Graduate internship program offered

The province of P.E.I. and Ottawa are coming together to jointly fund an internship program that will pay 70 per cent of a recent graduate's wages for one year.

Islanders who graduated with their university degree or college diploma in the past five years can apply. The program which will be cost shared by the province and Ottawa will cost $2.4 million in the first year.

Innovation Minister Allen Roach said the program is in response to a workforce study done by UPEI. Of the 600 Island businesses that took part in the study, 60 per cent said they experienced difficulty finding qualified candidates with the proper experience and skills.

"They talked about the skilled labour force, and you know when you talk about that and they can't seem to find that when we have so many graduates coming out of both secondary institutions, and I think that's where the government of Prince Edward Island comes in with this particular program," said Roach.

"We are providing that opportunity now to match up that skilled labour force with the businesses who have clearly identified that there is a need there, and encourage that."

Roach hopes the program will help stop the out-migration of young people.

The program begins this year, and ads will be appearing in local papers soon.