Thank you to the Corporate and the Government partners

Introduction

Everybody deserves an opportunity to gain work experience. It’s not just about earning money; it’s a way to gain real-world experience such as interacting with people, getting an appreciation of working for your money and realizing the challenges that employees face in the workplace.  It is also an opportunity for students to really know if that is what they want to pursue.

Our Corporate and Government partners.

I want to thank the Corporate and Government partners who opened their doors to allow hundreds of students to work with them during the summer. I want to publicly thank Sunny Foods and IGA Smart for allowing our three boys to work there for the summer.

Your commitment to developing young talent benefits the students, future workforce, and our communities.   You did not have to hire these students.  It shows a demonstration of deep investment in our youth and their success.

Because of this our young people can dream bigger, aim higher and not only gain confidence but gain a step in the door in some of these organisations.  The National Internship and Apprenticeship program is a prime example. As far as I know most of the students that join this program ended up with full employment after the completion of the program.

Also, rather than our students being idle, they had an opportunity to be occupied through your summer employment programs.

Our students

For some students, this was their first time entering the work world. No matter what job you have during the summer, be grateful especially for the skills that you may have developed. I am quite sure many of you may have seen an improvement in your communication skills. Being punctual at work improved your time management skills.  These skills will equip you to be better at school and in life.

I also want to encourage you to save some of the money that you made during the summer no matter how small or large it was. Open a bank account and put a certain amount in it and each month put at least $100 a month. If you continue with this, you can retire early and not worry about any debts.

Conclusion

We recognize the logistical, financial, and supervisory efforts it takes to provide these opportunities. Your willingness to dedicate time and resources to support student workers speaks volumes about your leadership and your belief in the potential of the next generation.

Thank you so much for providing these opportunities. We look forward to continuous collaboration and hopefully more companies will do the same in the years to come.