KUUJJUAQ, QC, Feb. 20, 2018 /CNW/ - Building a strong middle class means giving Canada's youth the tools they need to find and keep good jobs.

Today, Yvonne Jones, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs, on behalf of the Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour, announced a new project that will give youth in Quebec's Nunavik region job skills training and hands-on work experience.

Up to 100 youth will benefit from the Pijunnaqunga project, which will be delivered by the Kativik Regional Government, thanks to more than $2.1 million in Government of Canada funding through the Skills Link Program. Youth will receive two-weeks of training to enhance foundational job skills such as teamwork and communication. Following training, they will be connected with local employers to acquire hands-on work experience in fields such as administration and customer service. Participants will also receive action plans to help them take concrete steps to improve their ability to find and keep good jobs. 

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 in turn assists them in making a successful transition into the workforce or to return to school. These youth could include those who have not completed high school, single parents, Indigenous youth, youth with disabilities, youth living in rural or remote areas or newcomers.

Quotes

"We know that our communities are healthier and stronger when everyone can fully participate. Supporting youth as they transition into the workforce and providing them with the training they need to succeed is a key way in which we can grow our economy and strengthen the middle class."
– The Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour

"I am thrilled to highlight projects like these, which provide foundational training and experience to youth. The Pijunnaqunga project  will make a real difference in the lives of youth in Nunavik as they continue school or start their careers."
– Yvonne Jones, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations

"With its unique approach, the Pijunnaqunga program allows young Inuit adults to discover their own path and find job opportunities suiting their skills. This announcement is a major step in the right direction for the next generation of Nunavimmiut leaders, and we are confident that the new funding will directly benefit our youth by developing their aptitudes and enabling their participation in the Nunavik labour market."
– Jennifer Munick, Chairperson of the Kativik Regional Government

Quick Facts

• Each year, the Government invests more than $330 million in the Youth Employment Strategy to help young people gain the skills, abilities and work experience they need to find and maintain good employment.
• Budget 2016 invested an additional $165.4 million in the Youth Employment Strategy in 2016–17.
• Budget 2017 invested an additional $395.5 million over three years in the Youth Employment Strategy, starting in 2017–18. Combined with Budget 2016 measures, these investments will help:
• more than 33,000 vulnerable youth develop the skills they need to find work or go back to school;
• create 15,000 new green jobs for youth; and
• provide over 1,600 new employment opportunities for youth in the heritage sector.

Associated Links

Youth Employment Strategy 
Skills Link Program 
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SOURCE Employment and Social Development Canada

View original content: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/February2018/20/c7695.html