TECHNATION — Career Ready Program
Overview
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.
At a glance
Funding available
- Integrate new technologies
- Develop an online presence
- Develop employee skills
- Maximum amount : 7,000 $
- Up to 70% of project cost
- Open Date : November 17, 2025
- Closing date : May 31, 2026
Eligible candidates
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
- Manufacturing
- Information and cultural industries
- Professional, scientific and technical services
- Health care and social assistance
- Canada
- Non-profit
- Public or Parapublic institution
- For-profit business
- All revenue ranges
- All organization sizes
- Indigenous Peoples
- Persons with Disabilities
- Newcomers to Canada
- Other Racialized Persons
- Canadians
- Youth (<40)
- Women
- Higher Education
- Economic, Social and Community Development
- Employment and Training
- Business Associations
- Diversity and Inclusion
- Young adults
- Indigenous peoples
- New immigrants & refugees
- People with disabilities
- Women & girls
- Business owners / entrepreneurs
- Academia / students
- Minority groups
- All structures
- National
Activities funded
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.
Eligibility
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.
Who is eligible?
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.Who is not eligible
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.
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.
Eligible geographic areas
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.
Selection 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.
How to apply
Access Application Portal
- Go to TECHNATION’s Career Ready Program website.
- Click on the link to start your application in the application portal.
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.
Submit Application
- Review the completed application form for accuracy and completeness.
- Send candidacy application to student via their institutional email.
- Submit the application via the online portal.
Confirmation of Application
Additional information
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.
