The present document becomes effective January 1, 1999 and replaces the version dated January 1, 1998.
To encourage federal organizations to hire students in order to develop a pool of qualified candidates for future
Public Service appointments.
To provide employment opportunities for Canadian students that will:
- enrich their academic programs;
- help fund their education and encourage them to complete their studies;
- develop their employability skills and improve their ability to find good jobs after graduation;
- offer insights into future employment opportunities; and
- help them evaluate their career options within the federal Public Service.
The federal Public Service is committed to offering students valuable learning assignments that represent structured
pathways from a school environment to the world of work. While students are not to be regarded as lower-cost
alternatives to regular employees, they are recognized as trainees and do not receive the same benefits as full-fledged
employees.
This policy applies to departments and agencies listed in Schedule I, Part I of the Public Service Staff
Relations Act.
To be eligible for assignment under one of the student employment programs, a candidate must meet the criteria
defined in Appendix A.
The federal Public Service supports learning assignments for non-Canadian post-secondary students who are legally
entitled to work in Canada, when reciprocal arrangements exist for an equivalent number of Canadian students studying
in foreign countries. International students, however, are not to displace Canadian students. The work experience of
international students is limited to the equivalent of 12 months of full-time work.
(a) Deputy heads or their delegates must:
(i) identify appropriate learning assignments and create a working environment that will allow students to help the
organization meet its operational needs while developing and enhancing their employability skills;
(ii) ensure that all students employed in the department are either on assignment under one of the programs
described in Student Employment Programs in the Federal Government or appointed to a classified position;
and
(iii) determine the departmental compensation strategy in accordance with the present policy and the Terms and
Conditions of Employment for Students, or obtain prior approval from the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat to
compensate students differently. This strategy will either establish departmental practices or authorize delegated
managers to determine pay rates on a case by case basis.
(b) For each assignment, managers must:
(i) develop a structured learning plan, defining what the student should accomplish (see Appendices B and C for
model learning plans) or use the generic plan provided by the academic institution combined with a description of the
specific assignment;
(ii) assess the progress of each student at the end of the assignment; and
(iii) compensate students in accordance with the departmental compensation strategy.
5.3 Compensation plan
(a) Compensation must not differ for students from co-operative and non-co-operative programs. Student salary ranges
are based on academic levels and all pay rates are proportional to the rates graduates would earn if recruited to the
federal Public Service.
(b) Students are not to be regarded as lower-cost alternatives to regular employees. Instead, managers must ensure
that, as they employ students to get work done, they also improve students' potential for future gainful employment by
developing their employability skills. This is the trade-off they are asked to assume in meeting operational needs at a
lower compensation cost than that generated by regular employees.
(c) Student rates are not directly related to the work performed, whereas classified rates are. Therefore, managers
wishing to assign students a full set of classified duties should instead appoint them to a classified position through
the regular staffing process, and pay them at the classified rate.
(d) Pay rates and other conditions of employment are specified in the Terms and Conditions of Employment for
Students. For all other situations, compensation shall match that for employees appointed for specified periods of
less than three months.
5.4 Non-paid assignments
The federal Public Service is a signatory to the Conference Board of Canada's Ethical Guidelines for Business
Education Partnerships. In keeping with the spirit of these guidelines, managers are not to use free student
labour, except when academic credit programs, primarily the Secondary School Co-op Education Program, preclude payment
of a salary, allowance, stipend or honorarium.
(a) The Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat will provide guidance to departments, consistent with its role as
corporate employer, to ensure that the federal Public Service meets its commitment to students. Therefore, the
Secretary of the Treasury Board, or his or her delegate, is authorized to develop and implement certain management
practices, which include:
- making amendments to the Terms and Conditions of Employment for Students, consistent with the objectives
and guiding principles of this policy;
- making exceptions to the Terms and Conditions of Employment for Students, consistent with the objectives
and guiding principles of this policy, when operational circumstances make it necessary to do so;
- disseminating best practices for departmental use;
- establishing a Memorandum of Understanding with the Public Service Commission of Canada that outlines
responsibilities, conditions and accountability criteria; and
- representing the federal Public Service in gatherings that address student and education-related matters that
concern employers.
(b) Under the Public Service Employment Act (PSEA), the Public Service Commission of Canada is responsible
for the recruitment and referral, including re-employment, of all candidates for student employment programs designated
by the Treasury Board, unless indicated otherwise in the program description. Under the PSEA, the Public Service
Commission of Canada may delegate some or all of this responsibility to departments.
(c) Public Works and Government Services Canada develops and maintains the salary administration systems for the
various programs.
(a) The Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat will monitor departmental performance by:
- regularly collecting departmental salary administration data directly from the compensation system;
- periodically reviewing departmental application of the policy; and
- reviewing audit and evaluation reports on the application of the policy.
(b) The Public Service Commission of Canada conducts monitoring and audit activities it deems necessary to ensure
conformity with this policy and with the Student Employment Programs Exclusion Approval Order.
This policy is issued pursuant to the Financial Administration Act, subsections 7(1) and 11(2).
Financial Administration Act
Public Service Employment Act (Student Employment Programs Exclusion Approval Order)
Public Service Staff Relations Act
Public Service Superannuation Act
Student Employment Programs in the Federal Government (January 1999)
Terms and Conditions of Employment for Students (January 1999)
http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/
8.4 Public Service Commission of Canada publications and Web site
Choices that Count
Federal Student Work Experience Program - Manager's Guide
Federal Student Work Experience Program - Student's Guide
http://www.psc-cfp.gc.ca/
For all information about the International Exchange Program, please contact:
Enquiries about this policy should be referred to the responsible officers in departmental headquarters who, in
turn, may direct questions regarding policy interpretation to the following:
Human Resources Branch
Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat
Telephone: (613) 946-7721
Facsimile: (613) 946-9313
Email: student.etudiant@tbs-sct.gc.ca
Accredited academic institution (Institution reconnue d'enseignement) - means any
institution authorized by a province or territory to grant diplomas or degrees.
