QUEBEC, July 3, 2024
/CNW/ - The Government of Canada
is creating generational fairness by creating opportunities for
young Canadians to develop their skills and to bolster their
experience so they can not only enter, but thrive within the
workforce.
Today, the Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, on behalf of the
Honourable Marci Ien, Minister for Women and Gender Equality and
Youth, highlighted the impact of the Canada Summer Jobs (CSJ)
program in creating over 70 000 job opportunities for youth across
Canada. In Quebec only, this represented nearly 15,000
jobs created for young Canadians in 2023. This initiative is part
of the Government of Canada's
ongoing commitment to support young Canadians, making life more
affordable and providing them with the skills and experience needed
to build a better future.
The Canada Summer Jobs (CSJ) Program prioritizes projects that
support youth who face barriers to employment. This includes youth
with disabilities, Indigenous youth, as well as Black and other
racialized youth. By providing all young people with equitable
opportunities to develop their skills, Canada Summer Jobs can help
them to succeed in an evolving labour market.
This year's budget includes a proposed $200.5 million investment for 2025-26 to continue
the Canada Summer Jobs program, further demonstrating our
commitment to creating opportunities for young Canadians. These job
opportunities have enabled youth to gain valuable work experience,
develop essential skills, and earn money over the summer in various
sectors, including those facing critical labor shortages such as
housing construction.
Canada's success depends on the
success of its youngest generations. Gen Z are a diverse group,
from those who are starting to think about their future career
years from now, to those just starting their first full-time job.
They have a lifetime of opportunity ahead—and we are empowering
them to aim high.
Lifting up Gen Z by ensuring they have good opportunities to
launch their career will be critical to Canada's economic growth potential in the
years to come. As baby boomers are increasingly reaching retirement
age, our younger workforce must be equipped with opportunities to
build their skills and gain meaningful work experience. Gen Z needs
the confidence of knowing they will find a good job that will help
them get ahead.
Through initiatives like Canada Summer Jobs, the Government of
Canada is committed to supporting
youth at every stage of their journey towards a bright and
prosperous future. Our focus remains on making life more affordable
and providing the opportunities young Canadians need to thrive.
Together, we are building a fairer generation and a stronger
Canada.
Quotes
"The Canada Summer Jobs program is more than just an employment
program, it's an investment in the potential of young Canadians and
the economic vitality of our communities. This program gives
thousands of employers the opportunity to meet their staffing needs
over the summer, and it gives youth valuable work experience that
will set them up for a lifetime of success in the job market. It's
a win-win for employers and for young people across Canada."
– The Honourable Marci Ien, Minister for Women and Gender Equality
and Youth
"Youth in Canada are one of our
most important resources and we are committed to providing
meaningful work experiences to help them grow and develop. Through
the Canada Summer Jobs program, we are supporting youth at every
stage of their journey towards a bright and prosperous future."
– The Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Public Services and
Procurement
Quick Facts
- To help younger Canadians pursue and achieve their dreams, the
Government is investing to create more youth job opportunities and
ensure that hard work pays off for the next generation. In Budget
2024, the Government proposed to provide $200.5 million in 2025–26 for Canada Summer Jobs
to provide well-paying summer job opportunities, including in
sectors facing critical labour shortages, such as housing
construction.
- CSJ-funded jobs are full-time (30–40 hours per week) and have a
duration of 6–16 weeks (average duration being 8 weeks).
- Since 2020, CSJ has created more than 380,000 job
opportunities for youth. Last year, CSJ surpassed its job creation
target of 70,000 with over 74,200 jobs created.
- In Quebec only, this
represented nearly 15,000 jobs created for young Canadians and an
investment of more than $60 million
in 2023.
- In a survey of CSJ youth participants for 2023, 92% of
respondents reported having more confidence in multiple skills
needed for future employment than they had at the beginning of
their CSJ work placement. Additionally, 89% indicated that they had
developed a positive attitude about their future employment
prospects.
- Youth are also encouraged to explore additional opportunities
available through other federal departments under the Youth
Employment and Skills Strategy:
- Every year, Parks Canada hires a large number of young people
to work in spectacular locations and gain real-world experience in
a wide variety of occupations, including in visitor experience,
heritage presentation, conservation, biology, finance and
administration, human resources and more. Candidates can apply to
up to 10 work locations at once through the Summer Jobs
Inventory. Visit Parks Canada
student and youth jobs to find out more.
Related product
Backgrounder: Canada Summer Jobs 2024
Associated Links
Canada Summer Jobs
jobbank.gc.ca/youth
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SOURCE Government of Canada