More than 500 Manitoba high-school students will have an opportunity to explore career options and learn from experts in their prospective fields this year through the province’s new Manitoba Mentors program. This announcement was made by Premier Greg Selinger.
“Success in today’s workforce requires more than formal education. Students also benefit from relationships with employers and others who have real-world experience. Manitoba Mentors will connect students from grades 9 to 12 with mentors from business, labour and non-profit organizations to help them explore possible careers and improve the transition from school to work,” said Selinger. “Students will be matched with employers and individuals who will provide group mentoring, speakers’ panels, site visits to employers and businesses, small group discussions and one-to-one mentoring through job shadowing, internships and job placements.”
Selinger congratulated the members of the Premier’s Economic Advisory Council (PEAC), whose leadership was instrumental in creating Manitoba Mentors, and also congratulated business leaders such as Stantec for their generous support of the program.
“Stantec is thrilled to be the first company to participate in this outstanding program and help young Manitobans to achieve their career goals,” said Eric Wiens, vice-president of Stantec. “We applaud the province for their foresight and we look forward to mentoring young Manitobans in a variety of career areas including architecture, interior design, engineering, transportation, sciences and project management.”
The Alliance of Manitoba Sector Councils will deliver the Manitoba Mentors pilot project on behalf of the province to the following schools and youth organizations:
• Daniel McIntyre, Winnipeg School Division;
• Westwood Collegiate, St. James-Assiniboia School Division;
• Steinbach Regional Secondary School, Hanover School Division;
• Frontier Collegiate, Frontier School Division;
• École secondaire Neelin High School, Brandon School Division; and
• the Boys and Girls Club of Thompson.
“Manitoba Mentors builds on outreach efforts and successful models already taking place in the province and provides a program through which a broad range of community members can support and encourage youth,” said Bev Stuart, executive director, Alliance of Manitoba Sector Councils (AMSC). “The program adds value to Manitoba’s career development strategy, which provides a framework to create an integrated and seamless career development system within Manitoba.”
More than 40 Manitoba employers have indicated an interest in the program including HAZCO Environmental Services; Information, Communication and Technologies Association of Manitoba; O.R.G. Canada; Standard Aero; the Forks North Portage Partnership; Frantic Films; Manitoba Building and Construction Trades Council; Chocolatier Constance Popp; ANIM, Manitoba’s Bilingual Trade Agency; Institute for Biodiagnostics, Safety Services Manitoba; Royal Canadian Mounted Police; University of Manitoba and Manitoba Hydro.
“We’ve received an enthusiastic response from a very diverse group of employers,” said Bob Silver, co-chair of the Premier’s Economic Advisory Council. “We encourage other companies throughout Manitoba to contact AMSC and get involved as a Manitoba mentor.”
The program will be expanded after the pilot year to serve up to 1,500 students in year two and 2,500 students in year three of the program. Manitoba Mentors is part of the province’s Manitoba Youth Corps suite of programs, which enhance employment and training opportunities for young people.
Selinger also announced the province has approved funding of $667,000 to implement another Manitoba Youth Corps program in The Pas and Winnipeg in 2011-12. The pilot is designed to help high-risk youth who are facing the most challenging multiple personal barriers to gaining life skills, training and employment.
The premier said the province will contract with a local youth-serving organization in each community to accept referrals to the program, with a September 2011 start date. Participants will be provided with pre employment training and will be connected with a job coach/mentor. They will also be eligible for wage subsidies during the employment phase.
This three-year pilot project is expected to expand to sites in Thompson and Brandon in years two and three of the program. When the program is fully operational, it will serve up to 345 participants annually, said Selinger.
