Canada's Top Employers for Young People (2023)

u Saint-Laurent, Que.-based CAE Inc. offers a special leadership development program (‘LEAP’) to train and identify the company’s leaders of tomorrow.

METHODOLOGY:

Match your degree or diploma with employers that recruit new grads with your academic background

Published annually since 1992, The Career Directory is Canada’s longest-running and best-loved career guide for new graduates.

Each year, our editorial team reviews thousands of employers to determine the academic qualifications they seek in younger job-seekers.

The result is a wonderful, free guide that helps new graduates find student jobs that make the most of their university degree or college diploma.

CareerDirectory.ca

Match your degree or diploma with employers that actively recruit new grads with your educational qualifications!

CANADA’S TOP EMPLOYERS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE

Anthony Meehan, PUBLISHER

Editorial Team:

Richard Yerema, EXECUTIVE EDITOR

Kristina Leung, MANAGING EDITOR

Stephanie Leung, EDITOR

Chantel Watkins, ASSISTANT EDITOR

Juliane Fung, RESEARCH EDITOR

Sonja Verpoort, RESEARCH ASSISTANT

Jing Wang, RESEARCH ASSISTANT

Advertising Team:

Ye Jin Suhe, MANAGER, PUBLISHING

Chariemagne Kuizon, JUNIOR COORDINATOR

Vishnusha Kirupananthan, BRANDING & GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Sabrina Wu, SENIOR CONTENT & PUBLISHING SPECIALIST

Sponsored Profile Writers:

Berton Woodward, SENIOR EDITOR

Brian Bergman

Brian Bethune

Deb Bourk

Abigail Cukier

Mary Dickie

Jane Doucet

Peter Hendra

D’Arcy Jenish

Bruce McDougall

Kelsey Rolfe

Nora Underwood

Barbara Wickens

Our 2023 edition of Canada’s Top Employers for Young People continues one of the longest-running competitions within the Canada’s Top 100 Employers project. For more than two decades, the competition has highlighted the nation’s best workplaces for young people starting their careers – and this year is no exception.

In the pages of this year’s announcement magazine, you’ll discover progressive employers that are paving the way for tomorrow’s leaders. The common thread that runs through each is that each of this year’s winners provides meaningful work experience, while ensuring young people have a seat at the table.

This year, our editorial team has paid special attention to workplaces that offer comprehensive learning and development opportunities, provide clear pathways to advancement, and align the organization’s values with issues that are important to young people.

These recent trends are of course in addition to the traditional programs our editors review in terms of how employers attract and retain younger workers. These include benefits such as tuition assistance and the availability of co-op or work-study programs. We also examine each employer’s mentorship and training

programs, including benefits such as bonuses paid when employees complete certain courses or professional designations. We review each employer’s career management programs, looking for initiatives that can assist younger workers advance in the organization. Lastly, our editors also look at the average age of employees at each employer to better understand the composition and profile of their workforce.

The result is a ‘catalogue of best practices’ when it comes to recruiting and retaining younger employees. For each of this year’s winners, you can read our editors’ detailed reasons for selection explaining why the employer was chosen. These reasons, along with hundreds of additional photos and stories, are available online at: www.canadastop100.com/yp

If you are a student about to embark on your career, we hope you find inspiration in the pages that follow – and gain a better understanding of what Canada’s best employers are doing to help young people build a career.

If you’re an employer that’s interested in ‘raising the bar’ when it comes to best practices, we invite you to contact our editorial team at ct100@mediacorp.ca to learn how to be considered for next year’s competition.

– Tony Meehan

 Faced with the lowest unemployment rates in decades, Canadian employers are redoubling efforts to attract and retain recent graduates interested in building their careers.

2023 MAGAZINE

Introduction

When it comes to choosing an employer, young people are asking important questions – about diversity and inclusion, transparency, flexibility, sustainability, community, continuous learning and career development. They want an organization that aligns with their own values, where they can grow in the job and feel welcome to bring their authentic selves to work – whether hybrid, remote or in-person. That’s why Canada’s Top Employers for Young People 2023, selected by Mediacorp Canada Inc., is a good place to start.

These organizations are ready with a huge range of programs and the structured support that young people need to succeed, from internships and co-ops to mentoring, tuition subsidies and networking. For many, a deep investment in students and new graduates is foundational, such as BlackBerry in Waterloo, Ont., where 20 per cent of its open roles are targeted for new grads, with the company hiring hundreds of students each year in paid positions on four- to 12-month contracts.

Many of these employers have also acted to create opportunities for youth that make a real difference in their industry. For instance, Toronto’s Blake, Cassels & Graydon law firm recently partnered with the Canadian Association of Black Lawyers, Ontario Bar Association and other professional service firms to develop the Avenue: Black Undergraduate Law Internship Program for Black students across Canada who may be interested in a legal career.

Bruce Power in Tiverton, Ont., is another great example, offering internships through its Women in Nuclear Engineering Internship Program specifically for Ontario tech students who identify as women and pairing them with a local Women in Nuclear mentor.

The winners of Canada’s Top Employers for Young People 2023 by Mediacorp continue to set the standard for doing business in Canada with best practices, particularly when it comes to delivering what the next generation wants. Gen Z, this one is for you.

– Diane Jermyn

ABB CANADA, Saint-Laurent, Que. Engineering and technology services; 2,971 employees. Maintains a global trainee program to support the development of the next generation of leaders.

ABORIGINAL PEOPLES TELEVISION NETWORK INC. / APTN, Winnipeg. Television broadcasting; 152 employees. Offers a formalized mentorship program that incorporates Indigenous elements for learning.

ACCENTURE INC., Toronto. Professional services; 5,682 employees. Provides valuable work experience to young people facing barriers to employment through a dedicated apprenticeship program, in partnership with NPower.

AIG INSURANCE COMPANY OF CANADA, Toronto. Insurance; 417 employees. Manages a 10-week summer internship program that includes three days of orientation and training.

202 3 WINNERS

AMD / ADVANCED MICRO DEVICES, INC., Markham, Ont. Computer technology manufacturing; 2,870 employees. Manages several leadership development programs to develop employees into future leaders of the organization.

AMEX BANK OF CANADA, Toronto. Credit card issuing; 1,733 employees. Supports interns on their journey to honing a career path by hosting ‘Day in my Role’ sessions.

ARCELORMITTAL DOFASCO G.P., Hamilton. Iron and steel mills; 4,765 employees. Established the ArcelorMittal Dofasco High Skills Major program for high school students to explore STEM-related careers in the advanced manufacturing industry.

ATCO GROUP, Calgary. Energy, transportation and infrastructure development; 5,336 employees. Manages a chartered professional accountant program with

 Vancouver-based Perkins&Will Canada Architects provides excellent training opportunities to help new grads advance, including regular ‘lunch & learn’ sessions.

rotations of between six and 12 months in various business units.

AUSENCO ENGINEERING CANADA INC., Burnaby, B.C. Engineering; 530 employees. Manages undergraduate and graduate programs that give students the opportunity to gain valuable work experience and grow their professional networks.

BASF CANADA INC., Mississauga. Chemical manufacturing; 1,089 employees. Recruits nearly 150 summer students each year in a variety of departments and functions.

BC HYDRO, Vancouver. Hydroelectric power generation; 6,533 employees. Trains future CPC technologists through the communications protection and control technologist trainee program.

BC PUBLIC SERVICE, Victoria. Provincial government; 33,041 employees. Encourages Indigenous students to bring their unique perspectives to the organization and consider a career in public service through the Indigenous Youth Internship program.

BELL CANADA, Verdun, Que. Communications; 34,983 employees. Manages a number of graduate leadership programs to help cultivate the next generation of leaders.

BLACKBERRY LTD., Waterloo, Ont. Secure software and services; 1,720 employees. Maintains a dedicated, student-led Blackberry Student Social Committee with chapters in the company’s Waterloo, Ottawa and Mississauga locations.

BLAKE, CASSELS & GRAYDON LLP , Toronto. Law firm; 1,340 employees. Hires

first-year associates from its articling class and other law firms, who undergo a dedicated orientation program.

BOSTON CONSULTING GROUP OF CANADA ULC, THE, Toronto. Management consulting; 475 employees. Hosts a Bridge to Consulting workshop for students from underrepresented groups to explore life as an associate at the firm.

BRUCE POWER LP, Tiverton, Ont. Nuclear power generation; 4,187 employees. Offers internships specifically for Ontario Tech students who identify as women through the Women in Nuclear Engineering Internship Program.

CAE INC., Saint-Laurent, Que. Aviation and defence systems; 4,456 employees. Aims to create a talent pipeline for future leaders through the LEAP leadership development program.

CANADA REVENUE AGENCY / CRA, Ottawa. Federal government; 55,588 employees. Manages an Indigenous Student Employment Program, providing employment opportunities to secondary and post-secondary students in various streams.

CGI INC., Toronto. Information technology; 10,829 employees. Offers a new graduate program focused on developing technical skills, with the objective of building technology leaders in various areas.

CIBC, Toronto. Banking; 40,048 employees. Created a Student Leadership Academy program for incoming co-op and summer students, offering business-led presentations, panel and workshop events.

CITI CANADA, Mississauga. Banking; 2,297 employees. Manages a number of new graduate and campus programs to provide recent grads with opportunities to gain career-level experience.

q ABB Canada offers a global trainee program (‘Early Talents’) to support the development of its next generation of leaders.

CLIO, Burnaby, B.C. Computer software; 708 employees. Prepares new employees for success with an in-depth onboarding program lasting anywhere from six weeks to three months.

COLAB SOFTWARE INC., St. John’s. Software; 67 employees. Recruits two to four interns per year from their local university’s faculties of computer science, engineering and business.

COMMUNICATIONS SECURITY

ESTABLISHMENT / CSE, Ottawa. Federal government; 3,236 employees. Offers a unique service buyback option for students who become permanent employees to “buy back” the service gained during their student terms.

CORUS ENTERTAINMENT INC. , Toronto. Media production and broadcasting; 3,076 employees. Maintains a focus on diversity and inclusion in their entry-level recruitment efforts.

CSL GROUP INC., Montreal. Marine shipping and transportation; 920 employees. Recruits candidates for its cadet program, which includes opportunities to complete sea time and apprentice training onboard domestic and international vessels.

D2L CORP., Kitchener, Ont. Software publishers; 963 employees. Supports co-op students and new graduates entering a software development role through the Desire 2 Teach program.

DENTONS CANADA LLP, Edmonton. Law firm; 1,357 employees. Maintains the Foundations Education Series, a dedicated curriculum for new lawyers throughout their first three years of practice.

DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE CANADA, Ottawa. Federal government; 796 employees. Manages a dedicated buddy program to guide new hires through the onboarding process and help them build connections.

DESJARDINS GROUP / MOUVEMENT

DESJARDINS, Lévis, Que. Financial institution; 48,129 employees. Maintains a Young Executives Network for managers under the age of 35, which organizes a number of activities for members.

DIAMOND SCHMITT ARCHITECTS

INC., Toronto. Architecture; 268 employees. Offers young employees access to the Diamond Schmitt University training platform and the recently launched DSUonline virtual learning management system.

 Hamilton-based ArcelorMittal Dofasco developed a special high school program to encourage students to explore STEM-related careers in advanced manufacturing.

ARCELORMITTAL DOFASCO

 Calgary-based ATCO provides rotations for students from some fields to gain experience at different business units.

2023 WINNERS

DLA PIPER (CANADA) LLP , Vancouver. Law firm; 505 employees. Hosts legal administrative assistant practicum placements, providing students with formal on-the-job training and mentoring.

EMERA INC. , Halifax. Electric power generation and distribution and gas distribution; 2,468 employees. Encourages co-op students to connect with their peers through the co-op buddy program, developed to provide support by pairing two co-op students together.

EMPLOYMENT AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT CANADA, Gatineau, Que. Federal government; 37,334 employees. Provides new employees and students with an onboarding road map to help them integrate into the workplace.

EPCOR UTILITIES INC. , Edmonton. Electric power distribution and water treatment; 2,988 employees. Offers a three-year rotational management and professional development program for commerce and business administration graduates.

EXPORT DEVELOPMENT CANADA , Ottawa. International trade financing and support; 2,019 employees. Offers development opportunities, resources and support to students and young professionals through its dedicated Growing Professionals Committee.

EY, Toronto. Accounting; 7,318 employees. Provides interns access to cutting-edge virtual learning programs, networking opportunities and information from EY’s industry leaders.

FIDELITY CANADA , Toronto. Portfolio management; 1,407 employees. Manages a robust student program across Canada, featuring skills development workshops and Q&A with the president and senior executives.

FISHERIES AND OCEANS CANADA AND THE CANADIAN COAST GUARD, Ottawa. Federal government; 13,705 employees. Maintains a dedicated pan-regional Your Professional Network to provide employees with professional development, networking and learning opportunities.

FLUOR CANADA LTD., Calgary. Engineering; 1,277 employees. Hosts an annual off-site GAP Conference where members can network with managers and learn more about the company’s key business elements.

 Bell Canada offers a range of leadership development programs to identify promising employees early in their careers.

 Neil is a developer on the Build Team at the headquarters of CoLab Software in St. John’s.

PHOTOS (CLOCKWISE FROM TOP):

1. Employees working on the Job Bank app at Employment and Social Development Canada in the National Capital Region.

2. The cadet program at CSL Group lets recent grads complete sea time and apprentice training onboard the company’s vessels.

3. Calgary-based Fluor Canada holds an annual offsite conference where recent grads network with managers to learn more about the company’s operations.

4. Guy Cormier, president of Desjardins Group, speaks to young employees about bursaries from the Desjardins Foundation.

FORD MOTOR CO. OF CANADA, LTD., Oakville, Ont. Automobile manufacturing; 6,570 employees. Created a special leadership course entitled Thirty Under 30 to provide a unique opportunity to work with non-profit organizations and learn civic engagement skills.

GFT TECHNOLOGIES CANADA

INC., Quebec City. Software development; 387 employees. Supports each employee in creating an individual development plan based on their development needs and goals.

GIANTS & GENTLEMEN

ADVERTISING INC. , Toronto. Advertising; 19 employees. Manages a paid full-time ‘Genternship’ program for recent graduates who are interested in advertising and gaining experience in a creative agency.

GROUNDSWELL CLOUD SOLUTIONS INC., Vancouver. Cloud-based software; 84 employees. Launched Camp ProSurf, a five-week onboarding program for new graduates and interns that includes workshops and self-paced learning modules.

GROUPE DYNAMITE INC., Montreal. Retail; 1,367 employees. Manages a robust 12-week summer internship program including opportunities for participants to have a hands-on role in projects.

HALIFAX REGIONAL MUNICIPALITY , Halifax. Municipal government; 3,905 employees. Offers a four-year Engineers-in-Training program that supports aspiring engineers in obtaining their professional designation.

HAMILTON HEALTH SCIENCES CORP., Hamilton. Healthcare; 7,743 employees. Hires young nurses through the Nursing Graduate Guarantee funding program. HATCH LTD., Mississauga. Engineering; 3,653 employees. Offers several mentorship opportunities to connect employees of all experience levels.

HEALTH CANADA / SANTÉ CANADA, Ottawa. Federal government; 9,987 employees. Maintains a student bridging inventory that provides hiring managers with a pool of recent graduates with federal government experience to be considered for permanent roles.

HOLLAND BLOORVIEW KIDS REHABILITATION HOSPITAL, Toronto. Hospitals; 527 employees. Offers a robust Interprofessional Education Program to help students develop the

practice of collaborative, client- and family-centred care.

HOSPITAL FOR SICK CHILDREN, THE, Toronto. Hospitals; 6,129 employees. Offers a preceptorship program, connecting experienced staff with novice health care practitioners and students as they learn to apply their practice.

IMPERIAL OIL LTD., Calgary. Oil and gas production and distribution; 5,429 employees. Provides ongoing learning and development opportunities for employees at all stages of their careers.

INTERIOR HEALTH AUTHORITY, Kelowna, B.C. Hospitals; 18,555 employees. Partners with the University of British Columbia to offer a one-year post-graduate experiential learning program for students studying pharmacy.

