Summer may seem a long way off, but if you're looking for funding assistance to help pay for a student, summer begins in February. The Federal Government recently announced an additional permanent investment of $10,000,000 in the Summer Jobs Student Employment program.

Funding will be available to not-for-profit organizations, public-sector employers and small businesses to create high-quality summer job opportunities for young people aged 15 to 30 years who are full-time students and intend to return to school in the next school year. Applications will be available on February 1, 2011 and must be submitted by February 28, 2011.

Criteria to assess the proposals will focus on:

- service to local communities;
- jobs that support local priorities;
- jobs that provide career-related experience or early work experience;
- a salary that contributes to the student’s income;
- an employer who provides supervision and mentoring;
- project activities that are directed toward members of, and support the vitality of, an official language minority community; and
- an employer who intends to hire priority students (students with disabilities, Aboriginal students, and students who are members of visible minority groups).

This is an excellent opportunity to staff your small business, and provide much needed work experience to our future local work force. I would encourage you to apply.

Interested employers can apply online at www.servicecanada.ge.ca  or at their local Service Canada Centre.  In L&A, Service Canada Centres are found in Napanee and Flinton.