Premier Brian Gallant is doubling down on existing programs to keep youth in our province with an extra investment of $25 million.
He says the Youth Employment Fund will create more positions with their additional funding, allowing more youths to get hands on learning.
That program subsidizes six months of wages for youths hired under this agreement.
“The six months that they’re going to get is already worth the investment, but it’s an added bonus when that youth is able to stay with the business that they got the placement for, or go to a similar business in the same or similar industry,” says Gallant.
He continues, saying that’s not all this money will be used for, adding “the other investments that we’re making for debt avoidance when it comes to our graduates, the investments we’ll be making to enhance SEED [Student Employment Experience Development Program], the investments that we’ll be making to ensure that our youth are aware of what opportunities are here in the province, and what opportunities will be here in the future, are all sound investments.”
Gallant adds these investments are crucial because by 2026, data shows up to 10,000 jobs will become available each year in New Brunswick thanks to our aging population, and there aren’t enough people to fill them.
Gallant has “no doubt that investing to ensure that our youth stay here, that our youth are able to develop their skills in the province, that they’re going to be able to get debt avoidance so they can stay in the province are all good investments to ensure that not only our families are able to stay here in New Brunswick but also ensure we have a strong workforce.”
Gallant notes the last three years have seen growing economic momentum in the province, and he expects these investments will continue that positive growth.
The ultimate aim of these investments is to help “buck the trend” of 33 years of youth migrating out of New Brunswick.
More details are available HERE.