JAZZ AVIATION LP, Goffs, N.S. Air transportation; 4,768 employees. Launched The Jazz Aviation Pathways Program for Flight Attendants, a year-long program for aspiring flight attendants to gain their eligibility requirements.

KEURIG DR PEPPER CANADA , Montreal. Coffee distribution and brewing equipment; 1,445 employees. Offers internships for undergraduate students completing their second or third year in a variety of fields, including marketing, supply chain, finance and IT.

KINAXIS INC., Ottawa. Software developer; 670 employees. Hosted its seventh annual week-long hackathon, challenging employees to utilize their skills and creativity to improve and innovate on its products and processes.

KPMG LLP, Toronto. Accounting; 9,926 employees. Manages ‘Avenues,’ a program that helps new graduates navigate the early stages of their career.

LABATT BREWERIES OF CANADA, Toronto. Breweries; 3,681 employees. Created an expansive 12-month Global Management Trainee Program, which features field experiences in sales, supply, and marketing operations.

LAFARGE CANADA INC. , Calgary. Concrete manufacturing; 6,286 employees. Offers co-op placements and internship opportunities across various business areas, including concrete, aggregates, pipe environment and finance.

LOBLAW COMPANIES LTD., Brampton, Ont. Supermarkets and grocery stores;

 Montreal-based fashion retailer Groupe Dynamite offers a 12-week summer internship that provides students with direct involvement in company projects.

GROUPE DYNAMITE

 Therapy clowns bring a smile to young patients at Toronto’s Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital.

C.GAPIC/HBKRH

31,708 employees. Expanded its digital business and focused its recruiting from STEM programs to hire more than 30 software engineers each semester.

L’ORÉAL CANADA INC., Montreal. Cosmetics manufacturing; 1,421 employees. Hosts ‘Brandstorm’, a marketing competition that invites participants to collaborate with the company’s marketing team to create a new product or service.

LOYALTYONE CO., Toronto. Marketing consulting; 816 employees. Launched Elevate, a six-month program for individual contributors looking to improve their efficiency or make a lateral movement.

MANITOBA HYDRO, Winnipeg. Hydroelectric power generation; 4,764 employees. Offers several professional development programs for recent graduates, including career development programs in commerce as well as digital and technology.

MANULIFE, Toronto. Insurance; 11,925 employees. Offers an extensive co-op program in a broad range of fields and provides opportunities to participate in various activities, including volunteering and international assignments.

METROLINX, Toronto. Public transit; 4,622 employees. Manages a 10-month coach technicians apprenticeship program in partnership with Centennial College.

MOTT MACDONALD CANADA LTD., Vancouver. Engineering; 240 employees. Hosts hour-long ‘Teachable Moments,’ a short presentation given by a member of the Early Career Professionals committee on a topic of their choice.

NORTHWESTEL INC., Whitehorse. Telecommunications; 470 employees. Offers a corporate summer student program with challenging and diverse work, providing exposure to multi-departmental projects and mentorship from leaders.

NUNAVUT, GOVERNMENT OF, Iqaluit. Territorial government; 3,502 employees. Participates in the Financial Internship Program, offering experience in finance and accounting related fields.

NUTRIEN INC., Saskatoon. Phosphate, nitrogen and potash fertilizer manufacturing; 5,666 employees. Manages a dedicated Aboriginal internship program as well as a diversity and inclusion internship for Aboriginal and female students.

OPENTEXT CORP., Waterloo. Software publishers; 2,669 employees. Offers paid internship opportunities in a range of fields including engineering, marketing and human resources.

PCL CONSTRUCTION, Edmonton. Industrial, commercial and institutional building construction; 2,697 employees. Maintains a culture of mobility with construction projects across North America and Australia, and helps students gain experience through the junior mobility program.

PELICAN INTERNATIONAL INC., Laval, Que. Recreational watercraft manufacturing; 581 employees. Provides resources for ongoing learning and development, including Excel training and tuition support for courses at outside institutions related to an employee’s position.

PEPSICO CANADA, Mississauga. Soft drink and food manufacturing; 10,954 employees. Manages a variety of internships across different business functions including sales, operations and finance.

PERKINS&WILL CANADA ARCHITECTS CO., Vancouver. Architecture; 221 employees. Offers various in-house training programs including design lunches, Technical Tuesdays, software demonstrations, lunch and learns, and quarterly green lunches on environmental topics.

PHARMASCIENCE INC., Montreal. Pharmaceutical manufacturing; 1,482 employees. Helps students gain work experience through the Next Generation Leaders program, a 15-week internship including team-building activities.

POMERLEAU INC., Montreal. Construction; 2,472 employees. Offers interns an intern-specific onboarding program, including a welcome pack with company-branded gear on their first day.

PROCTER & GAMBLE INC., Toronto. Consumer product manufacturing; 1,618 employees. Hosts a global CEO challenge, a case competition for students to develop their business skills through real-world cases.

ROYAL BANK OF CANADA, Toronto. Banking; 60,966 employees. Established a dedicated Indigenous student awards program, providing $5,000 annually to recipients for a maximum of four years.

 Last year, Ottawa-based Kinaxis hosted its 7th annual hackathon, a week-long event that challenges employees to improve its software and processes.

 Northwestel employees preparing for the recent launch of the telecom company’s ‘fibre to the home’ event in Dawson City, Y.T.

NORTHWESTEL

PHOTOS (CLOCKWISE FROM TOP):

1. Saskatoon-based potash producer Nutrien manages a dedicated Aboriginal internship program as well as a diversity and inclusion internship for Aboriginal and female students.

2. At Edmonton-based PCL Construction, students receive an assigned buddy and have opportunities to engage in meaningful work throughout their four to 16-month terms.

3. Construction firm Pomerleau recently opened a new research laboratory, aXlab, in downtown Montreal to encourage employees to do things differently and build the construction sites of the future.

4. In 2021, Scotiabank moved to a new ‘resume-less’ campus recruitment program that focuses on data to improve representation by women and visible minorities.

SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS

CANADA INC., Mississauga. Communications equipment manufacturing; 625 employees. Organizes the Samsung Solve for Tomorrow Challenge for Canadian students to apply STEM-related knowledge to find creative solutions to challenges in their local communities.

SAP CANADA INC., Vancouver. Custom computer programming; 3,325 employees. Employs young professionals through its Internship Experience Program, offering students and recent graduates internships ranging from four to 12 months.

SASKPOWER, Regina. Electric power generation; 3,298 employees. Hires engineering interns for eight- to 16-month periods through the University of Saskatchewan and the University of Regina.

SASKTEL, Regina. Telecommunications; 2,659 employees. Offers the Focus on Information Technology Program to teach secondary students essential skills in four main areas of focus.

SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC CANADA INC., Mississauga. Industrial automation and controls; 1,951 employees. Hosts various workshops on topics of interest to students and early-career employees, including developing a personal brand and interview preparation.

SCOTIABANK, Toronto. Banking; 36,790 employees. Manages a Talent Incubators for Leaders of Tomorrow (TILT) series, a collection of rotational programs for recent graduates that includes customized workshops and executive master classes.

SIEMENS CANADA LTD., Oakville, Ont. Engineering; 2,260 employees. Launched the “Experience@Siemens” program to bridge the transition from academics to the workplace by providing experiential learning placements for recent graduates.

SINAI HEALTH, Toronto. Hospitals; 3,717 employees. Manages a 12-week Geriatrics Summer Scholars program for aspiring clinicians, researchers, and others – in partnership with University Health Network.

SLALOM ULC, Toronto. Consulting; 835 employees. Offers a dedicated Consulting Foundations program for early-career consultants to gain essential skills for client experiences and develop a foundational network.

SOPHOS INC., Vancouver. Custom computer programming; 436 employees.

Manages a 16-week summer internship program for a mix of technical and non-technical roles.

STANLEY BLACK & DECKER CANADA CORP., Mississauga. Tool and hardware manufacturing; 1,391 employees. Launched a two-year apprenticeship technician program, combining in-class and handson experience as well as mentorship.

STATISTICS CANADA / STATISTIQUE CANADA, Ottawa. Federal government; 6,506 employees. Manages a variety of recruitment and development programs for new and recent graduates in various disciplines.

SURREY, CITY OF, Surrey, B.C. Municipal government; 2,106 employees. Manages a two-year Emerging Leaders program to provide new and emerging leaders with education, work experience and self-development opportunities.

TECK RESOURCES LTD., Vancouver. Mining; 8,944 employees. Created a four-year Professional-in-Training program to provide on-the-job training and development for a number of professional disciplines.

TELUS COMMUNICATIONS INC. , Vancouver. Telecommunications; 25,474 employees. Manages a rotational

leadership development program to help kick-start the careers of new graduates.

UBC / UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA , Vancouver. Universities; 15,365 employees. Manages a Red Seal culinary apprenticeship program, enabling chefs to earn their certification while immersed in a full range of culinary experiences at the university.

UBISOFT CANADIAN STUDIOS , Montreal. Software publishers; 5,440 employees. Runs NEXT, an annual competition challenging Ontario students in different disciplines including model art, concept art, programming and animation.

VISIER INC., Vancouver. Software developer; 356 employees. Offers paid internships ranging from four to eight months in length for undergraduate, master’s and PhD students in a range of fields.

WEST FRASER

TIMBER CO. LTD., Vancouver. Sawmills; 5,880 employees.

Manages a New and Young Worker Program to provide extensive training to employees under the age of 25.

YMCA OF GREATER TORONTO, Toronto. Individual and family services; 3,152 employees. Allows young candidates to submit other voluntary, committee or school references in addition to employment references during the hiring process.

YORK REGIONAL POLICE, Aurora, Ont. Police; 2,404 employees. Encourages youth to consider a career in policing through the Youth in Policing initiative for students aged 15 to 18 who have experienced barriers to success.

– Diane Jermyn

 University of British Columbia manages a culinary apprenticeship program, allowing young chefs to receive their Red Seal.

M.DEE/UBC

Methodology

This special designation recognizes employers that provide the best workplaces and opportunities for young people just starting their careers. To select the winners, the editors of Canada’s Top Employers for Young People 2023 by Mediacorp evaluate each employer based on the programs and initiatives they offer to attract and retain younger workers.

Key benefits include tuition assistance, the availability of co-op or work-study programs, mentorship and training programs, including benefits such as bonuses paid when employees complete certain courses or professional designations. The editors also review each employer’s career management program, looking for initiatives that can help younger workers advance

faster in the organization. Lastly, the editors look at the average age of employees at each organization to better understand the composition and profile of their workforce.

The Globe and Mail is not involved in the judging process.

Canada’s Top Employers for Young People 2023 by Mediacorp is an annual national competition and all applicants must pay a fee to enter. Any employer with its head office or principal place of business in Canada may apply regardless of size, whether private or public sector. Employers complete a single application for the national, regional, and special-interest competitions, including Canada’s Top Employers for Young People.

–Diane Jermyn

A Post-Pandemic Paradise?

Not

For young people, the time of the pandemic was surely the worst of times in the workplace. But arguably, it has also led to the best of times.

When COVID-19 descended on Canada in March 2020, everyone who could do so worked from home. That included thousands of young people who were often hired into their first jobs entirely remotely. They were interviewed on screen, they did their onboarding on screen and they interacted with their unmet colleagues on screen, month after month.

Canada’s Top Employers for Young People were among the most progressive in the

of

at Canada’s Top

supports they offered their people, including much-expanded mental-health coverage and plenty of creative diversions, such as online competitions and fun events. But during the worst of the lockdown, it could be a lonely existence.

Yet look at things now. Young people almost universally agree in interviews that “flexibility” is one of their most prized offerings from a good organization. Many employers say it’s the first question they’re asked by job candidates – “how many days a week do I have to come in?” as Ian Ng, head of technology for Citi Canada, puts it.

And employers, of course, have responded with a variety of post-pandemic

for Young People are much better for them

systems that give employees choices they’ve never had before.

“And it’s not that remote is the ideal, nor being totally in the office,” says Kristina Leung, Managing Editor at Mediacorp Canada, which runs the Top Employers competitions. “It’s not one or the other, but there is a desire to have a hub that people can go to, a place where they can connect socially and connect over work.”

In other words, lonely no more, but not tied to an office desk, either.

Chantel Watkins, Assistant Editor at Mediacorp Canada and born on the cusp of Generation Z, points to other key aspirations for her cohort. “Flexibility is

huge for young people nowadays,” she says. “But things like community investment and diversity are also really important – knowing that the organization you’re working at shares your views on certain things and is active in their community.”

Think again about the pandemic period, when the Black Lives Matter movement took on global resonance after the police murder of George Floyd in 2020. That intensified the work many Top Employers were doing to increase diversity, equity and inclusion in their organizations and reach out to their communities, including marginalized groups. It was a terrible time but it got

better – for good.

At the same time, the continuing labour shortage in Canada – attributed by many experts in part to fallout from the pandemic – has motivated employers to try to hang on to their people. “We’ve definitely seen an increased emphasis on long-term retention for young people,” says Watkins. “Employers are not just focusing on their recruitment efforts, but are also creating programs and initiatives to help bridge their student and intern positions into full-time permanent roles. It shows their young employees that there’s space for growth and continual development in these organizations. And that there are various pathways to meet their career goals.”

Among employers keen to keep tabs on the best people is Health Canada, which maintains a list called a student bridging inventory that shows who may have worked for the federal government in internships, co-ops or research roles. “That inventory is provided to hiring managers, giving them a pool of recent graduates who have experience in federal roles and can be considered for permanent roles,” says Watkins.

For long, one of the biggest wars for talent was underway in the tech sphere, not least because demand skyrocketed in the pandemic. It’s still true, but it has abated somewhat, says Citi’s Ng. “The tech boom is not what it used to be,” he says. “The Silicon Valley companies have all announced layoffs recently. We’re actually seeing a lot of interest from people who joined those tech companies during the last couple of years. They’re looking for more stability. And generally, banks have weathered that storm just a little bit better.”

For banks, you can also substitute many other traditional organizations. But this is still a non-traditional generation, often at the forefront of outspoken online culture which simply intensified during the pandemic. So watch out, employers. “It’s not surprising that young people have strong views on many things that will impact their future,” says Watkins. “And there’s also a lot more access to information. All of those things kind of work together to produce these tenacious Gen Zs. They know what they want, they know what they’re looking for, and they’re not afraid to go get it.”

– Berton Woodward

 Citi Canada offers entry-level analyst programs in six streams including corporate banking, investment banking, private banking, treasury, technology and markets.

 Three employees at Health Canada testing the safety of various consumer products.

ABB Canada scores big with early talent programs

When Lillian Chiu heard global technology leader ABB Canada was offering its Discovery program for engineering graduates, she knew that was exactly what she wanted. The 24-year-old had previously completed three internships with the Montréalbased company while studying electrical engineering at McGill University, so it already felt aligned with the company’s values around sustainability and using technology to do good in the world.

systems functions. ABB Discovery is its business-driven rotational program of 18-24 months, divided into three or four rotations. Participants can explore different teams and roles in sales, management, operations, lean manufacturing, supply chain and more.

“It’s like a red carpet they roll out in front of you, where they present you with all these opportunities,” says Chiu. “You get to try out a variety of roles, meet different managers and have mentorships with different people.

I feel valued at the company, even though I’m just an entry-level engineer.”

Chiu is currently working for the railway segment at ABB, which is exactly what she wanted for her first rotation, and will move on to her choice of digital for her second. It’s only been six months, but she feels it’s a good fit with the best yet to come.

“Like all my generation, I want to bring change to the world – and ABB does that,” says Chiu. “If you look at the technology we’re developing, it’s innovative and

cutting edge. I feel like I can do meaningful work here that gives me purpose. I can have a role in changing the world.”

Guillaume Girard, manager, production engineering, process automation measurement & analytics, says what young people coming in want is to work on real projects. What they don’t want is anything clerical or repetitive.

