The Alberta government is lauding the STEP program it has put into place. The program sees employers receive a wage subsidy of $7 per hour for the hiring of students for work experience over the summer.
Kevin Nagoya is the C.A.O for the city of Cold Lake, he says the city uses the program to help students with work experience in the summer. “Generally for our size of population, we are able to apply for five positions (under the program). We’ve submitted eight positions for this year for approval. We usually see about $4200 in subsidy for these students.”
Nagoya says the job titles for students can vary. “We provide them with jobs ranging from customer service in city hall or working at the golf course in the pro shops. They can end up working in field maintenance and grass cutting, so they get to touch on a little bit of everything.”
Eligible employers in the STEP program include small businesses, non-profit organizations, public libraries, municipalities, First Nations, Métis Settlements, publicly funded post-secondary institutions and school boards.
Students interested in applying for jobs in the STEP program can find more information here.