Manitoba’s new First Jobs Strategy will help prepare young Manitobans for their critical first job and connect them to employers to put them on a path to build their futures right here at home. This announcement was made by Premier Greg Selinger.
“We all know that you need experience to get a job, but you need a job to get experience,” said Premier Selinger. “Our First Jobs Strategy will meet the needs of students and young Manitobans, whether they need to get their foot in the door with that critical first job or are university graduates moving toward a rewarding career.”
The new First Jobs Strategy will build on Manitoba’s Skills Strategy and the commitment to increase the province’s workforce by 75,000 people by 2020.
The strategy will help students and recent graduates find their first job and connect to services and supports that can help on their path to employment, the premier said, adding it will help young Manitobans gain valuable work experience and offer innovative online tools for people to market themselves to employers.
The premier noted the strategy is focused on:
- introducing students to a range of career options while still in school;
- helping young people identify and gain skills that are in demand by employers;
- providing young people with training and work placements that will help them get started and find paid work;
- creating more opportunities to find that first job in home communities, with local businesses and in the public service;
- helping young entrepreneurs start their own businesses.
A key component of the First Jobs Strategy is the Manitoba First Jobs Fund, which provides $2.5 million in new supports in addition to consolidating $20 million in existing resources. Of the new $2.5 million, $1 million will go towards job-readiness training and paid work experience, and $1.5 million will support new programming to help recent graduates move towards rewarding careers, the premier said.
“Our youth have a lot of potential to contribute to our economy and employers have the need for job ready workers,” said Wadood Ibrahim, CEO, Protegra. “Both need the support to bridge the gap between workers’ job readiness and employers’ capacity to integrate them into the workplace. This initiative will assist in bridging that gap.”
The strategy will be a first for Manitoba, and programs will ramp up throughout 2015 and 2016, the premier said, adding the Manitoba government will be working with community and industry partners so the strategy is as effective as possible.
“The First Jobs Strategy is an innovative approach to support students and help recent graduates launch their careers,” said Premier Selinger. “It will help young Manitobans gain the experience they need to succeed, help them connect with good jobs and promote steady economic growth.”
The premier noted that in addition to the First Jobs Strategy, a new Career Builder Guide will provide Manitobans with a comprehensive source of information for those looking to start a new career.
More information about the First Jobs Strategy and Career Builder Guides can be found at www.steadygrowth.ca.