“They want something physical they can touch or tangible where they can see the data and get good results,” says Girard. “People like working for a purpose, where they

“It’s the perfect way to kickstart a career because the program offers you the possibility of exploring different functions and departments within the company,” says Chiu. “They want you to see what you like and dislike so you can find your place and define what you want before further committing yourself. I feel privileged to be in the program.”

ABB offers internships as well as two programs specifically for young talent. The global early talent programs include rotations, mentorships or soft skills training within its finance or information

It’s like a red carpet they roll out in front of you where they present you all these opportunities.

— Lillian Chiu ABB Discovery Program

 ABB Canada offers internships and mentorship programs for new graduates.

feel they can have a real impact. I think that’s what makes people want to continue with us.”

When interviewing to hire interns, Girard says attitude comes first.

“I focus a lot on whether the person has a great attitude towards working in teams and being open

to other people’s ideas,” says Girard. “Okay, so that’s your diploma, but what are your successes, how did you do it and what do you want to achieve during the program? Sometimes it’s just a good fit between the skill set and the needs of the team, but more often it’s that this person has

a good team spirit that will work well with the project.”

After internships, Girard says the early talent and ABB Discovery programs are powerful in helping young people grow and develop.

“These programs are more based on mentorship and that mentorship will help them develop both soft

and hard skills, and to be able to evaluate themselves in terms of competencies and requirements,” says Girard.

“If you have really talented people, they can bloom in the ABB environment. It’s a unique program for the next generation of leaders.” 

 ABB Canada empowers young employees to drive change.

Emerging Leaders program

Soft skills development programs ABB University and e-learning platform Global mobility opportunities

AIG Canada gives young people purpose and support

From the moment she began as an underwriting assistant with Toronto-based AIG Insurance Company of Canada (AIG Canada) in 2017, Morgan Gilbert felt welcomed and supported by the company’s managers and senior leaders.

“I’ve found everyone to be very approachable and invested in my success,” says Gilbert, currently a senior underwriter, cyber and professional liability, her fourth role with the company in just over five years. “I’ve felt free to express myself and my interest in taking on different assignments has always been celebrated and supported.”

herself now starting to mentor new recruits to the company.

“I’m learning what it means to be a leader and, at the same time, I’m getting the chance to practise some of those leadership skills,” she says.

Gilbert also appreciates the opportunity to get involved in a wide range of employee resource groups, including ones dedicated to young professionals, LGBTQ+ employees, women and allies, and multiculturalism.

“There’s this element of advocacy and support for an inclusive work environment,” she notes. “As

a young person coming into a new workplace, that’s made me feel really safe and happy.”

Working in the cutting-edge area of cyber insurance is both challenging and rewarding, she says.

“I like being part of a highenergy team. It keeps me on my toes, but I really enjoy the pace.”

At the same time, Gilbert appreciates being part of a company that encourages a healthy balance between work and life.

Even new recruits start with 26 paid days off, which they can use for vacation, illness or

personal matters. They receive an additional three paid days a year to volunteer in the community.

“Having that balance is really important to a lot of young people, myself included,” says Gilbert. “I don’t want to look back on my life and have regrets about all the things I could have done outside my work.”

CEO Lynn Oldfield says that “the number one thing I hear from young professionals is that they want their work to have purpose and want to be part of an organization that does good.”

AIG Canada, she adds, is a

Gilbert is currently part of AIG Canada’s underwriting excellence program, which includes master classes with the leadership team that broaden her understanding of how the entire organization operates.

Mentorship is another key element. Gilbert is matched with a senior leader, with whom she meets monthly and has access to throughout the year. She is

I’m learning what it means to be a leader and, at the same time, I’m getting the chance to practise some of those leadership skills.

— Morgan Gilbert Senior Underwriter, Cyber and Professional Liability

AIG Canada employees plant trees.

Subsidies for professional accreditations

Mentoring program

Leadership development programs

New hire portal includes continual learning details

natural fit.

“As a property casualty insurer, our fundamental role is to put people and businesses back together after a loss. It’s a wonderful purpose and one that has great appeal for young professionals.”

Oldfield says younger employees are also keen to build different

skill sets and grow their careers. AIG Canada works in a deliberate fashion to help them do just that.

It begins with a highly successful co-op and summer intern program, which sees many students enter their fourth year of university with a full-time offer of employment at AIG Canada already in hand.

It continues with AIG Academy, a two-year learning and development program for recent graduates and young employees who are new to the insurance industry. The program typically includes training at the company’s corporate headquarters in New York City.

As a 32-year veteran of AIG

Canada, Oldfield is perennially impressed with the energy, enthusiasm and technological savvy young people bring to the organization.

“They bring a new perspective and new ways of doing things,” she says. “They help keep the entire culture fresh and innovative.” 

 AIG Canada employees enjoying a patio party in the summer.

ArcelorMittal Dofasco’s strength lies in its people

When Esther Kyaw was earning an engineering degree at McMaster University, there was a big focus on steel in her program. So it made sense for her to apply to Hamilton-based steel manufacturer ArcelorMittal Dofasco G.P. for a 16-month paid internship in 2013.

After completing her master’s in 2019, Kyaw rejoined ArcelorMittal Dofasco as a senior metallurgist.

“Coming back, I knew what I wanted my focus to be because of my master’s thesis, which was hot rolling,” she says. “You’re encouraged to voice what you want to do and what you’re interested in. It’s a big company with so many opportunities – if you want to move around, you can.”

“Internships are often the young person’s first experience in a corporate setting, and we strive to

provide them with broad exposure to help them explore their career opportunities,” says Nesha Gibson, vice president, people and culture. “Our employees act as mentors to help teach the students the technical skills of the roles but also the soft skills that will make them successful.”

Success doesn’t just centre on job-performance excellence. The company has won national awards for safety and wellness, which speaks to the quality and breadth of its approach to well-being.

“That means the health and safety of the whole person, both mind and body,” says Gibson.

An internal wellness team offers personal support in three areas: MoveWell, BeWell and EatWell. In addition, the employee assistance program provides confidential counselling, coaching, online courses and resources for various health challenges. Everything reinforces the company’s tagline –“Our product is steel. Our strength is people.”

Kyaw appreciates the emphasis

“I got to do a lot of different things during my internship, which was great,” says Kyaw. “And I had good mentorship in everything from technical tips to how to work well in an office environment, since it was my first time doing so. I also met a lot of people and started developing a network of contacts.”

Upon Kyaw graduating in 2015, she joined ArcelorMittal Dofasco as a product design co-ordinator in the pickling and cold rolling unit. Two years later, she left the company to return to McMaster full-time to pursue a master of applied science in materials engineering. Her thesis project –developing a high-strength steel –was connected to her former employer.

Our young employees are our future, and we’re committed to helping and inspiring them to continually learn and grow.

— Nesha Gibson

Vice President, People and Culture

 Esther Kyaw, with her colleagues Vince Popovich and Torrin Ives (right), from the Hot Mill Technology and Product Metallurgy teams at ArcelorMittal Dofasco.

Up to $24,000 lifetime tuition reimbursement

Extensive learning and development program

Paid internships and co-op terms for students

Transformation of manufacturing process underway to address climate change

on wellness and having easy access to the company’s on-site gym and free fitness classes. On the social side, she has volunteered for Team Orange, helping out on Habitat for Humanity house-building projects. “It’s a fun way to spend a Saturday every so often, and you get to meet employees in different departments

and business units,” she says. Young people also place climatechange transformation high on their list of employer priorities.

ArcelorMittal Dofasco is investing nearly $2 billion to change the way it makes steel, which will remove roughly three million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions from the

environment. “This will provide an opportunity for our people to work in the safest, most technically advanced steel-making environment in the world,” says Gibson.

At ArcelorMittal Dofasco, growth and development comes from an investment in lifelong learning, opportunities

to collaborate, a focus on continuously improving processes and a whole-person approach to self-improvement. All of these factors are attractive to young employees. “They are our future, and we’re committed to helping and inspiring them to continually learn and grow,” says Gibson.

 Jing Xu, a mechanical engineer at ArcelorMittal Dofasco, reviewing the 3D CAD model of the company’s new KOBM furnace.

At ATCO, young people can really go places

While visiting Australia in 2018, Claire Pourbaix saw a construction site on the side of a highway with a trailer bearing a familiar name –ATCO, which is headquartered in her hometown of Calgary. “ATCO has such strong roots in Alberta, and you see the brand everywhere there, but this solidified how global they are,” she says.

forward with an HR manager,” she says. “I really credit him, and the HR manager who took me on, for allowing me to share my role and for my career growth.”

In 2020, Pourbaix was promoted to HR and compensation advisor, and in April 2022 she became a platform specialist with ATCO’s SpaceLab. In this role, she’s helping develop a learning series and platform called Community of Action for employees to develop new projects and skills. “The people are what make ATCO truly great – they’re diverse and

intelligent, and you can learn so much from them,” she says.

Employee wellness is a priority, with head office housing a gym and yoga studio. Pourbaix appreciates the discounted, on-site, half-hour massages she sometimes gets before starting her workday. “There’s a big focus on wellness – mental, emotional, physical and financial, with webinars on budgeting and pension plans,” she says.

ATCO also invests in its young people by supporting professional development. Pourbaix’s first

manager encouraged her to pursue a Chartered Professional in Human Resources designation and reimbursed its fee. “We support our young employees however we can because we want them to progress in their careers here,” says Deanna Girard, vice president of human resources. “And it isn’t always about moving upward, it can be a lateral move to increase skills.”

Many young employees get their first ATCO experience before they graduate. ATCO supports co-op programs for finance, human

ATCO is a diversified global corporation with investments in the essential services of structures and logistics, utilities, energy infrastructure, retail energy and commercial real estate. Pourbaix joined ATCO in 2019 as a compensation advisor. “I admired the international presence and diversity of opportunities, and I knew there’d be lots of places to go in my career,” she says.

Although Pourbaix had earned a bachelor’s degree in commerce in 2018, she was interested in moving into human resources. “My first manager supported me expanding my knowledge and put my name

The people are what make ATCO truly great – they’re diverse and intelligent, and you can learn so much from them.

— Claire Pourbaix Platform Specialist

 ATCO invests in its young people by supporting professional development.

resources and engineering students in their first year of post-secondary education. “We see these programs as a feeder to hire young people, but it isn’t the only way in,” says Girard.

ATCO visits university and college campuses to recruit, whether at job fairs or by speaking

to students in classrooms. There’s a focus on diversity and increasing the number of Indigenous students – in 2022, 15 per cent of summer students in Alberta’s ATCO offices were Indigenous. “Building lasting relationships with Indigenous communities has long been a hallmark of our company everywhere

we operate,” says Girard. Summer students will be assigned a “buddy” – a mentor who can answer questions. They’ll get meaningful work aligned with their programs, and often it’s fun. For example, one group of students gave presentations as avatars to showcase their technical and

creative skills.

Girard looks forward to the influx of students every May to August. “Our young people bring a wonderful energy, engagement and curiosity,” she says. “We support them fully with the hope that they’ll have long careers here.” 

 Post-secondary students in their first year are offered co-op opportunities at ATCO

Offering young leaders a career that will shape our world for years to come.

Subsidies for professional accreditations and development

Apprenticeship and skilled trades programs

In-house career planning services

Paid internships and co-op terms for students

BASF Canada helps young people advance from the CORE

It was a unique job posting that alerted Anique Josuttes to an enticing opportunity at BASF Canada Inc., a world-leading chemical manufacturer.

Armed with her bachelor of agronomy and master of science degrees from the University of Saskatchewan, the recent graduate wasn’t sure what direction to take next in the agriculture business, so BASF’s professional development program (PDP) appealed to her. While she hadn’t interned as a summer student at the company previously, many of her friends had, and they had lots of great things to say about BASF as an employer.

waters, see what BASF had to offer and where my true interest lay.”

During her time in the program, Josuttes had opportunities to interact with both marketing and research and was able to shadow several technical service specialists in different areas.

“They really push you to get the most out of that short time-frame so you can put all the different parts together and make a decision at the end,” says Josuttes. “Every

single manager put in the time to allow me to really highlight my strengths and help me learn more about them. Ultimately, it did help me understand my goals and where I wanted to go in my career.”

Jonathan Sweat, vice president, business management BASF Canada Agricultural Solutions, says the company has a number of initiatives for younger folks to get them hooked into the agricultural

industry. Each year, BASF hires around 150 interns to do a variety of positions and has anywhere from six to nine people in the PDP, working on real projects in either sales and marketing rotations or technical and research rotations. While the intern pool is a feeder program, it’s not a prerequisite.

“We have the largest agricultural presence in Canada, which allows us to attract people that maybe wouldn’t necessarily look at

“The posting stood out in that it was an opportunity to spend a year in one part of the company, either in a sales and marketing rotation or a research and technical services rotation, and then move to a different area for the second year – so you got tons of exposure and experience in different aspects of the business,” says Josuttes, now full-time as a technical marketing specialist – seed solutions. “It was a really good chance to test the

Every single manager put in the time to allow me to really highlight my strengths and help me learn more about them.

— Anique Josuttes Technical Marketing Specialist –Seed Solutions

 An employee checking incoming shipments at BASF Canada.

Subsidies for professional accreditations

Mentorship program

Paid internships and co-op terms for students

agriculture, so we bring people in from more than just agricultural backgrounds,” says Sweat.

“If they come in with an ability to learn and a real curiosity, then we can teach them and give them real-life experience. The PDP lets them test drive who we are and vice versa. They’re there as

employees, so we treat them as employees and expect to place them in permanent positions when they’re done.”

Sweat believes that one of the key drivers for the program’s success is that BASF has many people who like to teach and help others learn. The company’s collaborative

culture also really comes through, which strongly appeals to the younger generation.

“Young people get good support because people are kind of wrapped around them and able to help them learn the business and grow into the role that they want to take in the organization,” says

Sweat. “People here enjoy working together and working in teams. That’s just who we are at the core, and we talk a lot about what we call our CORE values.

“C is creative, O is open, R is responsible and E is for entrepreneurial. We live those values every day.” 

 BASF Canada employees celebrating the company’s $500,000 donation to Shock Trauma Air Rescue Service for mission operations.

Bell Canada has a clear connection to career paths

Babette Smith completed her undergraduate degree in software engineering at McGill University in the spring of 2020 at the height of the pandemic – not exactly an ideal time to be launching her career. Fortunately for her, the new grad program at Bell Canada provided a smooth start.

22 years ago after completing an undergraduate degree.

She started as a manager in dispatch operations. Currently, she is vice-president, field operations, and responsible for Bell technicians who install and repair phone, internet and TV services in homes and businesses across the country.

“As managers, we’re always watching for people who would be good in supervisory roles,” says McCoubrey. “We look for ways to help people see opportunities they could be exploring.”

And there are many career paths to follow in a national company with multiple business units, divisions and enterprises. “I’ve moved around a lot in my career,” says McCoubrey. “A lot of it has been managing operations teams, but I’ve also worked in project delivery, process improvement and business transformation.”

Early in her career, she was paired with a mentor and has benefited from her mentor’s years of personal advice. She has also derived considerable benefit from

Bell’s leadership development program.

Bell Canada offers a broad array of learning and development opportunities for those who are just embarking on their careers as well as those who have advanced to managerial or leadership positions. “I’ve gone through several different versions of the program,” says McCoubrey. “At ground level, front-line management, you learn how to manage people and how to deal with conflict, among other things. As you move into

“The new grad program was really beneficial,” says Smith, a software developer in Bell’s network and technology services division. “You’re paired up with a mentor who is not necessarily in the same division. You also receive training to help you make presentations and to improve your communications skills.”

Smith also did an internship at Bell while she was a student, which gave her an appreciation for Bell’s culture and the career possibilities.

For her part, Michelle McCoubrey worked at Bell for several summers while she was a student, then joined full time

As managers, we’re always watching for people who would be good in supervisory roles. We look for ways to help people see opportunities they could be exploring.

