Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan) last week announced the launch of its Career-Launcher Internship program that connects employers with skilled post-secondary graduates by providing up to $15,000 towards an intern’s salary.
CICan’s Career-Launcher Internships provide access to two different program streams focused on the green economy: Clean Tech Internships, which CICan has been offering since 2015, and Natural Resources Internships. Both programs are funded by the Government of Canada as part of the Youth Employment Strategy and aim to help students transition to long‑term employment or pursue advanced studies through hands-on experience and mentorship. The results to date are compelling – more than 75% of those who have completed their internship are now either employed in their field or continuing their education.
“CICan’s Career-Launcher Internship program contributes to a stronger Canadian economy by connecting employers with post-secondary graduates trained to meet industry needs and emerging trends,” says CICan president and CEO, Denise Amyot. “It also provides those graduates with exciting employment opportunities that give them the experience needed to transition to full-time employment in their field.”
The new Career-Launcher Internship website was created with a more user-friendly interface and additional features to accommodate CICan’s expanding internship offering.
The association has already helped place more than 275 graduates in internships across Canada and is on track to place a total of 466 graduates with employers by March 2019. A survey of participants has also shown that more than 95% of past interns and employers recommend participating in the program.
Clean Tech Internships are funded by Environment and Climate Change Canada’s Science Horizons Youth Internship Program and the Natural Resources Internships are funded by Natural Resources Canada’s Green Jobs – Science and Technology Internship Program.
Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan) is the voice of Canada’s publicly-supported colleges, institutes, cegeps and polytechnics, and an international leader in education for employment with ongoing programs in over 25 countries. CICan’s members add over $190B to Canada’s economy each year and contribute to inclusive economic growth by working with industry and community partners to offer more than 10,000 programs to learners in urban, rural, remote, and northern communities.