Here's another helpful hint for our small business owners there....

How many of you have heard of the Youth Skills BC Workplace Pilot Program?

The program is designed to provide participants (eligible youth between 15 and 29 years of age) with the skills that are required to be successful in the labour market. 

BC Employers will be able to hire up to three participants and potentially receive up to a maximum of $2,000 per participant as a hiring incentive. 

Further funding up to $1,000 for each participant will be available for employers that enroll the participant in an approved training course.  The additional training fund will ensure the new hire has the skills/certification required to perform their job duties.

 Basic Eligibility and Criteria:

• Employers must have been in operation for a minimum of one year and be registered and in good standing with WorkSafeBC. 
• Participant (Youth) must be between the ages of 15 and 29; be currently unemployed; not be a full-time student, be a legal resident of BC and legally entitled to work in Canada; and not be an employment insurance client.
• Participants must be employed for a minimum of 30 hours per week and the employment contract must include a minimum employment term of 3 months.

Yes it's February and summer seems a million miles away... but with signs the economy is recovering - you may well be facing a labour shortage in coming months.

The training program gives younger workers a chance to get trained up - and help your business - while you get a tax credit for helping create jobs and keep the economic recovery going.

For further details on eligibility and criteria, go to: http://www.bowmanemployment.com/ysbc/

Applications will be accepted until March 31, 2013.  

For a copy of the application go to:  http://www.bowmanemployment.com/app.pdf