Building essential job skills is the goal of a new youth program offered at the YMCA of Greater Saint John starting next month.
Y IGNITE aims to equip anyone aged 15 to 30 with transferable workplace skills through crash courses, mentorships and hands-on employment within various departments at the Y.
The first cohort is set to begin in June 2022.
Jiaojiao Meng, chair of the YMCA Youth Council, said in a Wednesday interview that the program continues the council’s mission of inspiring youth in the community and developing resources for anyone entering the workforce.
“It’s quite exciting for us because this program is for everyone,” said Meng. “Not only for our Canadian citizens but also for our newcomers and international students — anybody who is looking to expand their skills.
Meng said the youth council created Y IGNITE after its members felt that Saint John youth would benefit from a training centre. Once students graduate from the program, she said they walk away with job experiences and other transferable skills they can add to their resumes.
Each participant will go through a development journey, which includes on-the-job training, one-on-one mentorship and weekly professional development courses. Several workshops also focus on finances, equity and even confidence building.
Meng said young adults often face gaps when accessing job development resources.
“There is a gap in the community and also in schools,” she said.
“That is something we are looking forward to — filling the gap for our youth in the workforce and also helping to prepare them for their employment and also education goals in the future.”
To help bridge that gap, New Brunswick’s Department of Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour will provide funding to “help develop the talent pipeline and support the leaders of tomorrow in southeastern New Brunswick.”
Trevor Holder, minister of post-secondary education, training and labour, said in a news release one of the biggest issues facing New Brunswick is a shortage of workers, but added that programs like Y IGNITE are vital to “creating pathways to employment.”
“We are proud to partner with the YMCA through WorkingNB to provide valuable professional learning experiences that will benefit our youth and their future professional lives, while preparing them to join New Brunswick’s labour force,” said Holder in the release.
