Ontario: July 15, 2021 – (TDI): On World Youth Skills Day, the Prime Minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau stated in this regard. In his statement, Trudeau mentioned the phenomenal qualities of resilience, resourcefulness, and undertaking challenges by the Youth of the world, especially Canada. While acknowledging their contributions in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic during the past year, he recognized their potential to build a better future.
In his statement, he reaffirmed Canada’s dedication to ensuring the access of all the youth to training, education, and substantial working experience to forge the expertise integral to success. Assisting the young people for the future is a long-term investment, he said.
The pandemic has increased the hardships for the young Canadians, he shared, specifically in the sectors of employment, internships, and other opportunities. To counter this challenge, the Canadian government invested to provide them with employment and skill acquiring opportunities. In this regard, the Student Work Placement Program, the Canada Summer Jobs program, and the Youth Employment and Skills Strategy are the main efforts made by the government. The funding made to program Digital Skills for Youth and Computers for Schools Plus and alike will nourish the advanced digital skills of the youth to better suit future demands.
The Budget 2021 presented by the Canadian government is designed to increase the affordability of post-secondary education through various means, such as dropping student loan interests for one more year, boosting assistance in loan repayment, and amplifying the Canada Student Grant by twofold, for another two years. In this process of recovery, the Canadian government is providing 200,000+ new work skills development and job opportunities for the Canadian youth, enhancing assistance to vulnerable youth in school through the expansion of the Supports for Student Learning Program. Many efforts are also made to assist the Indigenous youth, such as increased investments for high-quality education of the indigenous, assistance for Indigenous post-secondary students and institutions. The Apprenticeship Service provided by the government is another effort in this regard, as it will aid 55,000 first-year apprentices of construction and manufacturing Red Seal trades.
On global level, the Canadian Prime Minister acknowledged the obstacles in acquiring skills and employment faced by the youth, especially the female gender. In this regard, there is a long way ahead. Canada’s Policy of Feminist International Assistance works in fostering and facilitating initiatives that secure gender-equal access to superior education and expertise development. Trudeau noted Canada’s announcement of a $300 million contribution to the Global Partnership for Education, at the recent G7 Leader’s Summit of June. This announcement showcases Canada’s determination that education can globally change the lives of people, for the good.
At the end of his statement, the Canadian Prime Minister appreciated the determination, efforts, and sacrifices amidst the Covid-19 pandemic. He noted the potential, energy, and determination of the youth as the remedy of recovery, as the former Canadian Minister of Youth. He expressed the Canadian government’s resolve to acknowledge and listen to the voices of the Canadian youth and to strengthen and empower them to bring a change in their communities and to support them to pursue their dreams. The removal of obstacles and the generation of opportunities will not only assist the youth to acquire their aims but will also help the country and the world to realize their complete potential.
