Start it Right! Youth Employment Program relaunches for two more years
International students and young temporary residents are trying to build lives and careers in Canada, but staying competitive in the labour market is a challenge, especially with the many barriers they face in finding meaningful employment.
Plus, these newcomer youth are also not always eligible for government job programs to help them succeed in the Canadian workforce. DIVERSEcity’s Start it Right! Youth Employment Program helps fill this gap. First launched in 2019, DIVERSEcity is pleased to announce RBC Foundation has provided support to help relaunch the employment program for youth aged 15-29 over the next two years.
“Navigating employment in a new country is a challenge, and newcomers with temporary status who are trying to build their lives in Canada can’t typically access government-funded career resources. We recognized this need and were able to create this unique program to bridge that gap and empower youth,” said Vandna Joshi, Director, Social Entrepreneurship and Employment at DIVERSEcity at the relaunch celebration of the program on November 12, 2024.
The Start it Right! program offers free job placement support, industry-recognized training certifications, group workshops on employability, soft skills and Canadian workplace culture, as well as the opportunity to participate in a community project.
At the relaunch event, program graduate Raphael shared that after graduating university, he felt confused on what to do next. He heard about the Start it Right! program and applied, hoping it would help him build his career. “One thing I learned was to ask people a lot of questions and network. That’s how I got my job now. Asmaa [Start it Right! employment specialist] always encouraged questions,” he said. “The program was really amazing and I feel blessed to have been a part of it.”
Another Start it Right! graduate, Arjun, now employed at DIVERSEcity, said: “It can be tough fitting in especially in a new environment, but this program changed things for me.” Smiling ear to ear, he shared “I learned so much about workplace culture [and] I have to say this program gave my career the right start.”
Learn more about the program here.