News Release

SAINT ANDREWS (GNB) – Job placements will help 1,500 young New Brunswickers every year obtain work experience and training under a new Youth Employment Fund. Premier Brian Gallant announced today that the fund would be accepting applications in February.

"Youth unemployment rates are staggeringly high in our province," said Gallant. "Even worse, many of our youth are leaving for Western Canada making it more and more difficult for us to grow our economy at home. This new program will help youth to close the skills gap, and find the jobs, training and experience they need to find permanent work right here in New Brunswick."

The fund will match unemployed youth aged 18 to 29 with employers for six-month work placements that can include up to two months of training. The placements will be subsidized by the provincial government and begin on April 1, 2015.

"These placements will help young people earn money, learn skills and build critical experience on their resumes," said Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour Minister Francine Landry. "We also expect many of these placements will become permanent jobs, immediately growing our economy.”

The fund is a critical part of the government’s plan to move New Brunswick forward and create the province’s most job-ready generation by helping young people find jobs and gain valuable work experience.