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What do I do Now?

You've just finished school, received the long awaited degree you worked so hard for...what's next? You got it, it's time to hit the workforce! What's out there? Where do you look? Answering these questions is something which is not always easy. The purpose of this article is to help you get a head start. Following, are a list of programs which can be relevant and useful for those of you who have just finished school and are willing to begin working.

Let us first begin with the Youth Employment Strategy and see what it has to offer. For those of you who are interested in starting your own company, the following are programs which may help you begin you business career. Canada Futures Development Corporations help young people recognise their entrepreneurial goals and start a small business. Services include mentoring and counselling as well as guidance in business planning; development and operations; and access to small-business loans.

Information can be obtained from any of the 100 offices of the Community Futures Development Corporations located throughout Western Canada. The Canada Futures Development Corporations are partners of Western Economic Diversification Canada. For more information, please visit: www.wd.gc.ca

There is always the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) that offers financial and consulting services to help small Canadian businesses grow. BDC's vast range of consulting services is designed to meet the needs of entrepreneurs at every stage of business development. The Bank also has programs specially designed to meet the needs of high technology or knowledge-based businesses, exporters, Aboriginal enterprises and emerging markets. For more information, call the BDC branch nearest you or visit: www.bdc.ca.

For those of you who are still looking for that first time work experience, a good choice would be an internship in a field related to your educational background. An example of this is the Co-operative Education/Internships program. It provides students with an opportunity to gain valuable experience related to their current academic field of study and prepares them for a successful transition from school to the world of work. The Public Service of Canada works with post-secondary educational institutions to provide students with relevant and practical work experience as required by their co-op/internship program. Post-secondary students enrolled in a Public Service Commission approved co-operative education or internship program are eligible to apply. More information can be found on their web-site at: www.jobs.gc.ca.

Another program which might also interest recent master's graduates is the Department of National Defence Security and Defence Forum Internship Program. The Internship Program helps recent master's graduates with a background in security and defence studies gain work experience through a one-year placement in a research or related position in a Canadian organisation other than university or government organisation. Internships are valued at up to $24,000 for 12 months (pro-rated for shorter periods). Participating organisations are encouraged to supplement this amount with additional funds. Approximately six non-renewable internships are awarded each year. All applicants must hold a master's degree and be Canadian citizens or permanent residents at the time of application. Applications must be submitted to the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada (AUCC). More information can be found at http://www.aucc.ca.

For those of you who have finished school and desire to travel abroad to find employment, the Youth Employment Strategy offers information on exchanges organised by the federal government and other countries. An example of this is the Working Holiday Program (United Kingdom). This program enables Canadian students and non-students to holiday in the United Kingdom for an extended period of time and to work occasionally to cover incidental expenses. No employer-specific work permit is issued to Canadians under this program. Canadian citizens can remain up to two years. Jobs are usually available in retail, offices and pubs and other hospitality/service establishments. To be eligible, candidates must be Commonwealth citizens 17 to 27 years of age and must demonstrate a good working knowledge of English. They must also have a valid passport and sufficient funds to travel in the United Kingdom. Candidates should apply at least eight weeks before their proposed departure date. Application for a visa must be made to a diplomatic or consular mission of the United Kingdom in Canada. Candidates can also apply through the Student Work Abroad Program (SWAP).

So as you can see, many options are out there for you once you have finished school. We have just barely touched the surface in this article. More information concerning all programs related to the Youth Employment Strategy can be found at www.youth.gc.ca. You may also come to the Youth Café and pick up your own copy of the Government of Canada Youth Link.

This article has been provided by Youth Café - A Service Canada Access Centre located in downtown Montreal that offers youth the necessary tools for a full and active social participation, all in one place.

The Café's mission is to offer better access to information, services, programs and ressources from most federal departments as well as the Youth Employment Strategy.

We ecourage you to visit Youth Café next time you are in Montreal or visit a Service Canada Centre near you.