Why We Need Employers Like You
Youth believe they learn best from practical or on-the-job experiences, but only 16 per cent stated that this was a major focus in school, and less than 25 per cent experienced a work placement while in school.¹
In 2012, more than a quarter of unemployed youth had never worked before and therefore lacked the skills and experience necessary to obtain a job.²
Finding work is challenging enough for any young person, however for youth from low-income communities there are often greater barriers as they transition from school to the workforce.
Youth from low-income communities often face systemic challenges that make it difficult for them to get the proper knowledge, training, and skills they need to succeed in an increasingly knowledge-based and competitive economy. The barriers to employment these young people face – for example, a lack of social support and access to a network of professional contacts – significantly impact their chances of finding meaningful employment.
56 per cent of youth ranked finding meaningful employment among the top three most important issues facing their generation today.³
Internships Open Doors for Young People
Internships are life-changing opportunities for youth trying to find meaningful work. The experiences, skills, and connections that interns develop broaden their career potential and possibilities.
Internships Open Doors for You
Internships open doors for you as an employer; they allow you to develop relationships with talented young people and conduct “living interviews” of potential future long-term hires, all while enhancing the diversity of your workplace.
“Pathways alumni are an asset to Northbridge Financial. They provide a diverse and unique range of skills that complement our organization.”
-Debbie Chalkley, VP Strategic Project Management, Northbridge Financial
“Having Pathways students as part of our team has helped us reach communities that we might not otherwise have had exposure to; Stikeman Elliott is thrilled that a former Pathways high school student is now a lawyer at our firm.”
-Gillian Topp, Human Resource Business Partner, Stikeman Elliott
Are You Ready to Talk About a Pathways Internship?
Pathways Canada would like to build a broad range of internship opportunities – as diverse as our students – and we’d like to work with you!
Contact Stephanie Sim, at internships@pathwayscanada.ca to discuss your needs, potential roles, the skills sets you’re seeking, and how we can best match you to the intern or interns you need.
Sources:
¹ McKinsey & Company. (2015). Youth in transition. Bridging Canada’s path from education to employment.
² The Homeless Hub. (2015). Youth Employment Toolkit
³ Morrison, J (2013, June 10) Top 5 Challenges Facing Millennials in Canada