(Sault Ste. Marie, ON) Friday, July 14, 2017 – Building a strong middle class means giving Canada’s youth the tools they need to find and keep good jobs.
Today, Terry Sheehan, Member of Parliament for the Riding of Sault Ste. Marie, on behalf of the Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour, announced a new project that will give youth in the Riding of Sault Ste. Marie, job skills training and hands-on work experience.
Approximately 132 youth will participate in the project, which will be delivered by the Sault Ste. Marie YMCA. Through workshops, youth will develop skills to help them find and keep jobs, such as job search techniques, interview preparation and business communications. They will have the opportunity to participate in courses such as First Aid/CPR and health and safety. Youth will also gain valuable work experience in such fields as retail, the green energy sector, construction, manufacturing. and social services.
The Government of Canada will provide approximately $1,124,711 in funding for this project through the Skills Link program of the Government’s Youth Employment Strategy. 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 helps them in making a successful transition into the workforce or to return to school.
"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 the Riding of Sault Ste. Marie 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
“Developing Canada’s youth is a priority. The YMCA’s project is a concrete example of what we can achieve for youth be working in partnership with organizations across the country. Projects like this one can help put regular paycheques into the reach of those who need it. But more than the, they give young Canadians the chance to change their future.”
"It is our honour to be delivering the Skills Link Project to the youth of our community, to be able to assist in breaking down barriers to employment faced by our youth and help them be successful in achieving their empolyment goals. This project allows the YMCA to meet our mission of building a healthier Sault Ste. Marie. We are very grateful to Mr. Sheehan and the Government of Canada, for the opportunity to deliver this project."
KIM CARUSOCEO,
Sault Ste. Marie YMCA