— Michelle McCoubrey Vice-President, Field Operations

 Bell Graduate Leadership program participant working and collaborating.

different roles, it becomes more about business transformation, influencing change or implementing Bell’s strategic imperatives.” Learning and development programs provide other, less targeted benefits. “It gets you networking with other business units, meeting other people and

really seeing how this big company works and how it all interconnects,” McCoubrey says. Similarly, learning opportunities for employees in the new grad program are designed both to teach specific skills and to introduce youthful newcomers to the broader company. “A lot of the courses

are focused on soft skills, like communicating in a corporate setting, which are not taught in a technical program like software engineering,” says Smith. “At the end of our first year, we got to make a presentation to a group of five or six other new grads, as well as our director and vice-president.”

Smith also participated in a new grad summit along with some 180 other participants in the program. “I met people who have different educational backgrounds and work in different parts of the company,” she says. “The program is designed to help you meet people outside your own bubble.”

 Bell Graduate Leadership program participants attending the annual Bell Graduate Leadership Summit.

Corporate leadership development programs

Bell U platform for virtual university Paid internships and co-op terms for students

Mentoring program

Opportunity knocks on many doors at Bruce Power

ason Ng’s career at Kincardine, Ont.-based Bruce Power began when company representatives hosted an open house at Western University in London, Ont., where he was studying mechanical engineering and physics and doing research in nuclear materials. He soon enrolled in a 16-month internship, and has never looked back.

six months and talk about our goals and our career and personal development. I was able to find out who I was as a leader and develop my leadership and teamwork skills.”

Ng also got involved with the Bruce chapter of a group called North American Young Generation in Nuclear (NAYGN), and tapped those leadership skills to join its board and eventually

become its president.

“Our main focus is professional development, so we host lunch and learn events, day-in-the-life events where members shadow an executive for a day, and community outreach activities like food bank drives,” he says. “We engage anyone who’s young and new to nuclear to get them integrated into the community here.”

Cathy Sprague, who has been

executive vice-president of human resources for 11 years, is proud of Bruce Power’s efforts to find, engage and train its young employees.

“We recruit through the schools in Ontario and across the country,” she says. “It’s an opportunity to go out and get the brightest and the best, which we do.”

The company offers high school and university co-op programs as

“I really enjoyed my time as a student there, I felt really engaged,” he says. “I got to see how diverse the work culture at Bruce is, and how many different sections there are. There are a lot of projects going on, and tons of room to move around and explore different roles.”

When Ng returned to Bruce Power – Canada’s only privatesector nuclear generator – as a full-time engineer, he had the opportunity to try out some of those roles.

“I got to switch between reactor design engineering and rapid response engineering, and always felt supported by the section and the manager,” he says. “We’d have performance reviews every

I was able to find out who I was as a leader and develop my leadership and teamwork skills.

— Jason Ng Engineer and NAYGN Chapter President

 Bruce Power employee monitors equipment instruments on-site.

well as internships. “Some will stay four months, some eight, some 12, and we try to bring as many as possible back as employees once they graduate,” Sprague says. Employees can explore various opportunities through the company’s rotation programs. “We’ll take a person and put them in different

roles over 12 or 24 months,” she says, “so they’re getting some wonderful experience in other parts of the business that they may not otherwise have got.”

Permanent employees go through extensive training programs at an on-site training centre. “We hire nuclear operators

in training who work while they go through a significant amount of training over several years,” Sprague says. “We invest in them so they’re highly trained. We’re hiring the future talent that will be here potentially for the next 20 or 30 years.”

Sprague emphasizes the wide

range of options available to Bruce employees. “People can come here very early in their careers and have their whole career here, whether they want to work in operations, projects, or one of our support functions,” she says. “It's a dynamic place with all kinds of opportunities.” 

 Bruce Power employees at the visitors’ centre welcome guests to learn about carbon-free nuclear power and the onsite production of medical isotopes.

Online and in-house training programs

Employee resource and affinity groups Development student program for work experience Industry leadership development opportunities

CIBC relies on new grads to help design the future

Mikaela Maquiling was an engineering student at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ont., when she entered the CIBC co-op program in 2016. “I’d realized by then that I wasn’t passionate about engineering,” she says, “and I was pondering the right path.”

The path emerged as she got off the subway in downtown Toronto to begin her first day as a co-op student. “There I was, walking into Commerce Court in the financial district, thinking this is nothing like my school program,” she says.

of whom had spent a four-, six- or 12-month co-op term at the bank.

Maquiling started her program in CIBC’s information security team. “The work was so different to what I’d been used to,” she recalls. “It was nothing like my assumptions about the corporate environment. My brain could finally breathe.”

Her co-workers welcomed her without hesitation. “Everyone was kind to me,” she says. “I was shy at first, but they gave me work to lead and own, which helped me feel like an important part of the team.”

CIBC relies on students like Maquiling to guide the organization into the future. “The financial

industry is changing,” says Chamberlain. “The skills we’re recruiting for today are different than they were five years ago.”

In the past, for example, the bank’s global markets team would recruit most new hires from business schools. “Now,” says Chamberlain, “75 per cent of them come from science, technology, engineering and mathematics [STEM] programs.”

After 12 months, Maquiling applied for a co-op program extension, eventually moving into the bank’s technology operations department.

“At first, young professionals

may not know exactly where they want to work in the bank,” says Chamberlain. “CIBC gives them the opportunity to gain experience across different teams. There are very few areas of the bank where new recruits don’t work.”

Maquiling eventually went back to school, “partly to keep my immigrant parents happy,” she says, transferring out of her engineering program to complete a bachelor of commerce degree at York University in Toronto.

Rejoining CIBC in 2019, Maquiling began to follow a more creative vocation, working as a design strategist with the bank’s

Maquiling is one of a multitude of students who apply to CIBC’s co-op program and find their way into a future with the bank.

“We have one of the largest attraction programs for earlycareer professionals in the country,” says Brent Chamberlain, associate vice-president for inclusion, campus recruitment and career programs.

Many students who enter this program end up working full-time at CIBC. Last year alone, CIBC hired 2,500 new graduates, many

The financial industry is changing. The skills we’re recruiting for today are different than they were five years ago.

— Brent Chamberlain Associate Vice-President, Inclusion, Campus Recruitment and Career Programs

 Mikaela Maquiling, lead user experience designer on the enterprise innovation team at CIBC.

enterprise innovation team. “We’re like an internal consulting group,” she says. “We do market and user research, design, innovation analysis and planning.”

As one of seven people on the initial team, Maquiling noticed that it depended on outside designers to put its vision into graphic

terms. “So I asked to be a designer myself,” she says.

With the full support of her manager, who’s now also her mentor and sponsor at the bank, Maquiling developed her design skills until she became proficient enough to earn the title of user experience designer.

Since then, her team has grown to 30 people, and Maquiling has become the team’s lead designer. “We’re a young team,” she says. “For some, it’s their first job right out of school. That means I can share my experience and knowledge in a fun and warm way.”

Growing up with parents from

the Philippines, Maquiling says she never encountered a Filipino designer because pursuing creative careers is uncommon in the culture. “Now I can show others, including Filipinos, that it’s not so difficult,” she says. “The coolest part of being on our team is that I can show up as myself.” 

cibc.com/CT100

 CIBC employees from the ‘Technology Leadership Advancement’ program gather for a networking event.

Tuition assistance for employees interested in further education

Apprenticeship and skilled trades programs

Salary increases for completion of certain courses Learning programs with 1,200 digital courses

Citi’s message to young techies: Join us downtown!

Akilah Jenkins has a very cool job. She gets to recruit the people around her at Citi Canada. And one of the coolest spots to help place them is Citi’s new downtown Toronto location for tech staff working on trading systems for the global markets.

the globe. And we think that’s a very exciting place to be for young people – it’s very fast-paced.”

What Citi offers, he says, is a far larger playing field than any Canadian bank can offer. Based in New York, Citi does massive business around the world. “For example, we run payments systems that moves trillions in payments. And that sort of scale only occurs at the global level,” says Ng.

“It’s the same within the capital markets’ space. Citi is a tier one investment bank that operates in

160 countries and jurisdictions around the world. Our clients tend to be global, institutional players –pension funds, hedge funds, governments and Fortune 500 companies. These are areas where I think young people want to work.”

Every year, he notes, Citi takes in over 80 graduate analysts from Canadian universities, who move into technology roles, as well as about 30 summer interns. They generally come from math, computer science and engineering

backgrounds. The bulk of Citi’s tech people – some 2,500 – work at a large site in suburban Mississauga, Ont., but now there will be a downtown alternative which is forecast to grow to at least 200 in 2023 – and maybe more. It will be easy to reach by transit and, of course, have unique downtown amenities – in the heart of the financial district.

What kind of environment can the new group expect? Aside from the hip surroundings, says Jenkins, there is Citi’s strong corporate

“This is going to be a brand-new environment,” says Jenkins, a young IT recruiter for the bank. “It will be very hip and cool, with wooden floors and exposed beams. There’s definitely an energetic vibe. And because it’s new, the people there will be able to create their own tech-first subculture within the wider culture of Citi.”

Citi opened the site, located at the corner of Yonge and Wellington Streets in Toronto, to house a special group of technologists who will support the bank’s global business. “We’re focusing on developing industry-leading capital markets systems and platforms,” says Ian Ng, head of technology for Canada. “That means enhancing automated trading systems, developing pricing and risk systems and supporting our markets’ businesses across

Because it’s new, the people there will be able to create their own tech-first subculture within the wider culture of Citi.

— Akilah Jenkins IT Recruiter

 Analysts at Citi Canada play an important part in the development of programs for incoming analysts, while driving innovation across the firm.

culture. She joined the bank in July 2022 and found that immediately, “I liked the vibe,” she says. “Especially as a younger individual – the attire is business casual, there’s a lot of diverse people and everybody seems to be very welcoming. I have a sense of belonging when I’m here at Citi.”

Citi has progressive policies about diverse hiring, ensuring there is a diverse pool of candidates for each position with at least one female interviewer on the panel. For her part, Jenkins is a member of the bank’s Black Heritage Canada Affinity Network.

“Citi does welcome diverse

people from different age groups, different backgrounds, different cultures,” says Jenkins. “And for me, being in recruitment, that’s a strong selling point for candidates I speak to.”

Citi also offers hybrid work models, including in-person roles, mixed office and home, and even

full remote, depending on what managers need for their teams. There is also tuition reimbursement for courses up to $5,250.

“There is a lot of focus on flexibility, health and wellness incorporated into the benefits and roles,” notes Jenkins, “Citi has really made these a top priority.” 

 Citi Canada provides tailored programming to help accelerate the success of women in the firm.

Apprenticeship and skilled trades programs

On-demand learning platform customized employee's needs

Women’s leadership development program

6-month diversity leaders program

Young voices are heard and encouraged at CSE

As an entry-level employee on the marketing team at Ottawa-based Communications Security Establishment (CSE), Nayeli Sosa was pleasantly surprised by the amount of creative freedom she was given almost from the start.

Sosa says CSE management encouraged her to move up in the organization when she was ready. “I felt so supported to explore what else I could do, and that’s how I got to the strategic communications team,” she says. “It was a pretty seamless transition, and it’s been great. I had full support to make that switch.”

Heather Simmie, acting director general of human resources at CSE, also started as a co-op student, and she is proud of the

program’s success.

“We partner with universities across the country to find, attract and bring in some of the best and brightest coming out of our academic institutions,” she says. “There are massive co-op opportunities here, which gives us a chance to show people who we are and help them see what CSE has to offer in terms of a career.”

The majority of co-op students are eventually hired. “We like to hope that they stay,” says Simmie,

“so we have bridging programs that help them come on board with us once they’ve finished their studies.”

New employees are offered a wide range of learning opportunities, including courses and formal and informal mentorships. “They encourage comms advisors to learn more about the organization and different people’s roles so we’re able to speak about it in a way that makes sense to the general public,” Sosa says.

“I had a lot of autonomy to explore how best to engage with people online,” she says. “It was such a huge thing to get that trust and encouragement to be innovative, to share my ideas and come up with new concepts and ways to be creative.”

Sosa started at CSE – the organization tasked with keeping Canada’s information systems safe from cyber threats – as a co-op student in 2019 and worked on the marketing side for three years before deciding to move to strategic communications, where she now works as a communications advisor.

We’re really encouraged to speak our minds. There’s a big emphasis on honesty and being transparent, and a desire to learn from people’s lived experiences.

— Nayeli Sosa Communications Advisor

 CSE employees working in the company’s collaborative space.

Tuition assistance for employees interested in further education Online and in-house training programs

Health benefits for new employees

As a member of an advisory group for executives, Sosa has the opportunity to provide feedback on CSE’s policies and initiatives, alongside other employees from different backgrounds. “We’re really encouraged to speak our minds,” she says. “There’s a big emphasis on honesty and being

transparent, and a desire to learn from people’s lived experiences.”

Sosa also appreciates the affinity groups that support various equity-seeking populations at CSE, and is a member of the EmbRACE group for racialized and Indigenous employees. “I feel I’ve really found my place there,”

she says. “We’re all very passionate about building a CSE that reflects the population it serves, and we’re fortunate to have the support of the executives in the organization.

“I’ve seen a real desire to put in the work to dismantle the barriers people are experiencing,” she adds. “And it’s viewed as an extension

of our work, not something to be done outside of work hours. It’s really fulfilling to play a role in these efforts to improve diversity and inclusion at CSE. I’ve had opportunities that I never dreamed of having. My voice actually matters, and that’s really valuable for me.” 

 CSE offers a wide range of learning opportunities for new employees, including courses and formal and informal mentorships.

Thriving Co-op and Student Bridging programs

Young people help CSL navigate an evolving industry

Getting that first real job without real job experience can be a scary prospect, as anyone who has ever had a job knows. Veronica Marsillo was studying to be a mechanical engineer when she was hired as an intern at Montréal’s CSL Group Inc.

fresh approaches and ways of thinking to drive us forward.”

Because CSL’s workforce is divided between offices and ships, the opportunities are varied. And, as Aubourg notes, with several people both onshore and on board nearing retirement age, the opportunities are also plentiful. “We’re able to pair young people with our more experienced employees and prepare them for succession,” she says.

Every year, CSL hires about 20 interns for the office; similarly, 20 cadets each year are brought on ships. Cadets spend four years alternating between classroom and ship – all paid for by CSL for some of them. On graduating, the cadets pledge to work for CSL for two years but most, Aubourg says, stay forever. On board, there is additional training to prepare cadets to move up the ranks.

On land, early-career employees

spend the first year or so learning the business – everything from ship voyage and crew management to technical operations. “When they move up to a more senior role or manager role, they already understand the business inside out, which is a big plus,” she adds. Growing the talent is important at CSL. Younger employees are put in small groups and given business cases to solve together.

“In the group you have people

— Stéphanie Aubourg Chief Human Resources Officer

“I didn’t even know what the marine industry was,” says Marsillo, now a procurement and logistics coordinator. “But my manager said she wanted to take a chance on me. And to be given that chance is just really exceptional.”

Taking chances on young people is part of the culture at the shipping company – its chief operations officer started as an intern almost 25 years ago. And they are essential, particularly in a rapidly evolving industry that is becoming ever more complex.

“We are building and operating ships that are more sustainable and high-tech,” says chief human resources officer Stéphanie Aubourg. “So we need young, talented people who can bring

We’re able to pair young people with our more experienced employees and prepare them for succession.

 Younger employees at CSL Group are placed in small groups and given business cases to solve together.

from HR to operations and they all have to rely on each other to solve the case,” Aubourg explains.

“I think that’s why it’s an advantage to join a company like ours, because your internship is not going to be about filing papers. It’s going to be working on real projects that will have an impact

on the entire company.”

Marsillo has had the opportunity to help organize CSL’s conference for its captains, chiefs, first officers and second engineers – a task not typically part of her job description. “We’re going to be meeting with a lot of the bigger players in CSL — the president and

CHOOSE A CAREER

CEO, VPs, people in finance and law, health and safety, technical operations,” she says. “It’s a huge, huge opportunity to be able to do that.”

