HUMBOLDT — The Humboldt Regional Newcomers Centre has received funding from the province for an economic recovery work experience initiative where unemployed or underemployed residents are matched with employers, with temporarily subsidized pay.
The economic recovery work experience initiative is a one-time pandemic recovery initiative for employers and job seekers. The program provides funding for 16 weeks of employment for job seekers to gain practical skills in priority sectors like hospitality, agriculture, retail services, health, and childcare.
Elvircia Natlazo-Vythilingum, client service manager at the Humboldt Regional Newcomers Centre, said the program will help both newcomers to the community and existing residents.
“I think it is a great opportunity because what we have seen through our newcomers is a lot of them had quite the resume back in their own country,” Natlazo-Vythilingum said. “To be able to give them an opportunity where we can ‘job match’ them basically, that’s our goal.”
Employers through the program will receive cost sharing for wages, including up to $6,000 per each work experience participant and 100 per cent of the minimum hourly wage is covered in the first month, 80 per cent in the second month, and 60 per cent in the third and fourth months.
Natlazo-Vythilingum said that after the funding runs out, it’s intended that if the employee is found to be a good fit the employer will continue employing them.
To be eligible, participants must be job seekers working with SaskJobs Career Services or an approved service provider, and be at least 18 years of age, legally entitled to work in Saskatchewan, facing job search and skills related barriers to obtaining and maintaining employment; and working less than 20 hours per week.
Natlazo-Vythilingum said they’re currently taking people’s applications. The Humboldt Regional Newcomers Centre is open Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. They can be reached by phone at 306-682-4277.
The Newcomers Centre is one of several service providers who are receiving $4 million in funding through Canada-Saskatchewan labour market transfer agreements, after the project’s announcement on March 15.
The province said the project will connect up to 465 job seekers with employers across Saskatchewan looking to address their workforce needs, which is intended to result in sustainable employment and access to new talent for the employers.
"The economic recovery work experience initiative will help address the gap of skilled labour shortages in key priority sectors," said Jeremy Harrison, Saskatchewan’s Immigration and Career Training minister.
“This funding will create a stronger Saskatchewan by providing employers with the skilled workforce they need and by empowering job seekers to fully participate in our economy as we emerge from the pandemic."
