The following statement was given today in the House of Assembly by the Honourable Gerry Byrne, Minister of Immigration, Skills and Labour:

Mr. Speaker, it’s a pleasure today to highlight the success of this summer’s student employment programming.

Each year, we create employment opportunities for students that provide valuable work experience while supporting employers from the private, not-for-profit, and municipal sectors.

Despite the constraints of a public health emergency, this year we enabled approximately 900 employers to provide employment and experience for 1,024 students.

Mr. Speaker, we all understand that, while important, measures such as physical distancing and isolation can take a toll on mental health, especially for seniors and other vulnerable members of our community who are already at heightened risk of loneliness and feelings of depression.

Our government established the new Students Supporting Communities Program to help address these concerns. I am proud to say this new program enabled 73 employers to create student-driven projects to assist people in the province, helping them stay connected to family, friends, and their communities during this difficult period. Their innovative ideas included a broad range of initiatives, such as technology support, virtual tutorials, community gardens, and even help getting groceries and prescriptions.

Mr. Speaker, our government also continues to work with community partners to ensure students get summer employment opportunities. The Department of Immigration, Skills and Labour is again providing funding for the AMPLIFY program, which stands for Assisting my Potential- Labour Market Initiative for Youth.

This program combines an enriched summer employment experience with skill development opportunities for resilient youth. The Community Sector Council of Newfoundland and Labrador aimed to help 100 youth. I am pleased to report they have far exceeded that goal, helping 130 youth from throughout the province with employment and career development opportunities.

Mr. Speaker, I invite all members of this Honourable House to join me in thanking the employers who provided students with opportunities, as well as the students who took initiative to help their communities this summer.

Thank you.