Still, it’s hardly rare for young employees to have access to specialists in all departments, all of whom are happy to share their

knowledge. “It’s such a niche industry,” says Aubourg. “And people here are so proud of what they do or the shipyard they went to or the trip they did or the assignment that they had in another country that they’re super eager to share that with young people.” 

 CSL Group cadets spend four years of their internship alternating between classroom and ship.

Subsidies for professional accreditations and development

Talent Voyage leadership development program

Intern lunch with the CEO

Access to CSL Academy learning portal

Desjardins helps youth with their careers

It didn’t take Amélie Chalifoux long to realize working at Desjardins Group was a good fit. Getting her start as an insurance agent while completing her master’s degree in project management, Chalifoux immediately felt the culture at the financial services organization was friendlier and far more supportive than what she had experienced elsewhere.

Supporting young employees’ professional development and helping them find opportunities for internal career growth has been a key focus for the Levis, Que.based Desjardins, says Amrita Setia, section manager of member and client relations for property and casualty insurance.

“Desjardins is committed to bringing out the full potential of employees, no matter their age or background, and working on fostering that fulfilment at work,”

says Setia, a 29-year-old manager of a team of insurance agents. “I see all that goes into supporting employees. We really strive to promote talent mobility wherever it aligns with people’s career aspirations.”

She points to the company’s Passionate Professionals Network, a recently launched social mediastyle platform designed to help employees learn about internal career opportunities. The platform provides information about

200 different jobs and connects employees with employee ambassadors who can answer questions about what their position entails, their day-to-day responsibilities and their qualifications and skills.

Chalifoux says she also appreciates that the company’s openness to internal mobility includes allowing employees to enter a role with more to learn, rather than requiring them to have all the expertise up front.

Setia has been the beneficiary of

Amrita

Chalifoux, now 28, eventually left Desjardins for an internship in her field with another company. But when Desjardins had an opening as a project control officer, she quickly re-joined. That led to her current full-time job as an application delivery manager.

“The people are super friendly, they’re happy you’re here and they want you to grow and stay at the company,” she says. “That was something that made a difference for me. I love learning, so it’s nice to have the opportunity and the support to learn.”

Desjardins is committed to bringing out the full potential of employees, no matter their age or background, and working on fostering that fulfilment at work.

—

Setia Section Manager, Member and Client Relations

 Amrita Setia, section manager, member and client relations, at Desjardins Group.

$1,500 maximum bonus for course completion

Mentoring program

Paid internship opportunities for college and university students in almost 20 job fields

Tuition assistance for employees interested in further education

Desjardins’ programs, as someone passionate about leading who wanted to develop her management skills. She was selected to take part in the company’s leadership support program, which helps employees gain managerial experience. She managed a team of students as part of the program

and helped connect many of them with other internal opportunities.

She also took part in Desjardins’ Female Empowerment program and went through the company’s mentorship program, first as a mentee and now as a mentor.

Setia says she sometimes experienced imposter syndrome

for having taken on leadership responsibilities relatively early in her career, but the company’s formal programs, and more informal feedback and support from her mentors and managers, helped her come into her own.

“Being a young leader, I felt I had to be someone I’m not, and

I wondered, how do I be my authentic self while still making an impact?” she recalls. “The courses, training, programs and resources provided by Desjardins allowed me to develop myself and find my own way of doing things. I’m very grateful I had these support systems around me.” 

We

 Amélie Chalifoux, application delivery manager, at Desjardins Group.

We don’t just support youth.

value their talent. There’s a difference.

Young people are the leaders of tomorrow at Emera

“Because we own and operate natural gas and electric utilities, many people think of engineering careers and power lines,” says Hanneke Tanner-van Gelderen, manager, corporate talent attraction, at Emera Inc. in Halifax. “But with the involvement of our operating companies in renewables, smart meter programs and other emerging energy technologies, we’re a very innovative and diverse organization.”

year from universities and colleges across Canada in fields of study ranging from finance to software development.

“We’re committed to hiring students,” she says. “It’s built into our organizational strategy and our culture. We want to make it meaningful, to give students a business challenge and an opportunity to gain real experience.”

One of those students was Lambert Lui, who spent four months at Emera subsidiary Nova Scotia Power in 2019. He was

involved in asset management activities and designing automated dashboards before returning to his studies at Dalhousie University in Halifax.

Guided by his parents, Liu came to Canada on his own when he was 14 to settle with a host family in New Glasgow, N.S., a town of 9,000 people about 150 km northeast of Halifax.

“It was a big change,” he says, “but I was young. It’s easier for young people to adjust.”

Enrolling in an engineering

program at university, he was initially dismayed by his courses in physics and chemistry. “The first years of the program are tough,” says Liu, whose parents are both accountants. “But I’m good with math.”

Persevering to graduate with a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering, Liu was one of 14 former co-op students who returned to the company full-time that year. As an engineer-in-training (EIT), he worked initially at Nova Scotia Power’s operation in Sydney,

Emera is a multinational energy company with over 7,400 employees in Canada, the U.S. and the Caribbean. After more than 10 years as a recruitment consultant, Tanner-van Gelderen joined Emera in 2017, attracted in part by the organization’s inclusive culture.

“I was surprised at how connected everyone is for such a big company with so many elements,” she says. “People care about each other.”

Among her responsibilities, Tanner-van Gelderen helped shape Emera’s co-op program, welcoming over 125 students each

We work hard to make sure new employees feel welcome and included.

— Hanneke Tanner-van Gelderen Manager, Corporate Talent Attraction

 Emera employees enjoying the bright, collaborative spaces at corporate headquarters in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

N.S., and then, after eighteen months, moved to Dartmouth to work on productivity initiatives.

“I knew I’d get to move around,” he says. “EIT is a rotational program, so we move through different parts of the organization during our first three years at Emera.”

To help new employees like Liu adjust to their work environment, the organization makes sure they receive the attention and guidance of a mentor. Liu meets his mentor once a week “just to check in,” he says, although he’s accessible to Liu at any time if the need arises.

Guided by his managers, Liu has

completed a five-year career plan and consults regularly with his supervisor to ensure he’s on track.

Liu and his fellow EITs also go through an orientation session and participate in regularly scheduled learning days that involve group activities and guest speakers.

“We work hard to make sure

that new employees feel welcome and included,” says Tanner-van Gelderen, whose search for talent extends beyond universities and colleges to include diverse community groups and immigration organizations. “After all, today’s talent will become the leaders of tomorrow.” 

 An employee at Nova Scotia Power, a subsidiary of Emera, using an ultrasonic scanning device that uses highfrequency soundwaves to help detect damaged power poles.

Tuition assistance for employees interested in further education Leadership development programs

Award-winning co-op & work integrated learning programs

Emera is a preapproved CPA Training Office

Once you join, it's yours to build at EY Canada

Employees who take advantage of all the opportunities for enrichment that EY Canada has to offer accelerate their growth for future opportunities.

transformational leadership or inclusive intelligence.

“Along the way,” says Marinelli, “you become more marketable.”

But by the time that happens, many employees of EY Canada don’t want to go anywhere else.

That’s what happened to Mo Mostafaei, a senior manager for EY Canada in Vancouver. He joined the company in 2010, shortly after graduating from the Schulich School of Engineering at the University of Calgary with a bachelor’s degree in computer engineering.

“When I joined the company, they said, ‘See if you like it,’” he says. “I’ve been here ever since.”

That’s not because he hasn’t had invitations to join other companies. It’s because “I find the work fascinating.” Energetic and quick-minded, Mostafaei says “I'm never bored. There are so many things to learn.”

For one thing, he says, “there are so many things you can learn.”

After joining the company, Mostafaei enrolled in the EY Tech MBA program offered in association with Hult International Business School. EY offers the program free to all its 300,000plus employees in more than 150 countries, regardless of their role or position in the company.

On a more informal basis,

Mostafaei says he has expanded his knowledge about everything from accounting and finance to technology through his association with his fellow employees.

“So many brilliant people work here,” he says.

That willingness to share knowledge and encourage others to pursue opportunities informs the culture at EY Canada and underlies its purpose to “build a better working world,” says Marinelli.

The company’s purpose is reinforced by its diversity. “It’s one of the best things about EY,” says Mostafaei. “There are people here from different cultures, different

Massimo

“We often tell talent, whenever you join, however long you stay, the exceptional EY experience lasts a lifetime,” says Massimo Marinelli, Canada managing partner, talent, in Toronto.

Among the many opportunities for enhancing their skills and developing their talents, EY Canada employees may enroll in an EY Tech MBA, masters in business analytics or masters in sustainability provided by the Hult International Business School to develop meaningful skills sets for the future, with all learning entirely online and free of cost.

Or they may choose to earn digital badges for future-focused skills such as data visualization, data science and artificial intelligence and for training in

As an EY employee, you gain experience across sectors and across service lines. You can develop yourself into a transformational leader within the global organization.

—

Marinelli Canada Managing Partner, Talent

 EY employees celebrate International Women’s Day.

countries. Everyone can be his or her own self.”

To support its diverse culture, EY Canada sponsors eight professional networks, including Black Professionals, Indigenous, Accessibilities, Pan Asian, Women’s, Latinx, Families and Unity (LGBTQ+).

“As an EY employee,” says Marinelli, “you gain unique experiences to build your CV across sectors and across service lines. You can develop yourself into a transformational leader within the global organization.”

For Mostafaei, that global scope enabled him to move from

Calgary, where he’d lived with his family since they immigrated from Iran in 1999, to Vancouver.

“In Calgary I said, ‘I’m tired of the weather here. Can I move?’ They said, ‘Sure. Which city do you want?’”

So why does he stay at EY Canada? “For the culture,” he

says. “We’re like a family here. We know each other. People care about you.

“I’m not saying my job’s easy. There are times when it can be difficult. But it’s not like going to work. It’s like I’m coming to something where I have a lot of friends.” 

 EY supports a diverse culture by sponsoring eight professional networks.

Apprenticeship and skilled trades programs Leadership development programs Online and in-house training programs Employee resource and affinity groups

The learning opportunities are endless at Fidelity

At any given time, dozens of students are working at Fidelity Canada –many of them having returned to the investment company for their second or third time.

“Students are often encouraged to try different employer experiences in a variety of work environments, and to build their networks,” says Diana Godfrey, senior vice-president of human resources and corporate affairs. “But at Fidelity – we see it differently – high-performing students are welcomed back and offered a unique experience each term. In the end, students get to know us in a more meaningful way.”

the semester is the opportunity for students to go out into the community to do charitable work that is sponsored by Fidelity. And there are plenty of social activities as well. “We’ve really tried to create sort of a microcosm of our culture in one semester, that they can build on in the next,” says Godfrey. “Returning students become leaders in their own right with the new community.”

The company is committed to constant development and, whenever possible, promoting from

within – a huge draw for younger talent. From mentors and coaches to training programs, learning is a constant at Fidelity. When Lauren Gardy first joined the organization in 2019, she was immediately paired with a senior employee.

“Having that mentorship was really, really monumental,” says Gardy, who is now, three jobs later, a business development manager senior in sales. “Fidelity does a really good job of preparing you for the next step.”

While she is frequently

encouraged to push outside her comfort zone, she adds, she is always supported to go there. “I’m challenged every single day in terms of conversations with clients or just learning new things about our products. There’s endless learning to be done.”

Fidelity brings in experts in different fields – presentation skills, and technology – to teach or offer new perspectives to younger staff. Then the company asks for feedback. “We continue to improve the program and change

The goal is to create a pipeline of talented young people who can step into roles at Fidelity as they open. “Bringing new people in with fresh ideas who communicate differently, who have been educated differently, who live and have lived different experiences positively changes the organization,” Godfrey adds.

“They’re the future leaders of the firm. They’re the future clients and they allow us to have conversations that we wouldn’t otherwise have.”

Part of the experience for

Fidelity does a really good job of preparing you for the next step.

— Lauren Gardy Business Development Manager Senior

 Fidelity Canada encourages career advancement with its mentorship and training programs.

Up to $3,000 in tuition assistance for new graduates

Graduate leadership program to connect students with mentors

Offers new experiences through temporary internal transfers

Offers awards for obtaining professional designations/ accreditations

the program based on what we hear,” says Godfrey. “Our goal, again, is to make sure they have a meaningful experience.”

A silver lining of the pandemic is that Fidelity now offers more flexible work arrangements –which, as Godfrey notes, is attractive to younger employees.

And each semester, students can apply for a company scholarship.

“We always say we’re picking one submission per semester,” says Godfrey, “but we typically pick more based on the ideas they present.”

Students and new employees alike meet with senior leaders in

executive forums and roundtables. “Our goal is to give students the opportunity to advocate and express themselves,” she adds. “The student voice is important to us at Fidelity, and we do our best to create an environment that promotes ongoing communication and transparency among the

organization and its employees.” Young talent is an asset to Fidelity’s culture and success. The student program underscores the value that the organization places on its culture of belonging, where bold ideas and creative thinking are not just welcomed, but celebrated. 

 Fidelity Canada makes its HR programs and benefits more effective by asking employees for feedback.

Feel empowered to grow and supported to be your best. careers.fidelity.ca

Fluor Canada offers great opportunities for new grads

In her two and a half years with Fluor Canada Ltd., structural engineer-intraining (EIT) Michaella Chemello has been amazed at the community and the opportunities for career growth.

“We’re encouraged to share our thoughts and set goals,” says Chemello. “I told my supervisor that I wanted to gain site experience and witness the development of a project first-hand. Within weeks I was offered a site assignment and I’ve now been in the role for a few months.”

engineer, pairs each with a mentor to ensure they accomplish the 22 different competencies needed to apply for their professional designation at the end of their work experience.

“Fluor’s approach to attracting younger employees has completely changed since I started 23 years ago,” says Kim Jennings, director of the multi-projects group and management sponsor for the employee resource group (ERG) that supports new graduates. “These individuals are extremely valuable. We want to be adaptable and appeal to the next generation.”

Fluor created this new graduate ERG for interns and employees in their first five years with the company post-graduation. It offers

professional development, social events, volunteer opportunities and an annual conference. As sponsor, Jennings advocates for the time and attention that new employees deserve from management, right up to Mark Brown, vice-president and general manager of Fluor Canada.

“I was impressed that managers come out to our events in an effort to get to know us,” says Chemello. “The management team makes a point to know each of us by name.”

This may be more exceptional given that Chemello was hired during the pandemic. On her first day in the office, there were only five others on her project team there. But Fluor implemented

activities to encourage people to connect, including a socially distanced fire pit in the front courtyard every other Friday. Connectivity and community have only increased since the pandemic.

Chemello has found several ways to volunteer through the company. She co-chaired the steering committee for the new-grad ERG and found herself seconded to the United Way of Calgary and Area. Each year, Fluor nominates an employee to support the charity’s giving campaign while still remaining on Fluor’s payroll. She also helped put together a Fluor team of cyclists for an event in support of the Alberta Cancer Foundation.

Fluor Canada also has a talent development program that includes

Kim

With its Canadian headquarters in Calgary, Fluor Canada provides professional and technical solutions to deliver engineering, procurement, fabrication, construction, and project management services for clients throughout Canada and the world. Its DRIVE program (Developing Reliable, Resilient, Innovative, Valued Engineers), developed for EITs who are working toward becoming a professional

Because we’re a large, diverse company, employees have an opportunity to move their career in a hundred different ways and still stay with Fluor.

—

Jennings Director of the

Multi-Projects Group

 The new graduate employee resource group at Fluor Canada offers professional development and volunteer opportunities.

Mentoring program

Leadership development program

Employee resource and affinity groups

Opportunities for new grads to interact with senior managers

a formal mentoring component. Employees talk to their mentor about being assigned to projects, taking courses or attending conferences. Some do rotational programs to learn different areas or study through Fluor University, the online portal to a catalogue of courses from communication

skills to technical engineering and project management.

Chemello notes that Fluor teams provide a supportive environment for an employee of any experience.

“Everyone encourages asking questions and being curious. It offers a safe space to learn and grow.”

