, according to UNICEF.
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“Work placements enhance students’ education by providing the hands-on learning that is essential to skills development and by allowing them to graduate with a wealth of labour market experience,” says Christine Hudon, vice-rector of academics at the University of Sherbrooke. “This is excellent news for Quebec universities, which will be able to further develop their work placement opportunities.”
The federal government invested over $239.8 million in 2021–22 to fund the Student Work Placement Program. This will help create 50,000 work placements for post-secondary students through new and existing delivery partners across Canada, an increase of 20,000 placements from the previous year.
This investment is a part of a series of measures recently introduced by the federal government, including an investment of more than $5.7 billion over five years to help young Canadians pursue and complete their education, to provide additional relief from student loan debt for young graduates and to enable them to access more work opportunities.
Ottawa previously announced it is investing in the skilled trades to ensure that Canadians have the training they need to access good, well-paying jobs. In July, it called on employers to apply for funding under the Jobs and Growth Fund.
