News Release Archive
ECONOMIC RENEWAL--ERA CREATES 2,300 SUMMER JOBS
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Economic Renewal Agency Minister Robbie Harrison said today
the ERA will help create 2,300 jobs for students, and the
unemployed, through summer employment programs, including an
innovative program where the student loan gets paid, instead
of the student.
The largest program administered by ERA includes the Nova
Scotia Employment Program for Students. ERA will help create
900 jobs within non-profit and public sector organizations,
by offering a wage subsidy to employers. Another 280 jobs
will be added in recognized tourist bureaus around the
province. ERA will create an additional 400 jobs at its
provincial resorts; Keltic Lodge, Digby Pines and Liscombe
Lodge under a separate budget.
The Municipal Works Program will allow municipal units in
areas of high unemployment to hire up to 300 workers this
summer. The province will cost-share up to 50 per cent of
wages, to a maximum of five dollars per hour.
The Economic Renewal Agency, in partnership with the
Department of Education and Culture, is continuing last
year's successful pilot Student Loan Employment program,
offering 100 employment opportunities in non-profit
organizations to post-secondary students. Instead of
receiving a salary, the student would build up student loan
credits, equivalent to minimum wage but applied directly to
their tuition at a Nova Scotia university or community
college.
Mr. Harrison said, "In its pilot year last summer, the
Student Loan Employment program was very popular among
employers and students alike. The program required the
students to be proactive, finding an employer who would give
them the kind of work experience that would lead to jobs
after graduation."
The Economic Renewal Agency and the Department of Education
and Culture are combining their financial resources to
provide one summer employment program aimed at the private
sector. NS Links will create 300 jobs for students preparing
for careers in firms using new technologies and techniques.
"We listened to business owners and simplified the process
so that applications are only made to one department instead
of two," said Mr. Harrison. This is the only component of
the Provincial Employment Program where the private sector
is eligible to participate.
ERA expects to create another 1,775 jobs in financial
partnerships with other provincial government departments,
once those departmental budgets are approved.
The deadline for employers to submit project applications to
ERA is March 8, 1996. The summer work term runs from May 21
to Sept.7. Program applications and guidelines are available
from any ERA office, including Business Service Centres,
Access Nova Scotia Centres or any Canada Employment Centre.
The information is also available from ERA's web site at
https://novascotia.ca/ecor/request.htm.
The Provincial Employment Program has been providing summer
jobs for Nova Scotia students since 1978.
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Contact: Linda Laffin 902-424-6810
jlw Feb. 13, 1996 3 p.m.