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NOHFC to spend $11 million this year for Northern internship program

The Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation is renewing its commitment to subsidize internships that will give those looking for their first job a foot in the door while allowing them to keep both feet in the region.
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The NOHFC's Northern Ontario Internship Program has created 845 internships throughout the region in the last two years, including 91 in Thunder Bay. (Jon Thompson, tbnewswatch.com)

The Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation is renewing its commitment to subsidize internships that will give those looking for their first job a foot in the door while allowing them to keep both feet in the region.

The Northern Ontario Internship Program will spend $11.6 million this year to create 435 paid internships in the public, private and not-for-profit sectors.

That works out to a $26,666.67 provincial subsidy per job but the program is able to commit up to $31,500 to fund 90 per cent of every public sector job and 50 per cent of every intern for the private sector. After 12 months, employers are even able to reapply and keep the same intern for a second year at the same subsidy rate.

Minister of Northern Development and Mines Michael Gravelle praised the program’s $21.4 million investment that has created 845 internships over the last two years, 91 of which have been in Thunder Bay.

Gravelle pointed out 60 per cent of those interns have gone on to gain some form of full time employment after completing their placements.

He argued that figure represents Northern Ontario retaining its young, educated and talented professionals. 

“With the skill set they have, they’d be going to Southern Ontario. They’d be going to other jurisdictions,” Gravelle said.

“We do so commonly hear people saying, ‘we can’t find jobs that fit our skill set.’ That’s what this program is all about and we designed it with that in mind, understanding that both the public and private sector would be grateful.”

The Thunder Bay Regional Research Institute took on Omendra Adhikary in 2012 and after a year of proving his worth as an intern, the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre hired him as a capital planner.

Adhikary said the institute and the hospital worked so closely together that his new employer was able to see him showcasing his work as part of a team.

“It’s difficult in the course of an hour or two interview to show what you’re capable of – what you’re actually capable of – but within this year, it gives you an opportunity to show people what your skills are,” he said.

“I have communications skills. Here it is in action. I have coordination skills. You can see how this would be almost a better job interview process. This allowed for myself and a lot of my colleagues to demonstrate this ability and we’re really thankful for it.”

 





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