Applications open for student employment program

by Morinville News Staff

Employers can now apply for the Summer Temporary Employment Program (STEP); a program the government says will help approximately 3,000 students improve their job prospects by gaining valuable on-the-job experience and skills.

The government is allocating $10 million for 2016-17.

“We are so pleased to bring STEP back this summer,” said Lori Sigurdson, Minister of Jobs, Skills, Training and Labour in a Jan. 25 release. “We want to support our job creators during these challenging times while providing students with opportunities to take those first steps up the ladder to meaningful careers.”

STEP supports employers hiring students by providing a wage subsidy of $7 per hour for work opportunities between four and 16 weeks. Students must be in high school or post-secondary and returning to school full-time in the fall.

Eligible employers include small businesses, non-profit organizations, public libraries, municipalities, First Nations, Métis Settlements, publicly-funded post-secondary institutions, and school boards.

The government says the allocation of STEP will be by sector across the province to ensure fair distribution of funds and to fairly benefit a broad range of students and employers. Positions must be full-time at a minimum of 30 hours a week.

Application forms are available online at AlbertaCanada.com/STEP and employers are encouraged to apply as soon as possible. Deadline for applications is Feb. 29, 2016.

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