Digital Skills Internships
Canada
The Digital Skills for Youth Program offers wage subsidies and training to help underemployed post-secondary graduates gain valuable digital skills and career-oriented experience.
grant_single_labels|summary
grant_single|eligibleFinancing
- grant_single|maxCount
- grant_single|projectCostPercent
grant_single|deadlines
- grant_single|timelineUnspecified
grant_single|financingType
Wage Subsidies And Interns
grant_single|eligibleIndustries
- Information and cultural industries
- Professional, scientific and technical services
grant_single|grantors
- Communautique
grant_single|status
grant_card_status|open
grant_single_labels|preview
The Digital Skills for Youth Program provides a wage subsidy to employers for hiring recent post-secondary graduates, aiming to enhance their digital skills and transition them to career-oriented employment. Eligible activities include software and video game development, network troubleshooting, website development, and social media campaign creation. The program supports small and medium-sized for-profit and non-profit organizations in Canada looking to engage in digital activities.
grant_single_labels|projects
This grant supports companies legally established within the geographical boundaries of Canada. No specific regional restrictions are provided, ensuring nationwide coverage for eligible employers.
- Businesses operating throughout Canada.
grant_single_labels|admissibility
Employers looking to participate in the Digital Skills for Youth Program must meet specific eligibility criteria.
- The employer must be a for-profit or not-for-profit organization with 500 employees or fewer.
- The organization must have legal status in Canada.
- The employer must be able to provide valid employment opportunities related to digital activities.
- The organization must have the appropriate administrative support and the capacity to train, guide, and supervise interns.
- The employer must promote the digitization of its business or operational processes.
- The recruitment process must be open, equitable, and transparent.
grant_eligibility_criteria|who_can_apply
This internship program is open to both for-profit and not-for-profit organizations in Canada with fewer than 500 employees. These organizations must have legal status in Canada and be capable of offering internships that focus on digital skills enhancement. They should also have the capacity to train, supervise, and provide support to interns, ensuring a meaningful internship experience.
grant_eligibility_criteria|eligible_expenses
Eligible projects for this grant are centered around enhancing digital skills and capabilities. These activities aim to provide interns with relevant experience and skills aligned with technological growth.
- Software and video game development.
- Application coding and development.
- Network troubleshooting.
- Adaptive technologies implementation.
- Website development.
- Creation of online learning platforms.
- Social media campaigns and other digital content development.
- Digital manufacturing processes.
grant_eligibility_criteria|zone
This grant covers expenses related to employing and supporting interns for digital skill development.
- Wages and social benefits for interns, up to 100% of the wages and social benefits.
- Equipment and office space required for interns.
grant_single_labels|criteria
The evaluation and selection of employers for this grant involve specific criteria to ensure alignment with the program’s objectives.
- The employer is a for-profit or not-for-profit organization with fewer than 500 employees and legal status in Canada.
- The employer can provide valid job opportunities related to digital activities. The position and planned internship content are aligned with the program objectives.
- The employer can provide the appropriate administrative support and has the capacity to train and supervise the interns to improve and optimize their experience.
- The employer has the capacity to help the interns plan and carry out professional activities that will give them the benefit of a useful internship.
- The employer can promote the digitization of its business or operational processes.
- The employer uses an open, equitable and transparent recruitment process.
grant_single_labels|register
Here are the steps to submit an application for this grant:
- Step 1: Complete Application Form
- Access the application form provided by Communautique for the Digital Skills for Youth Program.
- Complete all required fields with accurate and relevant information about your organization and the internship opportunities you can offer.
- Step 2: Submit Online
- Submit the completed application form through the online submission portal.
- Ensure all the information is correct and that the application is submitted before any specified deadlines.
- Step 3: Contact for Further Information
- For any questions or additional information required, write to the provided contact email: cnj@communautique.quebec.
grant_single_labels|otherInfo
The program is specifically designed to support employers in helping interns gain valuable digital skills and promote their own digitization efforts.
