- Options Youth is a employment wage subsidy program funded by Service Canada and facilitated by the Saint Mary’s University Entrepreneurship Centre and Enactus Saint Mary’s. The program consist of personalized skill training and paid work placements to help Nova Scotian youth overcome barriers to enter the workforce.
- This program seeks to connect youth with employers for a 700 hour work term to gain experience necessary to get employed, and stay employed. Participants will engage in virtual training throughout the program via the Options Online learning platform to engage further upskill their toolbox.
Apprenticeship START Program
• The objective of the Apprenticeship START program is to encourage employers to register, retain and support their apprentices to completion during their apprenticeship journey.
• The program has a focus of small to medium-sized businesses/organizations including not-for-profits and social enterprises that have business locations and jobs in Nova Scotia.
• Employers can receive up to $25,000 in funding for the duration of the apprenticeship. If the employer hires an apprentice from an under-represented group, the funding increases to $30,000.
Innovate to Opportunity (ITO)
• Innovate to Opportunity (ITO) is helping well-educated graduates start their careers in Nova Scotia while helping businesses become more innovative and export-oriented.
• The program provides an incentive to hire recent masters and PhD grads for jobs that are focused on research and innovation that will help businesses begin, prepare for or expand exports.
• This program is available to small and medium-sized businesses with up to 500 full-time employees operating in Nova Scotia.
To be eligible for the program, employers must create a new full-time position that:
○ is based in Nova Scotia
○ is focused on innovation
○ pays at least $60,000 a year
• All organizations that apply for (ITO) must first register as a LaMPSS organization (Labour Market Programs Support System). This is a one-time registration process that allows you to create an account and apply for the (ITO) program through the LaMPSS online platform.
The Start Program
- The Start Program encourages employers to hire Nova Scotians requiring work experience.
- Financial incentives will be provided to employers with a labour need willing to support ready-to-work Nova Scotians.
- Has a focus on small to medium-sized enterprises and not-for-profit organizations with an identified vacancy or need are eligible for support.
- All organizations that apply for START must first register as a LaMPSS organization (Labour Market Programs Support System). This is a one-time registration process that allows you to create an account and apply for the START program through the LaMPSS online platform.
Co-operative Education Incentive
- The Co-operative Education Incentive provides wage assistance to organizations that offer career-related work experiences for university and college co-operative students.
- The work placement must be endorsed in advance by a university or college Coop Coordinator.
- All organizations that apply for CEI must first register as a LaMPSS organization (Labour Market Programs Support System). This is a one-time registration process that allows you to create an account and apply for the CEI program through the LaMPSS online platform.
Businesses Start-up Funding Programs
- The available programs offer businesses start-up funding for equipment, to hire employees and develop markets. It provides information on some of the many private and public programs, services and funds that are available in Nova Scotia.
Canada Summer Jobs Program
- The Canada Summer Jobs Program is committed to providing quality work experience for young people between the ages of 15-30.
- The core focus of the program is to help young people gain new work skills, experience and abilities to help enter the labour workforce.
- Provides wage subsidies to employers from not-for-profit organizations, the public-sector and private sector organizations with 50 or fewer full-time employees.
Atlantic Immigration Program
- The Atlantic Immigration Program is a pathway to permanent residence for skilled foreign workers and international graduates from a Canadian institution who want to work and live in 1 of Canada’s 4 Atlantic provinces—New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island or Newfoundland and Labrador.
- The program helps employers hire qualified candidates for jobs they haven’t been able to fill locally.
Graduate to Opportunity (GTO)
- The Graduate to Opportunity Program is helping to build a stronger workforce and retain young people in Nova Scotia with a salary incentive that makes it easier to hire recent graduates.
- To qualify for the program, you must be a small business with less than 100 employees.
- The position must be new, permanent, full-time and pay at least $30,000 a year.
- Graduates who are eligible to be hired through the program must meet the following criteria:an individual who has successfully completed a post-secondary program within one year of the date the employer application is submitted.
- All organizations that apply for GTO must first register as a LaMPSS organization (Labour Market Programs Support System). This is a one-time registration process that allows you to create an account and apply for the GTO program through the LaMPSS online platform.
GradWorks: Employer Incentive Program
- The GradWorks: Employer Incentive Program matches small to medium-sized businesses across Nova Scotia with skilled and talented NSCC graduates from three eligible programs.
- To participate in this program, a graduate must have completed an eligible NSCC program within the last three years.
- GradWorks is available to graduates from the following programs: Human Resource Management (Graduate Certificate), Industrial Engineering Technology (Diploma) and Occupational Health & Safety (Diploma).