2001 Provincial Employment Program

Nova Scotia’s Provincial Employment Program was unveiled today. It will create more than 1,800 summer jobs for young people this year.

Economic Development Minister Gordon Balser called the $4.67- million summer-jobs program a win-win opportunity for young Nova Scotians and their employers.

"Government is committed to providing meaningful work experience for young people," said Mr. Balser. "At the same time, hundreds of organizations across the province get talented young workers with innovative ideas."

The Provincial Employment Program (PEP) focuses on career-related summer jobs for post-secondary students and work experience for unemployed people. Currently, Economic Development administers two-thirds of the program’s budget in six areas, including student employment, co-operative-education employment, student- loan employment and university partnership.

The remaining one-third is committed to nine other programs in the departments of Education; Environment and Labour, Tourism and Culture, Community Services, Human Resources; Natural Resources; and the Nova Scotia Youth Secretariat.

Tourism and Culture Minister Rodney MacDonald said he has seen first-hand what PEP projects -- be it a summer jobs or a community project that couldn’t be achieved without PEP funds -- means to Nova Scotians in communities like Kentville, Digby or Inverness, to name a few.

"These summer jobs are sometimes a young person’s only source of career-oriented work in areas of high unemployment," Mr. MacDonald, who is also responsible for Sport and Recreation and the Nova Scotia Youth Secretariat, said at today’s announcement. "We’re helping our young people and our volunteer sector with some very worthwhile projects.”

The Provincial Employment Program reflects government’s commitment to creating jobs for students and focuses on those with the greatest need -- the not-for-profit sector and areas with high unemployment.

Employers and students requiring information about the Nova Scotia Employment Program for Students can check the Internet at www.gov.ns.ca/ecor/ced/pep/nseps/ .

The deadline for employers to submit project applications to the Department of Economic Development is March 31.