Fluor’s work on energy transition and sustainability is important to many young employees. Because the company is so varied, employees can explore many different career paths, working on projects with budgets from hundreds of thousands to billions of dollars in different industries

and locations.

Jennings says she’s had five or six different roles during her 23 years with the company. “Because we’re a large, diverse company, employees have an opportunity to move their career in a hundred different ways and still stay with Fluor.” 

 Fluor Canada fosters a supportive environment with formal mentoring as part of its talent development program.

Empowerment is in fashion at Groupe Dynamite

The early days of the pandemic were difficult ones in the retail clothing industry, especially for young people starting their careers. But management at Montréal-based Groupe Dynamite Inc., which operates Dynamite and Garage clothing stores in Canada and the U.S., took extraordinary steps to keep their employees engaged.

empowering young women to develop their careers in an industry they can identify with – one that empowers them to express themselves.”

The company has an extensive internship program that allows prospective employees to learn about each department and how they work together.

“It’s a complex business, from concept to design to buying, planning, allocation, sourcing, testing and selling, marketing and e-commerce,” Brami says. “The leader of each function explains how it links together and relates

to the product cycle, so they get an overview of how the business works.”

They also have opportunities for career coaching as well as game nights and social activities. And at the end of the internship, a number of them are hired.

Annie-Pier Côté started as a part-time sales associate in high school and worked her way up to assistant store manager. After completing a degree in psychology and marketing, she joined Groupe Dynamite as an intern in the marketing department.

“The internship program is

amazing,” she says. “We got to meet people from different departments and have lunch with the CEO. It’s a great learning opportunity.

“For me, coming from working in the stores, it was impressive to see the way head office works and how much is involved in the business. And getting to know everybody was really nice.”

The internship led to a full-time job for Côté. “I met my current boss in the Sales and Operations department and we clicked,” she says. “There was an opening on her team for a training advisor, and

“It was a tough year,” says Sarah Paula Brami, the company’s vice-president of talent and culture. “It is a welcome change to be in a growth mode with our U.S. expansion and new store openings, as opposed to the tougher years we lived during COVID shutdown.”

Brami’s team created a website for furloughed employees to keep them updated, called them personally, held weekly virtual information sessions and even had a program to sustain them financially during the lockdown. It’s all in line with the company’s policies of hiring, training and nurturing new employees.

“We’re strong proponents of youth,” Brami says. “Groupe Dynamite is very much about

A lot of our senior leaders are female, and I feel like they really lift you up and show you that there’s no limits.

— Annie-Pier Côté Training Advisor, Sales and Operations

 Annie-Pier Côté, training advisor, sales and operations at Groupe Dynamite.

I’ve now been in that role for three and a half years. It’s been a great experience.”

Groupe Dynamite’s learning management system takes new hires through a series of onboarding courses, including task management, e-commerce management and selling techniques.

And the training is ongoing.

“We’re doing three-hour sessions with our stores,” Côté says. “There was training in getting to know the product and how to sell each line. We also have mandatory training in health and safety and loss prevention.”

Employees can also be

reimbursed for courses, and are offered virtual health care, with a new suite of mental health services and a short-term disability program coming soon, as well as a flexible vacation policy. “They trust that you’ll take what you need throughout the year, and I think that’s a great initiative,”

says Côté.

“One thing that makes me proud to work here is the female empowerment in the office,” she says. “A lot of our senior leaders are female, and I feel like they really lift you up and show you that there’s no limits. It’s a great image to have, and a great role to look up to.” 

 Groupe Dynamite empowers young women to develop their careers by offering mentorship and coaching.

Subsidies for professional accreditations and development

Online and in-house training programs

Paid internships for young people Leadership development programs

There’s room to grow at Halifax Regional Municipality

When Leah Perrin completed her undergraduate degree at Dalhousie University, she moved away from her family in Dartmouth to live in New Zealand and Vancouver. She returned to earn a master of planning degree from Dal, joining Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM) as a development technician/ planning intern in 2013.

to support housing needs based on forecast population growth.

In fact, Perrin and her team are predicting that HRM will have more than doubled its population to one million by 2050 – the year she could retire. “I joke that I’m planning for my retirement,” she says. “We’re in a growing city facing growing pains around things like housing and transportation, which is challenging and exciting.”

There’s much work to be done – some of it at a new office in downtown Halifax, where Perrin’s planning and development unit is based. A hybrid work

model, which was being drafted pre-pandemic, was accelerated by the first lockdown. “The flex-work policy is great because it’s nice to be in the office when you want to interact with people, but also nice to be home when you’re writing and need a bit more quiet,” says Perrin.

Something Perrin really appreciates is the option to work an extra half hour each day, allowing her to take every third Friday off. As a member of the employee engagement working group, she organizes social activities such as crib tournaments

in a beautiful café space. When employee surveys revealed that communication could be stronger, the group launched a newsletter.

Caroline Blair-Smith, deputy chief administrative officer, corporate services, says HRM’s internship, co-op and apprenticeship programs aim to hire and retain the best and brightest. While there is a formal mentorship program, informal mentoring is prevalent across the organization. Those professional relationships are often driven by the young employees.

“When I came to HRM 17 years

Perrin was part of a new HRM program called Bridging the Gap, created to hire more postsecondary graduates to give them valuable work experience. “I got my internship right out of school, and I was very lucky to end up where I wanted to be,” she says. “My parents were public servants, and I have a strong public-service drive.”

That 18-month paid internship was a stepping stone to growing Perrin’s career at HRM. “I’d describe myself as fairly ambitious, and my managers recognized that and supported my goals,” she says. A principal planner since 2021, she went from processing permits as an intern to working on policy

Our work has a meaningful connection to the communities we serve.

— Caroline Blair–Smith Deputy Chief Administrative Officer, Corporate Services

 Leah Perrin, principal planner (third from left front-row), and her colleagues at Halifax Regional Municipality.

ago, my manager was an incredible mentor who shaped me as a professional and supported me in balancing the demands of a career while raising a family,” says Blair-Smith. “The work is fulfilling but it can be hard, so now when I mentor, I make sure to ask what people are struggling with and how

I can help them be successful.”

Blair-Smith has noticed how well young employees have adapted to the hybrid work model.

“They are flexing so efficiently and loving it!” she says. “They’re showing us how to embrace a flexible work environment.”

There are always new

opportunities to apply for within the municipality. “I’ve stayed with HRM because I’ve been able to move around and continue to grow,” says Blair-Smith. “You can have a varied, exciting career at HRM.”

One of the best things about working at HRM? Employees can

see their work every day across the municipality. “I hired the staff to operate the Emera Oval on the Halifax Common, and I’m proud every time I drive by and see people enjoying it,” says Blair-Smith. “Our work has a meaningful connection to the communities we serve.” 

 Halifax Regional Municipality employees planning for the future growth of their city.

Apprenticeship and skilled trades programs

Online and in-house training programs

Paid internships and co-op terms for students Leadership development programs

Young people help build stronger communities at HHS

While earning a master of science degree in occupational therapy at McMaster University, Paige Lerit spent a few months working a couple of eight-hour weekly shifts at Hamilton General Hospital, a Hamilton Health Sciences (HHS) facility. As an occupational therapist clinical extern (working student), she found her calling in the cardiology and vascular surgery unit, where she helped provide care for patients with various serious conditions, including several amputees.

dressed or going for a walk. When Lerit’s grandmother fell a few years ago, an occupational therapist visited her at home to help improve her mobility and independence. That opened Lerit’s eyes to the possibilities of the profession.

“When I worked at HHS, I saw how a simple activity could bring a smile to someone’s face or fill laughter within the room, and those experiences really resonated with me,” says Lerit. “I’m grateful to HHS for helping me determine what scope of practice I want to pursue after graduation, which is

adult rehabilitation.”

President and CEO Rob MacIsaac says clinical extern programs are designed to bring in young people to HHS who are still learning about the careers they’re considering so they can gain exposure and acquire the skills they’ll need for them.

“We’re helping set them up for success by giving them good experiences and training them to be the next generation of healthcare workers,” he says. “The work can be daunting because we treat critically ill patients, so we really understand that our young

employees need to be mentored and supported.” Comprehensive orientation, training and ongoing development support is provided to the thousands of young people who choose to join HHS each year.

In the last year, HHS has made massive investments in technology and equipment to enhance experiences for the health-care teams and their patients, moving to a state-of-the-art paperless healthinformation system called Epic. This initiative represents a commitment to quality care for patients, and it helps the health

HHS is a community of 15,000 staff, physicians, researchers and volunteers serving southwestern Ontario residents. It provides specialized, advanced care and is a world-renowned hospital for health-care research. “Since my first day, the occupational therapists, physiotherapists and nurses I worked with were amazing supports who felt more like family than colleagues,” says Lerit.

Occupational therapists play an important role in helping people participate in meaningful activities in their daily lives, such as getting

I’m grateful to HHS for helping me determine what scope of practice I want to pursue after graduation.

— Paige Lerit Occupational Therapist Clinical Extern

 Paige Lerit, occupational therapist clinical extern, at Hamilton Health Sciences.

professionals to be able to spend more time at the bedside with patients and less time on administrative tasks, as well as reducing errors.

Advancing diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives is also a priority. “We can’t fulfil our mission of ‘best care for all’ unless all of our

staff feel valued and respected,” says MacIsaac. “We want a culture where everyone feels like they belong.”

While Lerit worked at HHS, clinical extern co-ordinators held weekly in-person check-ins with her and encouraged her to text them anytime if she had questions

or needed support. She appreciated that, as well as being given the flexibility to choose her hours based on her school schedule. “It was a really positive environment, and the other students on the floor were so sweet,” she says.

In August 2022, Lerit was part of the occupational therapy

program’s orientation committee, where she talked to other young people about the benefits of the externship. “There are so many different areas you can work in,” she says. “You could be put somewhere you don’t know much about and absolutely love it, which is what happened to me.”

 Hamilton Health Sciences provides comprehensive orientation, training and ongoing mentorship for the thousands of young people who choose to join the organization each year.

Training and mentoring programs

Staff Education and Development Fund

Centre for People Development

SHINE Wellness program

How Hatch attracts youth and youth revitalizes Hatch

After he left a typical Hatch Ltd. gathering in October, Stéphane Raymond, the company’s regional managing director for Eastern Canada, was struck by an elevator screen news flash he saw while returning to his office: only 40 per cent of Canadian employees said they had access to their direct manager. “It was a breakfast meeting with Hatch’s young professionals employees, and not just direct and senior managers were there but the board of directors. Everyone was mingling,” Raymond recalls. “We cranked up those access stats quite heavily, all on our own.”

course, industry representatives came to talk to our class, many of whom were from Hatch,” Chrzaszcz says. “Speaking with them and listening to them showed me that Hatch was engaged in interesting and challenging work – a good environment for me to grow in and learn from as a young professional.” When a Hatch presenter asked Chrzaszcz to apply for a position on his pyrometallurgy team, she jumped at the chance.

Since Chrzaszcz joined Hatch in mid-2021, the company’s other strengths as an employer for young people have come into play. A pandemic hire, Chrzaszcz has been deeply involved with the company’s young professionals committee since she was able to come into Hatch’s Mississauga headquarters for the first time a year ago. “It's been great to connect with my peers in person rather than online,” she says, “and

it’s a great place to share young professionals’ ideas and opinions and have open discussions with experienced colleagues.”

Hatch’s global reach has already provided Chrzaszcz with the opportunity to travel to Australia to meet in person with a client to discuss technologies, including biomass usage, to reduce steel-industry greenhouse gas emissions. “Throughout our technical workshops, both the

One of his newest colleagues agrees. Maéva Chrzaszcz, 24, had more than one reason to join the engineering and professional services giant, which she first encountered in her last semester in materials engineering at McGill University in 2021.

“During my final-year design

Our culture offers more than working relationships, and it needs to be maintained and cherished, and the younger generation is a big part of that.

— Stéphane Raymond Regional Managing Director for Eastern Canada

 Maéva Chrzaszcz, an engineer-in-training (centre), at Hatch, participating in a hockey event to raise funds for cancer research.

client and my team put their trust in me as a professional. This was so valuable to me, coming in with my 18 months experience, to better understand what they want and to provide my input to people who were keen on listening.”

Raymond is happy to describe Hatch’s many formal and informal

initiatives with new hires. Those include structured mentorship, the induction process by which, in their first month, new employees meet with a senior manager – in Eastern Canada, it’s often him – to talk about Hatch’s flat, connected workplace culture, and how the company responds with support to

individual employee ambitions. Hatch also provides work that Chrzaszcz and her peers are passionate about. “Our recognition that the economy is going to be driven by climate change for the rest of our careers has a huge power of attraction for the next generation,” says Raymond.

But he always returns to what he considers a core reality: what Hatch offers young employees is matched by what they offer Hatch. “Our culture offers more than working relationships, and it needs to be maintained and cherished, and the younger generation is a big part of that.”

 Hatch develops formal and informal initiatives for new hires to connect with peers.

Online and inhouse professional development programs

Global mentorship circles with regular meetings Engage program to understand Hatch’s business delivery in-house Professional Practice Exam prep course

Growth creates opportunity at Keurig Dr Pepper Canada

Katherine Lamarche got an inside look at Keurig Dr Pepper Canada (KDP Canada) as a student intern and she knew it was where she wanted to launch her career after earning a marketing degree at the Université de Montréal’s Haute études commerciales.

of non-alcoholic cocktails called Atypique.

“We’ve welcomed a lot of new people over the past three to five years to sustain our growth,” says Olivier Lemire, president. “We have a dynamic and energetic workforce that brings new ideas to the table and is not afraid of challenging the status quo.”

That is due, in no small part, to the company’s robust internship and co-op programs. With Canadian corporate offices in Montréal and Mississauga, Ont., KDP Canada recruits 15 to 25 second-year students, mainly from universities in Montréal

and Toronto, for summer and winter co-ops. The company also runs a summer internship program for production, logistics and supply chain positions at its Montréal-based coffee roasting and production facility.

“We give them real experience,” says Lemire. “They’re not going to be sorting through files or organizing paper. They are going to help create value in the company’s projects and operations.”

Lemire makes time to meet the students and they get introduced to all the vice-presidents. The company also supports them through lunch and learns as well as

other learning experiences.

“At the end of each cohort we sit down with the students and ask them what they liked, what we could do differently and what we could improve,” Lemire adds.

KDP Canada also has a well-structured onboarding program. Lemire and his senior director of human resources meet all new hires, generally within their first couple of months. The company assigns a buddy to mentor newcomers and provide career advice.

“We spend a lot of time making sure that people who join our organization feel good and valued

— Olivier Lemire President

“The career opportunities we have at KDP Canada are truly exceptional and are what really makes me stay here and why I love it so much,” says Lamarche, manager, key accounts. “It’s a business in full effervescence that focuses on innovation and the growth of its portfolio, which makes it very exciting.”

Besides a wide range of coffee products and Keurig brewers, KDP Canada boasts multiple divisions and manages a portfolio of over 60 brands of hot and cold beverages, some owned outright, others sold under licence or through partnerships or commercial alliances. Along with such well-known names as Schweppes, Dr Pepper, Crush, Canada Dry and Bai, the company has also recently acquired a Québec brand

We have a dynamic and energetic workforce that brings new ideas to the table and is not afraid of challenging the status quo.

 KDP Canada employees sharing a thank you note during a Thanksgiving activity.

Mentoring program

from day one,” he says. “It’s a huge part of retention.”

KDP Canada gives employees time off to contribute to their communities through volunteer work. The company supports a variety of organizations in the areas of its Canadian offices including Mississauga Food Bank,

Moisson Montréal and Mission Old Brewery and participates in many charitable events such as the Make-a-Wish 48-hour bike ride and the Charles Bruneau Foundation hockey tournament.

Lamarche, for one, has been an active participant. “We have a team of six to 12 that participates

in a lot of outside activities like a 24-hour skiing event at MontTremblant every December,” she says. “It’s one of the many charity events that KDP Canada supports and encourages its employees to attend and volunteer their time for a good cause.”

