Students looking to find work for the summer could face a tougher time in Weyburn due to funding cuts by the federal government to its Youth Canada employment centres.
Students looking to find work for the summer could face a tougher time in Weyburn due to funding cuts by the federal government to its Youth Canada employment centres.
Nationwide the youth employment centres used to open their doors every spring, hiring students to help other students find summer work, but not anymore.
The Ministry of Human Resources and Skills Development announced the funding cut in March, halting the more than 40-year-old program.
The centres offered in-person help on finding a summer job, from resume writing and interview tips, to student specific job listings.
A decrease in visitation by young people and an increase in demand for online services is what prompted the change said Federal Human Resources Minister Diane Finley. The Human Resources Minister also said that the government would be shifting its focus to bolstering the online youth employment center found at youth.gc.ca.
Youth can still visit Service Canada branches to find help during a job search as well.
The closure of the centres will reportedly save the federal government $6.5 million annually.
Saskatchewan's youth unemployment rate is low compared to many parts of Canada though. At 10.2 per cent unemployment in April, it's nearly four percentage points lower than the national average of nearly 14 per cent among those aged 15-29. At the same time, youth unemployment remains above the national unemployment rate for people age 25 and older which sits at 7.3 per cent.
