The Honourable Gerry Byrne, Minister of Immigration, Skills and Labour, today announced $3 million in funding to help post-secondary students secure work terms. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, co-op students are experiencing difficulty securing the work placements they need to complete their programs – including over 300 of Memorial University’s engineering students.

Funded through the Workforce Development Agreement, the one-time wage subsidy will cover up to 75 per cent of a co-op student’s hourly wage up to a maximum of $8,000 per student work term. Employers of any size will be eligible for the wage subsidy.

Memorial University and College of the North Atlantic will administer the subsidy through existing co-operative placement assistance programs. Assistance may also be available to support work term placements of students at private training institutions.

Employers and students seeking more information are encouraged to contact co-op placement offices at Memorial University, College of the North Atlantic and respective private training institutions.

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“Co-op students throughout Newfoundland and Labrador have met the challenges the COVID-19 pandemic has thrown at them with strength and resiliency. Now it’s our turn to step up and help students struggling to secure work placements. Our government is providing more funding for a wage subsidy, which will help these students gain the valuable on-the-job experience they need to begin their careers and support local businesses in their work.”
Honourable Gerry Byrne
Minister of Immigration, Skills and Labour

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Ryan Crocker
Immigration, Skills and Labour
709-729-1795, 725-9595
ryancrocker@gov.nl.ca