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Empowering Futures — Student Work Placement Program
Electricity-sector student work placements in Canada
Funding available
$ 7,000
Deadline
Open continuously
Location
Canada
Overview
Empowering Futures supports Canadian-owned electricity-sector employers across Canada with wage subsidies of up to $7,000 to create new student work-integrated learning opportunities. Eligible placements include co-ops, internships, and work placements tied to students’ studies, helping employers hire post-secondary students in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, arts, or business programs.
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Opportunity Score
Moderate potential, but conditions must align.
At a glance
Funding available
Financing goals
- Develop strategic partnerships
- Develop workforce skills
Eligible Funding
- Maximum amount : 7,000 $
- Up to 70% of project cost
Funds Providers
Eligible candidates
Eligible Industries
- All industries
Location
- Canada
Legal structures
- For-profit business
Annual revenue
- All revenue ranges
Organisation size
- All organization sizes
Audience
- Indigenous Peoples
- Persons with Disabilities
- Newcomers to Canada
- Canadians
- Youth (<40)
- Women
Next Steps
1
Determine your project
Availability timeline
2026
Periods: 1
Activities funded
- Create paid work-integrated learning (WIL) opportunities for post-secondary students.
- Co-ops.
- Internships.
- Work placements tied to students’ studies.
Documents Needed
- Eligibility form, including the Participant Information and Information on Employment Equity sections.
Sources and recorded changes
- Source change captured
- Change recorded
- Record updated
A captured source change or record update does not confirm eligibility. Check the funder’s current rules before applying.
Empowering Futures eligibility and intake changed
Empowering Futures now lists new employer exclusions, placement limits, and funding conditions, and the funding portal also shows a new application start point.
Empowering Futures now excludes political organizations, large financial-sector employers with 500 or more employees, governments, post-secondary institutions, and Members of the House of Commons and the Senate. It also adds new placement rules: placements must be completed by March 31, 2027, apprenticeships and short-term or seasonal roles are not eligible starting in 2026, and employers must pay at least 50% of each participant’s salary while wages or training costs cannot be funded by another federally funded program. The funding portal now shows an account-creation link and a step-by-step application flow, including participant eligibility review, contract signing, learning plans, monthly claims, and evaluation surveys. The portal also shows Empowering Futures as currently accepting applications for Fall 2026.
Eligibility
Who is eligible?
- Canadian-owned companies.
- Firms whose primary activity is the generation, transmission and distribution of electricity.
- Firms supporting the sector, including renewables, in R & D, business development, or energy efficiency.
- Firms engaged in the manufacturing of equipment or the provision of services necessary for generation, transmission or distribution.
Who is not eligible
- Members of the House of Commons and the Senate.
- Organizations that engage in partisan political activities.
- Financial sector employers with 500 or more employees.
- Post-secondary educational institutions.
- Federal, provincial, territorial and municipal governments.
Eligible expenses
- The student’s gross paystubs for eligible placements.
Ineligible Costs and Activities
- Wages already funded by another federally funded program
- Retroactive applications
- Placements based on friends or family members without an approved nepotism policy
- Placements longer than one year
Eligible geographic areas
- Canada
Selection criteria
- Net new placement count compared with the employer's baseline
- Student eligibility and placement fit
- Placement meets program duration requirements
- Application completeness and required information provided
How to apply
- Create an account.
- The employer fills out an online application for the placements they would like to be funded.
- The participant completes an online eligibility form sent to their email.
Processing and Agreement
- Once the eligibility form is submitted, it will be reviewed by EHRC’s team.
- Processing time is under 10 business days.
- If the placement is approved, a contract for successful placements is signed by the employer, participant, and EHRC.
- The employer and participant create a learning plan.
- The employer submits monthly claims for reimbursement.
- The employer and participant complete evaluation surveys at the end of the placement.
Additional information
- Participants can access EHRC’s Professional Skills Training Program free of charge.
- Employers may receive tailored Diversity, Equity and Inclusion training.
- Employers may post openings on EHRC’s national Electricity Sector Job Board.
- Employers may use EHRC’s Mentor Junction mentorship program.
Contacts
Frequently Asked Questions about the Empowering Futures — Student Work Placement Program Program
What is the Empowering Futures — Student Work Placement Program?
Empowering Futures supports Canadian-owned electricity-sector employers across Canada with wage subsidies of up to $7,000 to create new student work-integrated learning opportunities. Eligible placements include co-ops, internships, and work placements tied to students’ studies, helping employers hire post-secondary students in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, arts, or business programs.
How much funding can be received?
Empowering Futures — Student Work Placement Program Funds up to 70% of admissible expenses, capped at $7,000 per project.
What is the deadline to apply?
The program is accepting continuous intake
Who is eligible for the Empowering Futures — Student Work Placement Program program?
To be eligible for the Empowering Futures — Student Work Placement Program program, you must:
The applicant must be a Canadian-owned company in the electricity sector.
The placement must be a meaningful work-integrated learning opportunity and generally last at least 12 weeks.
As of April 1, 2026, the placement must align with the participating student’s post-secondary education program.
What expenses are eligible under Empowering Futures — Student Work Placement Program?
The student’s gross paystubs for eligible placements.
Who can I contact for more information about the Empowering Futures — Student Work Placement Program?
You can contact Electricity Human Resources Canada (EHRC) by email at turnin@ehrc.ca or by phone at 613-235-5540 ext. 243.
Where is the Empowering Futures — Student Work Placement Program available?
The Empowering Futures — Student Work Placement Program program is available across Canada.