Federal officials announced this morning in Burnaby that Pivot 2020 – a youth employment program to be managed by Simon Fraser University – has officially launched.
Federal minister of employment Carla Qualtrough made the announcement on campus in the company of SFU president Joy Johnson, noting the program is eligible to receive up to $11.6 million from Ottawa to provide training and employment opportunities to 1,500 youths facing barriers to being hired.
Pivot 2020, to be led by SFU’s Morris J. Wosk Centre for Dialogue and other organizations, is an urban research project that involves collecting data and information from cities throughout Canada in order to understand the needs and visions of local youth.
Application for the program opened in late August in 27 Canadian cities, and candidates who work on the project will receive above-minimum-wage pay for 2-5 months while receiving technical training on skills like data analysis that can be applied to their future careers, Qualtrough said.
“We heard loud and clear from young Canadians that they wanted jobs this summer,” Qualtrough said. “They didn’t want the pandemic to prevent them from kickstarting their careers and gaining valuable experience while earning money.
”The uncertainty that young Canadians feel during these uncertain times can be overwhelming,” she added. “But in Canada, we look out for each other.”
More information on the program can be found at www.pivot2020.ca.
