Since its original release date back in 2010, the Career Focus Program has provided significant amounts of Canadian Government funding for small business through wage subsidized internship opportunities. In one of our previous blogs, we announced the exhaustion of funds for the ICTC Career Focus; however, there are still nine remaining Career Focus streams with unallocated funding available.
Sectoral Career Focus Hiring Grant Funding for Small Business
The Career Focus program is part of the Government of Canada’s Youth Employment Strategy. The program looks to provide grant funding for small business internships that would provide highly skilled young people with the opportunity to gain practical workplace experience related to their respective fields of study. The program is currently administered through sector councils and can vary in terms of eligibility requirements and funding allocations. Graduates must be hired for at least 4-months and be under the age of 30. Candidates must complete their internship by March 31, 2013; this means all Career Focus positions must start prior to December 1, 2012.
Sectoral Career Focus Canadian Government Grants with Available Funding
Those interested in receiving Canadian Government grants for hiring interns are eligible to apply if their industry of operations applies to one of the following sectoral councils that still have funding as of the published date of this post:
1.Canadian Supply Chain Sector Council (CSCSC)
Funding: Up to $12.75K in non-repayable grant funding for business or 50% of an intern’s salary and wages for 4-8 months.
Eligibility: The organization must offer a full-time position for at least 4 months related to supply chain management with the opportunity for future full-time employment. Eligible graduates can be applied to a range of activities relating to their field of expertise.
2. Canadian Council for Aviation & Aerospace (CCAA)
Funding: Up to $12.5K in non-repayable business funding grants or 33.33% of the wages for a 4-8 month internship involving a recent post-secondary graduate.
Eligibility: Funding is eligible for aviation and aerospace related companies looking to hire graduates full-time for a position between 4 and 8 months. Positions can apply to a wide range of business activities related to the graduate’s field of study.
3. Canadian Steel Trade & Employment Congress (CSTEC)
Funding: Up to $13K in wage subsidies or 33.33% of the salaries for a 4-12 month internship involving a person with qualified post-secondary certifications.
Eligibility: Potential employers must operate within the Canadian Steel Industry and offer a full-time employment position for at least 4 months. Eligible interns can be applied to a wide range of business activities and are not limited by their trained area of expertise.
4. Canadian Printing Industries Sector Council (CPISC)
Funding: Up to $13.75K in non-repayable Canadian business grants or 50% of the wages for a 4-8 month internship opportunity involving a recent post-secondary graduate.
Eligibility: Eligible employers must be considered a part of the printing and graphic communications sector in Canada and offer a full-time position for at least 4-months. Eligible interns can be applied to a variety of positions within the company as long as they have graduated or received post-secondary training within the last 5 years.
Learn More About Canadian Business Grants for Hiring
This blog was one of a two-part series discussing the Sectoral Streams of the Youth Career Focus Hiring Program. Our readers are encouraged to follow Canadian small business funding updates by subscribing to us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+ or by signing up for our Weekly Canadian Government Funding E-Newsletter. Mentor Works Ltd. provides Canadian Government Funding advice and support to Ontario small-medium sized enterprises looking to expand or improve their operations and services. For more information on the Government Grant opportunities available for your business, Contact our team of Canadian Government Funding Experts or sign up for our Ontario Government Funding Workshop.