Bridging Mechanisms

Now that you have invested time and training into your students, you should consider student recruitment as a complete recruitment strategy! Bridging mechanisms facilitate the hiring of students who have demonstrated they would be an asset to the organization through Federal Student Work Experience Program (FSWEP) and/or Post-Secondary Co-operative Education (Co-op) and Internship Program work assignments. They allow managers to appoint students who have completed their post-secondary or vocational training program into federal Public Service jobs.

To bridge a student please consult your departmental Human Resources Advisor.

Please note that managers are not obligated to bridge their students.

The Public Service Commission (PSC) offers two merit-based bridging mechanisms to allow the appointment of students to the Public Service.

1. Advertised Mechanism

The advertised mechanism permits students to apply in internal appointment processes when the following conditions apply:

• persons appointed within Student Employment Programs are specifically included in the area of selection determined for the internal appointment process being held;
• he/she meets all other criteria of the area of selection; and
• the student is able to demonstrate that he/she is capable of completing the post-secondary program or vocational training program in which he/she was registered at the time of his/her most recent appointment within the Student Employment Programs, within the time frame indicated on the advertisement.

2. Non-Advertised Mechanism

In December 2005, when the new Public Service Employment Act is implemented, the PSC's former without competition bridging mechanism disappears. Deputy Heads may introduce this mechanism into their non-advertised appointment frameworks. We continue to encourage organizations to follow the spirit and principles of current student bridging mechanisms.

In determining the circumstances in which it would be appropriate to make non-advertised appointment without competition from outside the Public Service, the department should consider the following:

• What is the impact of using this mechanism on the developmental/promotional opportunities of other employees?
• Is the mechanism being applied and seen to be applied in an impartial manner (i.e. free from political and bureaucratic patronage)?
• Does the appointment assist the department in achieving a representative workforce?