- Employers must recruit and hire interns through a fair, open, and transparent process.
- Special attention must be given to employment equity, focusing on women, indigenous people, racialized people, people with disabilities, and official language minorities.
- The employer must provide necessary equipment and office space for the interns.
- An internal mentor must be assigned to offer career guidance and support to the interns.
- Communautique will offer ongoing support and conduct a four-part assessment of the internship.
- The program includes an advanced training component during the internship hours.
- Application for the subsidy must be submitted online through the specified form.
grant_single_labels|contact
cnj@communautique.quebec
Apply to this program
Unlock Career Opportunities Through Digital Skills for Youth Program
This grant program offers wage subsidies to employers hiring underemployed recent graduates, facilitating their transition to career-oriented roles by enhancing digital skills. It supports diverse digital activities across eligible organizations throughout Canada.
Detailed Insights Into the Digital Skills for Youth Program
The Digital Skills for Youth Program is a pivotal initiative aimed at bridging the gap between education and employment for recent post-secondary graduates in Canada. This program not only focuses on delivering relevant, hands-on experience for young professionals but also aids employers in integrating fresh talent into digital technological roles. Through offering a substantial wage subsidy, the initiative empowers smaller Canadian organizations—both for-profit and not-for-profit—with up to 500 employees, enabling them to partake in nurturing the next generation of digital professionals.
At its core, the program emphasizes developing practical digital skills among interns. For employers, this translates into acquiring young talent well-versed in essential skills such as software and video game development, network troubleshooting, website creation, and conducting social media campaigns. Interns delve into contemporary fields like adaptive technologies and digital manufacturing, setting the stage for a bright future in the digital economy. This fosters a mutually beneficial environment where companies can spearhead their digital transformation initiatives, while interns gain invaluable work experience that aligns with their education and career aspirations.
The program's unique structure encompasses mandatory mentorship requirements, ensuring participants have access to seasoned professionals who offer guidance and networking opportunities. Mentors facilitate professional growth by advising on technical skills and career management strategies, ultimately increasing interns' employability and opening doors to future career opportunities. The designated mentors act as invaluable resources, aiding in establishing professional networks that could play a significant role in post-internship employment pursuits.
With a cap of $21,500 per intern, the grant covers up to 100% of wages and social benefits, calculated based on the prevailing regional wage rate as determined by labor market analyses. This financial support mitigates the risk for small organizations embracing innovation while providing meaningful career-initiation opportunities for youth. It presents a cost-effective strategy for businesses to embed digital expertise into their practices—proactively promoting skill acquisition that permeates Canadian economic sectors, driving sustainability and growth.
Moreover, employers partaking in the program are entrusted with the responsibility of conducting an inclusive hiring process that adheres to transparency and diversity goals, ensuring that opportunities are equitably distributed among eligible demographics. Employers need to exhibit robust administrative capabilities to guide, train, and support interns, thereby guaranteeing quality experiences that maximize potential outcomes for both the organization and the participating youth.
Another significant aspect of the initiative is its comprehensive training element wherein Communautique and other partners contribute to specialized training modules. This dual-focus offers a blend of on-the-job immersion and structured training, which enables participants to thoroughly develop and refine their burgeoning skill sets over the internship period. The training emphasizes both enhancing digital competencies and fostering critical non-technical abilities such as communication, teamwork, and problem solving.
The program is time-bound, with placements requiring completion by March 31, 2025, laying out a clear timeline for both employers and interns to achieve set objectives. As Canada increasingly pivots towards a digitally-oriented economy, such initiatives not only ensure the present needs for skill development are met but also acclimate the broader socio-economic infrastructure to future demands.
The Digital Skills for Youth Program thus represents a cornerstone in Canadian workforce development, strategically fuelling a more adaptive, prepared, and skilled labor pool ready to tackle technological challenges and opportunities in today's fast-evolving workplace environments. By fortifying young professionals with apt digital proficiencies and work experience, the program catalyzes career advancement and plays a pivotal role in economic resiliency and innovation.