PERCÉ interns employed across P.E.I.
Thanks to PERCÉ internships, a record of 34 university and college students from P.E.I. were able to gain valuable, paid work experience in their field of studies in their home province this summer. The previous record was 25 students.
During this 14th edition of the program, these young francophone and anglophone students shared a combined total of 360 weeks of work, employed in a vast array of fields with employerhs from Alberton to Souris.
Twelve of the interns worked in health-related summer jobs – a field that is always extremely popular and in high demand since the program was established. Four interns worked in early childhood jobs, another priority sector on P.E.I. The other interns’ fields of employment were environment and sciences, administration and finance, youth support, tourism, theatre, engineering, marketing, human resources and politics.
“Our interns worked, for example, in seniors’ care facilities, hospitals, day care centres or for community groups, environmental protection organizations, an amusement centre, a theatre, the provincial legislature, an investment firm, a university and even a distillery,” said co-ordinator Carol Richard.
She added that the interns noted in their evaluations that they had learned a lot during their summer placements and greatly appreciated the opportunity to come and work on in their home province of P.E.I. in their field of studies.
Similarly, she added, employers were pleased with the performance of their interns, who were always ready to learn and to try new things. Following the internships, some of the employers offered their students part-time work as they continue their post-secondary studies this fall.
“Several of them told us they really would have liked to keep their interns on a permanent basis, but they of course understood that these young adults have to complete their final years of studies,” said Richard. “But after they’ve completed their degree, these graduates will certainly be welcomed to knock on the doors of their internship employers to see if they have any openings.”
Surveys of former PERCÉ participants consistently show a retention rate of about 82 per cent.
RDÉE Prince Edward Island is the provincial francophone economic development council that manages the PERCÉ program.
Stéphane Blanchard, RDÉE’s youth development officer, says the council doesn’t have to do much publicity for the program, which received about 100 applicants this year.
“It is mostly our former participants – both employees and employers – who do most of our promotion,” said Blanchard. “They talk to their friends about the positive experiences they’ve had with PERCÉ. So essentially, all we have to do is announce the start of the recruiting campaign and right away, the applications start pouring in.”
The RDÉE has been able to increase the number of internships due to increased funding through contributions from the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency’s Business Development Program and from the provincial Department of Workforce and Advanced Learning.