GRADWORKS INTERNSHIP PROGRAM ESTABLISHED

Released on February 16, 2005

Crown Investments Corporation (CIC) has established a program called Gradworks to provide recent post-secondary graduates with internships in Crown corporations.

"Our government is committed to building a bright future for our young people right here at home, and Gradworks is a part of that commitment," Crown Management Board Minister Pat Atkinson said. "Our Crown corporations are major employers in Saskatchewan. They are showing leadership by providing job opportunities that will allow young and aboriginal people to stay in our province to build their careers and raise their families."

Gradworks is part of a five-year, $20 million investment announced by CIC in 2003 to create more opportunities for youth and aboriginal participation in Saskatchewan's Crown corporations. Statistics show that half of the current Crown employees, or about 5,000 people, will retire by 2017. The Crowns will need to replace them with educated, skilled workers.

Gradworks will operate as a non-profit corporation which is a subsidiary of CIC. It will get its annual funding of up to $300,000 from CIC but will operate at arm's length with its own board of directors. CIC will also pay the interns' gross salary of $2,300 per month, which the Crowns may top up at their own expense.

"It's our goal to hire 250 interns altogether over the five-year life of this program," CIC Vice-president and Gradworks Board member Perry Bellegarde said. "We already have 15 interns, and are targeting 85 more this year and 50 in each of the next three years. It is especially important to ensure that these opportunities are available to aboriginal people because they are a growing segment of our population and we need to reflect that diversity in our Crown corporations."

The internships are intended for recent post-secondary graduates who have little or no work experience. Internship opportunities will be posted on the Gradworks website at www.gradworks.ca, where potential interns will register and apply for the jobs. The postings will also be available in all employment centres and post-secondary institutions in the province.

"People who have just completed their university degree or technical diploma often have trouble finding jobs because employers want experience," Atkinson said. "Our Crowns will provide valuable work experience that may lead to permanent jobs within the Crowns, and will make the interns attractive candidates for other employers."

"Our long term goal is to encourage the private sector to join this internship program," Bellegarde said. "We will all benefit by ensuring that young and aboriginal post-secondary graduates are able to enjoy successful careers here at home."

Twenty-eight new internships in the CIC Crowns have just been posted on the Gradworks website at www.gradworks.ca. More will be added as the Crowns develop opportunities.

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For More Information, Contact:

Karen Schmidt CIC Regina Phone: (306) 787-5889