Lemire adds that such

endeavours make employees better people and make KDP Canada a great place to work. “We promote health and well-being,” he says. “We promote networking and making connections. Younger people want to join an organization that’s on the move and looking forward.” 

 KDP Canada employees gathering together in the 'Together Forward' project to celebrate returning to the office.

KPMG empowers its people to learn for a lifetime

For Angela Tao, national campus recruitment leader at KPMG, supporting young people to discover and build careers that align with their strengths and values isn’t only her job — it’s her passion.

internal career paths, make connections and take advantage of all the opportunities available to them.”

The firm empowers its people through programs such as Summer Splash and Winter Refresh, which provide additional paid days off. Newest to the roster is KPMG Roam, a travel program that helps enable employees to work remotely from select countries. There are also over 30 People Networks run by KPMG employees.

Tao says she’s also a great example of how career paths don’t have to be linear. After joining KPMG’s audit practice in 2013, she earned her chartered professional accountant (CPA)

designation in 2016. KPMG supports employees through every step of the CPA process, including providing paid time off, study guides and coaching.

“Our leaders,” Tao adds, “are committed to providing the tools, mentorship and training and development programs that enable our people, especially young talent, to grow and reach their full potential.”

KPMG also offers flexibility when employees want to try something different. In Tao’s case, that was switching to a team focused on talent attraction in 2016.

Nicole Tomassetti, director of national talent attraction, says she saw Tao’s passion and potential

right away. “She had many transferable skills from her CPA training,” Tomassetti explains. Indeed, KPMG offers employees at all levels a diverse array of learning opportunities in-house, online and in collaboration with educational institutes. These include digital and technology skills training and upskilling programs.

Tomassetti, who first joined KPMG in 1994, recently signed up for a micro-credential course in digital analytics. It’s one of a number of programs offered by KPMG which was created in collaboration with the Beedie School of Business at Simon Fraser University in Vancouver.

“Learning to work with the

— Angela Tao National Campus Recruitment

Recruiting post-secondary students to join the firm when they graduate is, in fact, only part of the job. Tao also regularly meets with students, working at the firm as co-ops or interns, who she mentors and shares information with about options as they explore their career journeys.

“We have a huge pay-it-forward mentality,” says Tao. “I’ve had –still have – some awesome mentors who’ve helped me with my career.

“Because I know what it’s like to be in their shoes, I enjoy helping young people navigate KPMG’s

Our leaders are committed to providing the tools, mentorship and the training and development programs that enable our people, especially young talent, to grow and reach their full potential.

Leader

 Nicole Tomassetti (left) works with Jade Psutka to empower Indigenous youth at KPMG.

Up to $2,000 financial bonus for course completion

Full financial aid for CPA candidates

872 recent graduates hired on a full-time basis in 2022

25,000+ resources available through Degreed, KPMG’s online learning platform

latest cutting-edge tools is a great way to future-proof your skill set,” Tomassetti says.

Other teams within KPMG also offer specialized training programs tailored to their specific professional needs. On-the-job training also plays a key role in helping employees develop as professionals

alongside day-to-day teamwork which provides opportunities for informal mentoring.

KPMG also has a variety of leadership development programs such as the New Managers Conference and the Senior Manager Program. Both help support employees as they begin the next stage of their

career journey, Tomassetti says. The learning, in fact, never stops, Tao says. Being part of CEO Elio Luongo’s Leaders of Tomorrow circle in 2022 wasn’t just an opportunity to develop new leadership skills herself, but to provide insights to KPMG’s senior leaders. The network of employees

at the senior manager level and below serve as a sounding board, offering feedback on matters important to employees.

“We empower young people to grow as leaders and to use their unique experiences and perspectives to help make KPMG better,” says Tao.

 Angela Tao (third from the left) participating in the 2022 Leaders of Tomorrow Circle at KPMG.

Labatt seeks new ways to attract diverse talent

Now a category capabilities manager at Labatt Breweries of Canada, Roshni Pendse was finishing her MA in management at the University of British Columbia in 2021 when she learned of Labatt’s new Leadership Accelerator program. For someone weighing her future options, it was a powerful draw.

also directly targeted at BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and People of Colour) candidates. It’s as much a part of Labatt’s diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) focus as the company’s search for exceptional new hires, says Bea Grubesic, Labatt’s vice-president, people. “DEI has been a priority for us for quite a few years,” she says.

“The Leadership Accelerator program enables us to elevate our talent recruitment efforts, support a diverse workforce, and lead future growth across our industry.”

Pendse found the program demanding and rewarding. Along with her day-to-day job as a member of the category team, she had two special projects. “We try to match candidate placement with their areas of interest,” says Grubesic. “We consider their experience and what they want to do, in determining the type of projects that they get.”

In Pendse’s case, one project was customer-facing, working with a major grocery chain, and the other an independent research

effort. “For the first, which was very hands-on, I was in meetings with higher-ups from the customer company and our own executives, which was pretty cool so early in my career,” says the 25-year-old.

“The second was at the opposite end of the spectrum in terms of focus, a deep dive into data on the beer market to help identify trends on where it’s headed and what opportunities lie ahead.”

Beyond the workload, Pendse had a weekly meeting with a mentor who was a senior member

“It’s a structured program, with set mentorship and leadership training opportunities,” Pendse says. “I thought it would be a great way to get a foothold starting out within a company. And now that I’m out of the program, and a full-time employee, I can say it certainly was. I’ve had opportunities for direct customer involvement and independent projects I wouldn’t have had otherwise.”

The program, which seeks three new entrants every year, is

The Leadership Accelerator program enables us to elevate our talent recruitment efforts, support a diverse workforce, and lead future growth across our industry.

— Bea Grubesic Vice-President, People

 Roshni Pendse, category capabilities manager, attributes her career to the ‘Leadership Accelerator’ program at Labatt Breweries of Canada.

of the category team. “I was able to connect with her one-on-one,” she says, “and get an intimate understanding of the whole company.” And then there was the leadership training itself. That was shared with the other two members of the initial 2021 accelerator program cohort. “We

got to participate in different sessions around developing soft skills such as managing conflict and interacting with people,” Pendse says. “Put everything in conjunction,” she sums up, “and there’s the accelerator aspect.”

The Leadership Accelerator Program has already been

markedly successful for Labatt, says Grubesic, in the quality and quantity of job seekers who have applied. Each of the first two years had 200 candidates. In 2022, after the leadership cohort was chosen from a shortlist, four of the other finalists received additional opportunities to join Labatt.

For a company committed to the concept that a diverse workforce drives innovation and growth, the new program is a potent tool. “We are finding more success when we strategically market a targeted program,” Grubesic says, “and this is a very important recruitment effort for us.” 

Creating a Future With More Cheers starts with investing in top talent.

ABI University with over 2,000 online courses

Talent management programs for new grads Paid internships and co-op terms for students

‘Leadership Accelerator’ program

Colleagues are at the heart of Manulife’s core values

When Anisha Jain started her most recent job search for a role that combined her passion for communications and the environmental, social and governance (ESG) investing sector, she was very intentional about finding a company that had values consistent with her own and could walk the talk on sustainability.

Economic Forum Trillion Trees initiative, and I’m a volunteer tree-planter,” says Jain, 27. “So, it’s really nice to be able to work on things that align with my personal interests and to come into an organization where they’re walking the talk. It’s been really exciting.”

As someone new to the organization, Jain says she likes the company’s welcoming culture and immediate sense of community, as well as the workforce’s diversity.

Alexander Lucas, CEO of Manulife Bank of Canada, says a major part of Manulife’s focus on diversity in the workplace has

been on age diversity.

“We’re building teams that include blends of both experienced and younger colleagues who will have different perspectives on how to solve a problem, or the best way to meet a customer need,” he says. “As we adapt to the change accelerated by COVID around how customers want to be served and the digitization of the industry, diverse teams allow us to meet those demands.”

To help nurture and grow young talent, Manulife is building a “supportive, diverse and inclusive workplace” which reflects one of the company’s core values, called

“share your humanity.” Lucas says Manulife’s six core values and internal culture are unique because they were shaped with significant input from colleagues.

“It was done as a grassroots global effort. More than 10,000 colleagues provided feedback into the values that we hold each other accountable to,” he says. “One of the values I’m most proud of, and that young people care about, is ‘share your humanity.’ I think that’s an important part of work today – you’re not one person at work and another in your personal life.”

The organization’s leaders talk

Anisha

The search led her to join Manulife Canada in September 2022, as a manager of ESG report writing and communications. It was the company’s deep focus on sustainability and its unique impact agenda that attracted her. Now that she’s settled into the job, Jain says she appreciates the “momentum” behind Manulife’s commitments – and seeing the company engage in sustainability initiatives that she cares about personally.

“Manulife recently announced a pledge to 1t.org through its partnership with the World

It’s really nice to be able to work on things that align with my personal interests and to come into an organization where they’re walking the talk.

—

Jain Manager, ESG Report Writing and Communications

 Manulife Canada works toward age diversity by hiring both experienced and younger colleagues.

openly about work-life balance, and Manulife aims to support colleagues in both their personal and professional development, Lucas says. One of its most recent initiatives, Fuel Up Friday, aims to support colleagues in both senses, by giving them a half-day on the second Friday of every month

for self-directed learning and personal development. Manulife has also given employees access to a learning hub called ‘Pursuit,’ which Lucas says many colleagues gravitate to on those half-days.

“Many colleagues, especially those early in their career, are interested in learning and growing

personally as well as professionally, and structured time off is important,” he says. “If you want to work on your negotiation skills or your presentation skills or you just want to learn more about data science and artificial intelligence, then you have access to ‘Pursuit,’ with all its learning resources.”

Jain has been dedicating her Fuel Up Fridays to further developing her understanding of the ESG space. “I hadn’t had the opportunity in previous jobs to take that time for myself to focus on personal development,” she says. “So that’s been interesting and supported me in my role.”

 Young talent at Manulife Canada can develop across multiple areas of the business through internship, co-op and new graduate programs.

Mentoring program

Rotational actuarial development program

Pursuit Learning Hub to explore digitally curated learning content

“Keep in Touch” campaign for early hire engagement

Nutrien trains its talent to feed the world

ulia Chiarelli had worked for an entertainment company, a professional sports organization, a provincial transport ministry and a consulting firm before taking a position one year ago at Nutrien’s Calgary office.

“When I was doing my research, I was reading about innovation, sustainability, diversity and inclusion at Nutrien,” says Chiarelli, now senior advisor, service readiness. “I knew I could feel confident coming to a company like this.”

She was also attracted by Nutrien’s purpose, to feed the future. In fact, that is a draw for many young people embarking on a career, says Randy Irving, director, strategic inclusion.

career opportunities and paths for personal and professional growth. The company operates potash mines in Saskatchewan, nitrogen and phosphate facilities in Alberta as well as the U.S., and over 2,000 retail outlets in seven countries.

To support these industry-leading facilities, Nutrien employs a full range of professional support services, including marketing, finance, sales and human resources, among others.

Nutrien brings young people into various parts of the business, either as student interns or full-time hires, through several innovative

talent development initiatives. The emerging talent program is a three-year rotational initiative for full-time employees in the retail business unit. The focus is on developing strong, effective future leaders.

“They work in different branches and different areas of the retail organization,” says Irving. “We give them shadowing opportunities, so they get a more holistic view of the organization.”

Engineer-in-training is a four-year rotational program for recent graduates. They are placed in Nutrien’s potash, nitrogen and

phosphate facilities. For the first two years, they are mentored by an experienced engineer. They benefit throughout the program from on-the-job training that supplements the technical training they receive as students.

“We’re giving these young engineers real life, practical work experience,” says Irving. “We have set schedules for refurbishing our nitrogen and phosphate plants and those are the types of large-scale projects that students get to work on.”

The company has also launched a pilot program at its Calgary site

“We’re tasked with trying to feed 10 billion people by 2050,” says Irving. “I don’t know if there’s a more noble cause than tackling the challenge of global food security.”

Nutrien is a large, diverse agribusiness that offers a multitude of

When I was doing my research, I was reading about innovation, sustainability, diversity and inclusion at Nutrien. I knew I could feel confident coming to a company like this.

— Julia Chiarelli Senior Advisor, Service Readiness

 Nutrien offers shadowing opportunities for young people to get a more holistic view of the organization.

Extensive apprenticeship and trades programs

Tuition assistance for employees interested in further education

In-house courses includes career development planning Leadership development program for women

for technology talent development.

It is a two-year rotational program for students that deals with cyber security, enterprise applications and digital delivery, among other things. The participants contribute to key initiatives and, at the same time, get exposure to Nutrien’s information and digital solutions.

Grooming future leaders is a key objective of these programs, but it is also engrained in the corporate culture. “For me, what’s really been important is looking for leadership opportunities,” says Chiarelli. “My leaders have given me the opportunity to lead. They’ve empowered me to step

into that space and build my skill set.”

Chiarelli is the co-lead of the Calgary chapter of the company’s young professionals’ network, which has afforded her the opportunity to meet and socialize with her peers. The network has also exposed her to women in

leadership roles, some of whom have served as mentors.

“We must have a corporate environment that leverages the collective genius of our workforce if we’re to feed the future and end food insecurity,” says Irving. “We definitely need innovative young minds.” 

 The young professional network at Nutrien empowers employees by providing networking and leadership opportunities.

OpenText provides a vibrant culture for growth

The difference for Flora Niccoli started with the interview.

It was 2019 and Niccoli was just finishing her MBA program at Wilfrid Laurier University when she saw some opportunities come up in finance at OpenText Corporation, the Waterloo, Ont.-based software giant. Having grown up in the region, she had heard good things about working at OpenText so was excited to apply through the company’s Finance Academy program.

about whatever I was interested in learning about, such as cloud, and they’d really listen and take action,” says Niccoli. “I’ve had such supportive leaders who value my interests and just encourage you to learn.”

Passionate about women’s equality, Niccoli is also a member of the leadership committee for the company’s Women in Technology affinity group, representing women in the Americas and helping to plan global events. OpenText is a strong advocate for equality, diversity and inclusion (ED&I) with a goal of 40 per cent female

leadership by 2030.

“We’ve really grown this past year, building out the regional chapters,” says Niccoli. “Our feedback is telling us people want more events, so that’s exactly what we’re planning with more networking, success stories and coaching and learning workshops.

“There are endless opportunities here at OpenText because things are constantly changing and evolving,” says Niccoli. “For instance, you might work cross functionally and be introduced to new projects that could really propel your career forward. Plus

being able to take on new roles, such as through our affinity groups, provides opportunities to showcase your leadership.”

John Radko, senior vice-president of engineering, is also deeply invested with ED&I. He’s a big advocate of hiring diverse candidates and providing early-in-career growth opportunities, something he actively does through the engineering co-op program. While the company recruits interns from various universities, such as Waterloo where OpenText was originally founded, it also reaches out to Lakehead in Thunder

“My experience was really great – unlike any kind of interview process I’d had before,” says Niccoli, a senior manager in financial planning & analysis. “Once you were selected as a candidate, we were invited to the head office to network with people from all of the finance pillars. I really valued the chance to talk with different leaders and learn about the opportunities they had available and projects they were working on.”

After starting as a senior analyst, Niccoli quickly moved up to her current management role.

“I could talk to my managers

I've had such supportive leaders who really value my interests and just want you to learn.

— Flora Niccoli Senior Manager, Financial Planning & Analysis

 OpenText employees attend a technology conference.

Subsidies for professional accreditations

Mentoring program

Annual career day for all global employees

Paid internships and co-op terms for students

Bay and Howard University in Washington, D.C. (a historically Black institution), based on its ED&I goals.

“We bring in students and give them a chance to work in a professional environment with our seasoned software engineers, so they can get a sense of what it’s

like and how to build a career,” says Radko. “When an intern is attached to OpenText, they get the same basic communication and experiences of all our other employees – doing real work as members of the software development team.”

The interns are paired with a

mentor who helps them as they’re learning to code and with advice on becoming a professional engineer. They also learn about career options and enjoy opportunities to talk to senior executives.

“We’ve found what interns prize most is that interaction with other professionals,” says Radko.

