From the CNW News Service
Giving postsecondary students the chance to learn in a hands-on work environment is part of the federal government's plan to put Canada's greatest strength — its skilled, hard-working people — at the heart of a more innovative new economy.
Kristy Duncan, Minister of Science, on behalf Patty Hajdu, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour, recently announced that the Government of Canada will work with MaRS Discovery District (MaRS) to provide students with work placement opportunities to help them develop their skills and gain valuable workplace experience.
The federal government is rolling out up to 60,000 student work placements over the next five years.
The government's Student Work-Integrated Learning Program will provide $73 million to create 10,000 paid student work placements over the next four years, and facilitate stronger partnerships between employers and partnering polytechnics, universities and colleges.
This is in addition to $221 million in funding for Mitacs, a not-for-profit organization that provides research internships with a goal of creating 10,000 work placements per year over the next five years.
Duncan made the announcement together with MaRS, one of several industry partners working with the Government of Canada. MaRS is an innovation hub designed to foster, accelerate and scale innovation for impact. MaRS has worked in the education space for over a decade through its Studio Y which supports young people to become top-performing leaders. MaRS, which has taken a leadership role through it Studio Y Fellowship program in providing summer work experience and skills development opportunities, will receive $4.4 million.
It is expected that more than 400 student work placements will be made available primarily to under-represented postsecondary students, such as women in STEM, newcomers, Indigenous students as well as first-year students in STEM.
The Student Work-Integrated Learning Program will provide postsecondary students in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and business more quality student work placements and improved partnerships between employers and postsecondary education institutions.
Agreements will be put in place with employer delivery partners, including recognized industry associations and organizations that represent the interests of businesses in key sectors in STEM and business.
These partners will be responsible for establishing partnerships with employers and postsecondary institutions, and will provide eligible employers in STEM and business with wage subsidies for quality student work placements, up to 50 percent of the wage cost for the placement (up to a maximum of $5,000 per placement), and up to 70 percent (up to a maximum of $7,000 per placement) for first-year students and under-represented groups (women in STEM, Indigenous students, people with disabilities and newcomers).
