Internship program supported
Program encourages students to stay on P.E.I. to work
With a mission to support entrepreneurial and community economic development within the Acadian and francophone communities in Prince Edward Island, the Réseau de développement économique et d’employabilité (RDÉE Î.-P.-É. Inc.) continues to play an important role in growing the Island economy.
The federal and provincial governments encourage students to stay and work on the Island after graduation, and the RDÉE’s summer student internship program for bilingual and francophone students supports that goal.
Robert Morrissey, MP for Egmont, on behalf of Navdeep Bains, minister of innovation, science and economic development and minister responsible for ACOA, and Sonny Gallant, P.E.I. minister of workforce and advanced learning, have announced support for RDÉE Î.-P.-É. Inc. to deliver its 2017 summer employment program called Programme d’entrepreneurship régionale, communautaire, et économique (PERCÉ).
“The Government of Canada continues to invest in the future of young adults. I am pleased to announce support for PERCÉ, a program that offers benefits to program participants, PEI businesses, and the provincial economy. RDÉE offers a rewarding experience to francophone and bilingual students and encourages them to begin their careers on the Island,” Morrissey said in a news release recently.
ACOA will provide a non-repayable contribution of $97,950 through its Business Development Program (BDP). The Government of PEI will provide ($47,000).
This summer marks the 14th year of the PERCÉ program that is nationally recognized and was designed to retain young Islanders once they graduate from their field of study.
Thirty students have been approved for the 2017 program, which includes a week-long training session on employment skills. The 12-week paid summer internship program provides valuable work experience and offers the opportunity to make business connections for future employment.