TECHNATION — Career Ready Program
Canada
Wage subsidy for developing tech talent
grant_single|update January 24, 2025
grant_single_labels|summary
grant_single|eligibleFinancing
- grant_single|maxCount
- grant_single|projectCostPercent
grant_single|deadlines
- grant_single|openingDateJuly 17, 2023
- grant_single|closingDateDecember 31, 2023
grant_single|financingType
Wage Subsidies And Interns
grant_single|eligibleIndustries
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
- Manufacturing
- Information and cultural industries
- Professional, scientific and technical services
- Health care and social assistance
grant_single|grantors
- TECHNATION
grant_single|status
grant_card_status|open
grant_single_labels|preview
Get a wage subsidy to cover up to 50% of the costs of a work term placement, to a maximum of $5,000 per placement, when you hire a post-secondary student. Maximum coverage for under-represented groups is 70% of the costs to a maximum of $7,000.
grant_single_labels|terms_and_conditions
TECHNATION's Career Ready Program provides businesses with financial support to hire students, offering subsidies tailored to encourage diversity and growth in Canada's tech sector workforce.
- Subsidy covers 50% of a student's wages, up to a maximum of $5,000 per placement.
- Increased subsidy of 70% for hiring students from under-represented groups, up to $7,000 per placement.
- Financial support includes both wage subsidies and prioritization for roles in high-growth sectors such as Digital Technology and Clean Tech.
- Funding is distributed based on provincial/territory population percentages to ensure regional balance.
grant_single_labels|projects
The Career Ready Program facilitates student work placements in tech-immersive roles within high-growth sectors. This initiative supports projects that enhance tech skills through real-world applications, thus enabling innovation and development in numerous fields.
- Roles in digital technology, encompassing IT, digital marketing, and software engineering.
- Positions related to AI, IoT, Machine Learning, and Advanced Manufacturing.
- Engagements in cybersecurity projects.
- Roles in Agri-Tech and Clean Tech sectors.
- Health Tech positions facilitating technological advancements in healthcare.
grant_single|admissibleProjectsExample
$ 6,000
Hire a software engineering intern to develop a mobile application for health tech services
$ 5,000
Engage an AI intern to develop machine learning models for agricultural data analysis
$ 5,500
Hire a student to assist in the development of clean tech waste management systems
$ 4,500
Hire a digital marketing intern to create a comprehensive online marketing strategy
$ 7,000
Employ a cybersecurity student for enhancing company's network security systems
grant_single_labels|admissibility
Eligibility for this grant is determined by specific criteria related to the applicant's business status and their ability to provide tech-focused work placements.
- The applicant must be a registered Canadian business or non-profit organization.
- Employers in the large financial sector, post-secondary institutions, and municipalities are not eligible.
- The applicant must provide a meaningful, tech-focused work placement opportunity to a student.
- The student must be registered in an accredited Canadian post-secondary institution.
- The role offered must be tech immersive.
- Applications must be submitted before or during the placement period.
grant_eligibility_criteria|who_can_apply
Registered Canadian businesses and non-profits that can provide meaningful, tech-focused work placements for students are eligible to apply. However, large financial sector employers, post-secondary institutions, and municipalities are ineligible for this subsidy.
grant_eligibility_criteria|who_cannot_apply
This grant excludes certain companies mainly due to their sector and organizational type. These restrictions are in line with the grant's focus on tech and educational sectors.
- Large financial sector employers.
- Post-secondary institutions.
- Municipalities.
grant_eligibility_criteria|eligible_expenses
The Career Ready Program aims to integrate students into tech-focused roles within companies, bolstering their skills while meeting industry needs. Eligible roles are varied and include aspects of marketing, strategy, and data technology.
- Tech roles in digital marketing, including market research, industry analysis, and branding.
- Strategy roles such as consulting, analysts, and business development.
- Data and technology roles, including data analysis, AI/machine learning, software development, and IT support.
grant_eligibility_criteria|zone
This grant is available to Canadian businesses and non-profits, ensuring national access. The program aims to distribute opportunities fairly across the country, emphasizing diversity and inclusion.
- Businesses registered in Canada.
- All provinces and territories within Canada.
grant_single_labels|criteria
The evaluation and selection of projects under the Career Ready Program are driven by criteria that ensure alignment with the program’s objectives and contribution to tech talent development.
- Preference for employers hiring students from underrepresented communities (Women in STEM, Indigenous students, visible minorities, new Canadians, persons with disabilities, and first-year undergraduate students).
- Focus on tech-immersive roles that fall within high-growth sectors such as digital technology, AI, IoT, machine learning, advanced manufacturing, cybersecurity, agri-tech, clean tech, and health tech.
- Geographic distribution to ensure accessibility and fair allocation of placements across different provinces and territories based on population percentages.
- Consideration for employers who are applying for more than one placement but are capped at five applications per employer.
grant_single_labels|register
Here are the steps to submit an application for this grant:
- Step 1: Access Application Portal
- Go to TECHNATION’s Career Ready Program website.
- Click on the link to start your application in the application portal.
- Step 2: Complete Initial Application Stage
- Fill out the application form with necessary details about your organization and the intended student hires.
- Indicate whether you are hiring students from underrepresented groups.
- Specify the tech-immersive role and its relevance to the high-growth sectors.
- Step 3: Submit Application
- Review the completed application form for accuracy and completeness.
- Submit the application via the online portal.
- Step 4: Confirmation of Application
- Await a confirmation email that your application has been received and is being processed.
grant_single_labels|otherInfo
Here is additional relevant detail for the grant:
- Employers are encouraged to use the online "Net New" calculator within the application portal to calculate the number of eligible student placements for wage subsidies.
