Education: New Support to Help Graduates

OTTAWA: The Honourable Leona Aglukkaq, Minister of the Environment, Minister of the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency and Minister for the Arctic Council, just announced a nearly $2 million increase in annual funding to Environment Canada's Science Horizons Youth Internship Program from $1.1 million to $3 million.

The Science Horizons Youth Internship Program gives post-secondary graduates opportunities to gain experience to prepare them for good, well-paying jobs in environmental science. Through collaborative partnerships with organizations that have been awarded Science Horizons funding, graduates receive hands-on experience working on environmental internships lasting a minimum of six months (24 work weeks).

This year, employers across Canada will hire approximately 218 graduates giving young men and women practical work experience to pursue careers in environmental science. Up to a maximum of $12,000 in Science Horizons funding was made available to organizations for each approved internship.

Since 1997, through the Science Horizons Youth Internship Program, Environment Canada has encouraged employers to sponsor approximately 1,500 post-secondary graduates to participate in science internships.