Tourism HR Canada is pleased to announce that Propel, its Student Work Placement Program, has been extended for an additional two years, thanks to generous funding from the Government of Canada. The program is actively accepting applications for the upcoming summer semester.
Launched last August, Propel has already connected hundreds of post-secondary students with meaningful, paid work-integrated learning placements and provided hard-hit tourism and hospitality employers with wage subsidies to support these placements.
With the lifting or easing of many pandemic health and travel measures, Canada’s tourism employers are looking ahead to a busier summer season, but are facing a depleted workforce. The latest Statistics Canada data shows close to 300,000 fewer tourism employees than in the month before the pandemic hit.
Propel provides a direct link to early talent looking for hands-on experience and the opportunity to explore career pathways in the sector. Engaging these students will play an essential role in the immediate recovery of the visitor economy and ensure the ongoing growth of a skilled workforce.
Starting April 1, 2022, several changes will apply to the full spectrum of Student Work Placement Programs.
- Wage subsidies are available as follows:
- Up to 50% of wages or up to $5,000 to provide students with meaningful WIL opportunities.
- Up to 70% of wages or up to $7,000 to provide students with meaningful WIL opportunities for the following under-represented students: women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), Indigenous students, persons with disabilities, visible minorities and newcomers; as well as first-year students.
- Post-secondary institutions are no longer eligible to participate as employers.
- Employers who have previously participated in the program may be subject to “net new” requirements and need to demonstrate a projected increase in the number of students hired.
For full details on the Propel Student Work Placement Program and a link to the application portal, please visit the program webpage or email propel@tourismhr.ca.