Academic level (Niveau d'études) - means the student's post-secondary educational program,
that is, collegial, undergraduate, master's or Ph.D. studies. The academic level thus differs from the year of academic
study (e.g. academic year 1, academic year 2).
Employability skills (compétences relatives à l'employabilité) - The Conference Board of
Canada defines these as the generic skills, attitudes and behaviours required of the Canadian workforce. They are
developed in school and through a variety of life experiences outside school, such as work assignments. These skills
include:
- academic skills (the ability to communicate, think and learn);
- personal management skills (positive attitudes and behaviours, a sense of responsibility and adaptability in the
workplace); and
- teamwork skills (the ability to work with others).
Entitled to work in Canada (Droit de travailler au Canada) - Canadian students and
non-Canadian students with a Canadian employment authorization are entitled to work in Canada.
Student (étudiant) - To be considered for employment by the federal government under one
of the student employment programs, a person must be:
- registered as a full-time secondary or post-secondary student in an accredited institution;
- currently recognized as having full-time status by the academic institution; and
- returning to full-time studies in the next academic term.
Students who are in their final year of academic study and who are not intending to return to full-time studies are
eligible to work part-time up until the time they graduate. Managers must ensure that students hired in their final
year are not employed under a student employment program beyond their graduation date.
There are two variants:
- students with full-time status classified by their educational institution as having physical and/or emotional
disabilities; and
- adult students participating in education and retraining programs at the secondary level, operated under the
authority of a school administration.
Students in these latter categories, though not full-time students, are eligible for student employment programs
under this policy and, where an appropriate match exists, their placement is encouraged.
Student's name: ____________________________________________
Supervisor's name: _________________________________________
Student's job title: __________________________________________
The student will develop or enhance the following employability
skills: |
Expectations
|
Communication, thinking and learning skills |
Not met
|
Met
|
Exceeded
|
- communicating effectively orally, using means and styles appropriate for the audience
|
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- communicating effectively in writing, using means and styles appropriate for the audience
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- reading, understanding and using written material related to the activities
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Teamwork skills |
Not met
|
Met
|
Exceeded
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- understanding and contributing to organizational goals
|
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- understanding and working within the culture of the department
|
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- ability to co-operate with others to achieve set results
|
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Personal management skills |
Not met
|
Met
|
Exceeded
|
- displaying positive attitudes and behaviours (e.g. self-confidence, integrity, initiative and willingness to
learn)
|
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|
- ability to set goals and priorities, and able to plan and manage time and resources to achieve them
|
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- ability to begin new tasks when it is appropriate and showing the energy and persistence to get the job done
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- recognizing and respecting workplace diversity and individual differences
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- generating new or innovative ideas to get the job done when the situation warrants it
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- taking responsibility for actions and decisions
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- being adaptable to changing priorities and circumstances in the workplace
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- understanding the standards of the workplace and producing work which meets these standards while acting
responsibly and safely towards oneself and others
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Reviewed at the beginning of the student's assignment, in conjunction with the job
description (attached) |
________________________________
Student's signature |
________________________________
Supervisor's signature |
Date: ___________________________ |
Reviewed at the end of the student's assignment, in conjunction with the job
description (attached) |
________________________________
Student's signature |
________________________________
Supervisor's signature |
Date: ___________________________ |
Student's name: _____________________________________________
Supervisor's name: __________________________________________
Student's job title: ___________________________________________
The student will develop or enhance the following employability
skills: |
Expectations
|
Communication, thinking and learning skills |
Not met
|
Met
|
Exceeded
|
- communicating effectively, using means and styles appropriate for the audience
|
|
|
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- developing and delivering training sessions to groups of students
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- collecting and analyzing data related to the student labour market
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- evaluating student needs and providing advice and guidance
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- using technology and information systems effectively
|
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|
Personal management skills |
Not met
|
Met
|
Exceeded
|
- displaying positive attitudes and behaviours (e.g. self-confidence, integrity, initiative and willingness to
learn)
|
|
|
|
- ability to set goals and priorities
|
|
|
|
- ability to plan and manage time and resources
|
|
|
|
- recognizing and respecting workplace diversity and individual differences
|
|
|
|
- generating innovative ideas and strategies for delivering programs
|
|
|
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- taking responsibility for actions and decisions
|
|
|
|
- being adaptable to changing priorities and circumstances in the workplace
|
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|
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|
Teamwork skills |
Not met
|
Met
|
Exceeded
|
- planning the program activities of the office and making decisions in conjunction with others
|
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|
- understanding and contributing to organizational goals
|
|
|
|
- understanding and working within the culture of the department
|
|
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- ability to co-operate with others to achieve set results
|
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- leading others, where appropriate (for team leaders only)
|
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- providing direction, co-ordinating and influencing the work of others (for team leaders only)
|
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|
Reviewed at the beginning of the student's assignment, in conjunction with the job
description (attached) |
________________________________
Student's signature |
________________________________
Supervisor's signature |
Date: ___________________________ |
Reviewed at the end of the student's assignment, in conjunction with the job
description (attached) |
________________________________
Student's signature |
________________________________
Supervisor's signature |
Date: ___________________________ |
|