PERCÉ program searching for postsecondary students.

PERCÉ program searching for post-secondary students for paid internships next summer

Following the recent anniversary of the PERCÉ internship program, RDÉE P.E.I. has started to recruit Island postsecondary students for another season of paid internships next summer.

This season will mark the program’s 16th year.

Thirty participants are being sought to return to the Island to work with a P.E.I. employer that works in the student’s field of studies for 10 to 12 weeks. “Last summer, we hosted 31 students in the program. The interns as well as their employers all reported that they’d greatly appreciated and benefitted from their internships,” said Bonnie Gallant, executive director of RDÉE P.E.I. Recruitment launched on Dec. 6 during the organization’s annual Christmas celebration.

“If our excellent repatriation rate maintains itself, more than 80 per cent of these young people will eventually settle permanently on the Island,” she added. Over 15 years, the program has hosted 287 interns. Program supervisor Stéphane Blanchard noted that participants will also benefit from a full week of orientation and training before getting down to work in their internships.

“We get them to explore and rediscover their home province, we bring them on tours of businesses related to their field of studies and we help them establish important contacts.”

He added, “We help them to realize that it is quite possible to have a worthwhile life and career right here on P.E.I. and that they don’t necessarily have to go to Ontario or Alberta to work in their field of studies.” Qualifying candidates who are interested in participating in the program to visit the website www. percepe.ca to obtain more details and to fill out an online application form. Application deadline is March 31. It should be noted that bilingualism will be considered an asset.

Program managers will evaluate all applications and, thanks to a predetermined scoring system, will choose the 30 most deserving candidates. Once the participants are chosen, the coordinator will help them find an appropriate work location. The intern will receive the same salary that any beginner in this field would be paid.

“We are also calling on parents of university and college students from PEI to relay the message to their children that we’re looking for participants,” added Blanchard.

For more information go to www.perce.ca or contact the organization at 902-370-7333, Ext. 402.

SUBMITTED PHOTO PERCÉ assistant co-ordinator Carol Richard, RDÉE P.E.I. president Martin Marcoux and executive director Bonnie Gallant officially launched the recruiting campaign for PERCÉ 2019 during the organization’s annual Christmas party Dec. 6 in Summerside. All students interested in participating must register no later than March 31.