Government of Canada Supports Youth Career Symposium in Winnipeg

Winnipeg, Manitoba –(March 7, 2009) – Youth in Winnipeg will have the opportunity to learn about career and educational opportunities at the Rotary Career Symposium. Mrs. Shelly Glover, Member of Parliament for Saint Boniface, made the announcement on behalf of the Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development.Through the Youth Awareness program, the Government of Canada is providing more than $47,000 to the Rotary Clubs of Winnipeg for the event. The program falls under the Government’s Youth Employment Strategy.

“Our government is taking action to ensure that Canada’s work force is the best educated, the most skilled and the most flexible in the world,” said Mrs. Glover. “We are pleased to be partnering with the City, the community and employers to help Winnipeg youth make a successful transition into the work force.”

Working in conjunction with the City of Winnipeg, community organizations and corporate sponsors, the Rotary Clubs of Winnipeg will host the symposium, which boasts over 250 information and activity booths, plus 70 speaker sessions delivered by exhibitors and experts from industry.

With this federal funding, the Rotary Career Symposium will provide students with information that will help them make informed career decisions and a smooth transition into the work force.

The Government underscored its commitment to create a strong work force in Canada’s Economic Action Plan. A key component of the Plan is to create more and better opportunities for Canadian workers through skills development.

The Youth Awareness program is delivered by Service Canada, which provides one-stop personalized services for Government of Canada programs, services and benefits. For more information about this program, call 1-800-O-Canada, go on the Internet at servicecanada.gc.ca or visit your local Service Canada Centre.

BACKGROUNDER

The Rotary Clubs of Winnipeg will plan, organize and implement a career symposium that will bring business exhibitors and speakers together with secondary school students to provide career information. Information will be focused on high-demand occupations, with an emphasis on Manitoba’s Aboriginal population. The career symposium aims to encourage and support employers, employee and employer associations, and communities to improve their capacity for dealing with future human resources requirements.

The Rotary Clubs of Winnipeg is an organization of business and professional leaders united worldwide, who provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations, and help build goodwill and peace in the world. The organization develops community service projects that address many of today’s most critical issues, such as children at risk, poverty and hunger, the environment, illiteracy, and violence. It also supports programs for youth, educational opportunities and international exchanges for students, teachers and other professionals, and vocational and career development.

The Youth Awareness program is an initiative funded under Employment Insurance Part II that falls under the Youth Employment Strategy. The program provides financial assistance for projects designed to address labour market issues facing communities, and can be used to develop and implement human resources strategies to meet employeers’ current and future needs

This news release is available in alternative formats upon request.

For more information, please contact

Office of Minister Finley
Michelle Bakos
Press Secretary
819-994-2482

or

Human Resources and Skills Development Canada
Media Relations Office
819-994-5559