Skills Link

The Skills Link program helps youth facing barriers to employment to learn and develop the broad range of skills and work experience they need to participate in the job market. Through Skills Link, youth benefit from a client-centred approach and ongoing support, which helps them to complete work tasks successfully and, ultimately, find and keep a job. In turn, employers may receive financial assistance to cover the costs associated with providing employment services and individualized, integrated support to youth.

The Basics:

Skills Link was developed to assist youth in various circumstances, including those who:

  • are single parents;
  • are of Aboriginal descent;
  • have disabilities;
  • are recent immigrants;
  • live in rural and remote areas; or
  • have dropped out of high school.

To qualify for Skills Link, participants must be:

  • between 15 and 30 years of age (inclusive);
  • in need of assistance to overcome barriers to employment;
  • out of school:
  • Canadian citizens, permanent residents, or have refugee status;
  • legally entitled to work according to the relevant provincial/territorial legislation and regulations; and
  • not in receipt of Employment Insurance benefits;

For more information and to apply, interested businesses and organizations should:

Other Youth Employment Programs:

  • Businesses and other organizations can receive contributions toward offering post-secondary graduates opportunities to obtain career-related work experience through the Career Focus program.
  • Canadian employers - not-for-profit organizations, public sector and smaller private sector employers (50 or fewer employees) - can apply for wage subsidies to create career-related summer jobs for students between the ages of 15 to 30 through the Canada Summer Jobs program.
  • Students and recent graduates can find summer job and internship opportunities from across Canada through the Young Canada Works program from Canadian Heritage and Parks Canada. This program includes opportunities to improve second language skills, work in heritage preservation and work within Canada's National Parks system.
  • Full-time students can post their resume at the Federal Student Work Experience Program (FSWEP) Web site and apply for student jobs within the federal Public Service of Canada.