“Another is OpenText offers a lot of growth potential and different paths within the organization. When you look at the leadership, it’s a great mix of people who were hired for their seniority or experience as well as those who came up through the ranks. It’s a place you can really build a career.”

 OpenText employees participating in an Earth Day clean-up.

PCL finds tomorrow’s leaders in today’s students

Simon Lamy, a PCL Construction project coordinator, never had any real doubt about what he’d do when he grew up. He was one of those toddlers, the ones with eyes fixed on big machines digging big holes in the earth and tall buildings rising into the sky.

terms there – and knew right from the get-go that I wanted to work for PCL after graduation – because of the people I met. That's what PCL is about: people who are passionate about construction.”

That’s the kind of outcome PCL – which is marking its fourth year in a row on the list of Canada’s Top Employers for Young People – has worked hard to create, says Harmony Carter, vice president of people and culture. “We have connections with more than 75 schools across Canada, and more than 600 student placements this

academic year,” she says. The company’s goal, Carter adds, is for its entry-level hires to emerge from among its former student workers. Nearly 100 full-time offers went to former PCL students this year. “We encourage them to consider careers with us, and that starts with their first work terms,” she says. “We give students an opportunity to work all their co-op terms with us, and we provide an incredible experience so they don’t feel compelled to go elsewhere.”

Except to other PCL sites, that is. The company’s student

mobility program subsidizes student movement around the country. “We place them in areas across Canada,” says Carter, “and into other projects and jobs to really give them well-rounded experience.”

That experience includes significant responsibility and support, adds Lamy. After co-op terms in Montréal and Ottawa, he asked PCL about opportunities in Western Canada. “I was told about a very exciting project in Vancouver and kind of fell in love with it, and stayed there for three

But where he would work was an open question right into his civil engineering studies at the University of Ottawa, until he learned of a possible co-op stint with PCL in 2014 on the site of Montréal’s Deloitte Tower, the first commercial office tower built in that city in more than 20 years.

But if that’s why Lamy began with the Edmonton-based construction industry giant, it’s not why he has stayed on ever since. “I started my co-op work with PCL because their projects were famous across the country and socially important,” says Lamy. “But I went on to do five more co-op

We give students an opportunity to work all their co-op terms with us, and we provide an incredible experience so they don’t feel compelled to go elsewhere.

— Harmony Carter Vice President, People and Culture

 The student mobility program at PCL Construction subsidizes movement around the country to give young employees a well-rounded experience.

606 student placements in Canada

95 full-time offers made to students in Canada

$67,000 in scholarships awarded to students in North America

32 students participated in the mobility program

co-op terms.” Lamy took on more and more responsibilities, and felt the whole Vancouver team was behind him after he was nominated for, and won, PCL’s $3,000 Canadian Buildings National Student Scholarship. The support doesn’t end after a student becomes an employee.

There are numerous technical and leadership programs for younger workers, and even an assigned buddy for each one – a more experienced PCL employee who can advise and inform.

Mentoring, in fact, is a core company value, Carter says, rooted in PCL’s 100 per cent

employee ownership. “We’re all owners and we all want everyone else to succeed too.” It’s a culture where mentees quickly transition to mentors. Lamy is proud to say that, after he was hired at PCL, one of the co-op students he supervised and advised won the same national scholarship he did.

“We want to separate ourselves from the pack, as the best builders, not just the best technical builders,” Carter says. “This is a people business, and that’s why we’ve invested a lot in training and career development. We want employees to build a fulfilling career with PCL.” 

 Simon Lamy, project coordinator, in the new Montréal office at PCL Construction.

Pharmascience improves lives all over the world

Health care was a family affair for Sebastien Gadbois when he was growing up, given that his mother is a family physician with her own clinic. So, after earning two degrees from the Université de Montréal’s Haute Études Commerciales, he launched his career at the Montréal-based health-care company Pharmascience Inc., a family-owned manufacturer of generic drugs.

1983 by Montréal pharmacists Morris Goodman and Ted Wise. The company produces and distributes some 1,400 products to over 50 countries, making it the largest Canadian-owned pharmaceutical company.

“The mission of the company is to enhance the health and wellbeing of patients by providing affordable and accessible medicines for all,” says Pascale Benchetrit, talent acquisition manager. That mission is reflected in Pharmascience’s corporate slogan: “We care for patients, worldwide.”

Research and development is the cornerstone of Pharmascience, but

the company offers a wide range of other career opportunities as well as training and development, especially for younger employees.

“We hire interns all year long in all our divisions, and we hire about 20 students and recent graduates each summer as part of our ‘Next Generation Leaders’ program,” says Benchetrit. “They get to work on specific projects within their departments and they are also tasked with a corporate project focusing on a real, multidisciplinary strategic challenge with interns from different groups.”

Pharmascience also has a pivotal talent program which is aimed at ensuring that the company has an

adequate supply of future leaders. “We identify high-potential employees,” says Benchetrit. “We put in place a development plan to identify their goals, their strengths, their areas of improvement and actions to help them develop those competencies.”

Gadbois adds that there are multiple opportunities to grow professionally within the company. He’s held several positions since joining Pharmascience five years ago after earning a bachelor’s degree in global operations management and a master’s in global supply chain management.

“I started as a demand analyst in the business unit before becoming

“I had heard great things about the company,” says Gadbois, manager, supply chain. “When you join, you feel part of the Pharmascience family from day one. The integration and onboarding are great. You meet people from various departments, and you’re always supported by your colleagues.”

The flexibility offered by the organization, whether through having Friday afternoons off or the hybrid model, was also a big pull. Pharmascience was founded in

The mission of the company is to enhance the health and wellbeing of patients by providing affordable and accessible medicines for all.

— Pascale Benchetrit Talent Acquisition Manager

 Pharmascience employees skating together to celebrate the holidays.

a commercial operations manager and then moved to supply chain management,” says Gadbois. “In our supply chain team, we have people who came from operational planning, from data management and from project management. It’s very easy to move around within the company.”

That mobility is a reflection of the entrepreneurial culture at Pharmascience, “You’re always meeting and interacting with other departments,” he says. “When I started, I was given a mandate and I was fully responsible for it. You have to learn quickly, which is very motivating.”

Beyond that, the pharmaceutical industry is very competitive and perpetually changing. “It’s an extremely dynamic industry,” says Gadbois. “We have suppliers from around the world and we also have competitors that come into the market from everywhere. But the culture and team spirit within

the company push you to do your best.”

There is one other motivator. “You’re working on products that are delivered to patients,” he says. “We’re helping people get their medications. We know we make a difference for patients around the world.” 

 Pharmascience has a talent program that creates development plans for its future leaders.

Pomerleau celebrates young talent in an annual gala

Last year, Gabrielle Takaoka received unique recognition from her employer, Pomerleau Inc.

The 28-year-old scheduler in the company’s Ottawa office was given one of the company’s Value Awards for handling a big job with grace, working with multiple teams while still making everyone feel included and important. It demonstrated one of Pomerleau’s five key values: love.

that culture, she says. Every year Pomerleau holds an annual excellence gala for its interns, to recognize and celebrate exemplary young talent. A select group of interns are flown into Montréal, even if they’re working across the country, and have the opportunity to network with company executives and colleagues from across the organization. Pomerleau also invites representatives from the interns’ colleges and universities. The top performers receive a $1,000 bursary.

The company has long put a focus on recruiting and retaining

young talent, Ramsay says. The company has more than 300 interns across the country, a quarter of its employees are under 30, and 65 per cent have less than five years’ seniority. Many of its vice-presidents started their career as Pomerleau interns and grew along with the company.

“The foundation is here, but the young people entering our organization are our future,” Ramsay says. “It plays into our philosophy: they’re going to continue this legacy. They’re coming in with new ideas and fresh perspectives.”

The company fosters those fresh

perspectives with formal training and development programs, run through its PX³ training ecosystem – accessible to all employees – as well as mentorship programs for young employees and individual development plans. Pomerleau’s training and culture specialists will talk with new graduates and interns about the skills, experience and areas of the business they’re interested in, and partner with their managers to create a development plan.

“It’s one thing to say, ‘I want to develop in these areas,’ but to foster success your manager needs

— Courtney Ramsay Senior Director, Talent, Culture and Leadership

The peer-nominated awards, given out annually, acknowledge employees who’ve exemplified Pomerleau’s values of adaptability, authenticity, innovation, excellence and love.

“At the awards they highlight why your peers nominated you, and you do feel appreciated,” Takaoka says. “It underlines those values that still make Pomerleau feel like a smaller company even though it’s significantly grown.”

The Saint Georges, Que.-based general contractor has put a strong emphasis on maintaining a closeknit, caring workplace even as it’s grown from its roots as a family business, says Courtney Ramsay, senior director of talent, culture and leadership. “We’re large in size, but Pomerleau still has that family feel.”

Permanent employees aren’t the only ones to benefit from

We’re large in size, but Pomerleau still has that family feel.

 Employees are encouraged to play a leading role in their development at Pomerleau.

to be in the know and committed to your development journey as well,” Ramsay says. “Employees are encouraged to play a leading role in their development, and we want them to feel comfortable sharing where they want to go in their career.”

Takaoka is part of a new

department that Pomerleau is still building out; in most organizations, schedulers are specific to a construction project rather than part of their own group. While PX³ doesn’t yet have programs specific to scheduling, Takaoka says the company has invested in her development. This year, she

and her boss traveled to Colorado for a conference and workshops on best practices and solutions in their line of work.

She also points to the company’s supportive culture. More than half her team is under 30, creating a mix of young people “open to trying new things and attempting new

projects” and more experienced colleagues who can guide them through the learning phase of their careers.

“We have excellent support,” she says. “Our leaders have been in the industry and the company for 10 to 20 years, and they’re very supportive.”

 Pomerleau supports career development through its PX³ training ecosystem.

Mentoring program

Online and in-house training programs

Individual development sessions for interns Leadership development programs

RBC amplifies tech skills to attract top interns

Melody Sun was already excited to have been selected for a four-month summer internship program with RBC when a package arrived not long before her start date in May 2022.

Since its introduction in 2016, Amplify has grown from 32 students to cohorts of more than 70 in recent years. The interns – a.k.a. Amplifiers – work in cross-functional teams of four, including a business analyst and, depending on the skill set required for each team’s challenge, varying numbers of developers and data engineers.

Sumit Oberai, senior vice president of digital technology and long-time Amplify sponsor, emphasizes that the students are asked to solve real business challenges identified and brought forward by leaders across RBC’s lines of business, such as Personal & Commercial Banking, Capital Markets and Insurance.

“These are not mundane problems,” Oberai says. “These are high-level, open-ended challenges. Team members need to be creative, analytical thinkers who can work together, challenge the status quo and build an innovative solution from the ground up.”

Alongside executive sponsors, each team is supported by team leads, as well as business and technical mentors who provide coaching and guidance throughout the term. Subject matter experts and stakeholders are also available to provide deeper insights into the assigned problems.

Amplifiers also receive training in a variety of theories and methods including Design Thinking, a set of skills and practices that

enhance creativity to effectively solve real-world problems.

Oberai says RBC benefits as well. In addition to filing 73 patent applications for new innovation, it has adopted more than half of the solutions the teams have devised over the years, he says.

Then there’s the bigger picture. RBC is not only one of Canada’s largest employers, Oberai says, it is one of Canada’s largest technology employers with 14,000 Tech@RBC employees engaged in everything from maintaining the IT infrastructure to exploring machine learning theory.

Even so, without the brandname recognition of the big tech companies, he says, RBC is competing with everyone, not

Inside were a T-shirt, water bottle and other goodies bearing the Amplify logo. Amplify is RBC’s intensive, technologyfocused program where Sun and other post-secondary students and graduates would soon have opportunities to develop in-demand professional, technical and creative skills while tackling meaningful challenges.

“I had been accepted into the Amplify program following a unique interview process and had lots of contact with RBC about what I could expect once I started,” says Sun, who has a post-graduate degree in data analytics. “But receiving that package made it real. I couldn’t wait to get going!”

Students and new grads are a critical part of building our future and we want them to do challenging and meaningful work while at RBC.

— Sumit Oberai Senior Vice President, Digital Technology

 Melody Sun, senior data and reporting analyst, at RBC.

just other banks, when it comes to hiring top talent.

That’s where programs like Amplify come in.

“Students and new grads are a critical part of building our future and we want them to do challenging and meaningful work while at RBC,” Oberai says. “Once they’re

in the door, they can connect with RBC’s culture and tend to recognize it as a wonderful place to work.

“They’ll see countless opportunities to learn, grow and work with cutting-edge technologies that are backed by the immense assets of our established global brand and

used by millions of Canadians.”

The message is clearly getting through. Approximately 130 Amplify alumni are working at RBC in student or full-time roles. Among them is Sun, who started a position as a data scientist upon completing the Amplify program.

Even though it wasn’t on the

curriculum, Sun says she learned a key lesson from all the people who supported her and her teammates throughout what is a very rewarding program.

“Be kind,” she says, “and help others. Because when we work together we can take on any challenge.” 

We’re proud to be one of Canada’s Top Employers for Young People

It’s easy to grow here. Develop future-focused skills and learn from leaders who are invested in your success.

Imagine

 Sumit Oberai, SVP, digital technology, at RBC.

Subsidies for professional accreditations

Mentorship program Leadership and management development programs

Paid internships and co-op terms for students

SaskTel connects with students’ ingenuity and energy

As a student, Poojan Vyas signed on to a four-month co-op program with SaskTel before extending it to eight months. He then applied for, and landed, a fulltime position as a data analytics and development engineer.

“My co-op experience made me a better developer and a better analyst, which is why I wanted to come back to SaskTel,” Vyas says. “I knew there would be plenty of opportunities to learn and grow. And I knew that this would be really helpful to my career.

commitment for SaskTel, says Shara McCormick, vice president, human resources and corporate services.

“At SaskTel, our people are our strength,” she says. “We believe that one of our greatest assets is the ingenuity and energy of our next generation workforce. Those students who currently sit in the classrooms of post-secondary institutions or high schools hold the key to the future of our organization, as well as our province.”

To support the engagement and development of students, the Crown-owned telecommunications

company runs summer employment and co-op programs. Every year, SaskTel also awards several scholarships ranging from $1,500 to $3,000 to students attending post-secondary institutions in Saskatchewan who are studying in a field directly related to information and communications technology.

The organization also focuses on the continuous development of its employees. “Continuous learning is an integral part of SaskTel’s culture,” McCormick says.

“SaskTel is committed to ensuring that all employees have access to

core and professional development training that is aligned to the needs of the business and supports our employees’ growth and potential.”

These initiatives include an in-house Learning and Development team that develops in-person and virtual training on topics such as cybersecurity, technical training, Business Sales University and business intelligence.

SaskTel’s Voluntary Out-of-Hour Educational Assistance Program (VOOHE) reimburses the tuition and course-related fees of approved out-of-hour education classes. In 2021-22, SaskTel approved more

“During my co-op, I was assigned some really challenging projects that allowed me to work on things that I was comfortable with, but also develop new skills in areas where I was struggling,” he says. At the beginning, Vyas says he struggled with the concepts of computer networks. “I was a bit scared but through the support of my colleagues, I was quite confident at the end.”

This dedication to supporting young employees is an important

My co-op experience made me a better developer and a better analyst, which is why I wanted to come back to SaskTel.

— Poojan Vyas Data Analytics and Development Engineer

 Poojan Vyas, data analytics and development engineer, at SaskTel.

Paid

On-site and virtual instructor-led training

Tuition assistance for employees interested in further education

Subsidies for professional accreditations and development

than 150 VOOHE applications. The organization also provides online career resources, career workshops and an online development plan tool. Its affinity groups provide further opportunity for employees to be actively engaged in opportunities that aid in their growth. The SaskTel

Opportunities, Networking, Events (SaskTel ONE) group is for employees who believe in the future of SaskTel, shaping the next generation of leaders through employee and community engagement.

The group holds events including lunch and learns, virtual

trivia and video game nights. It hosted a lunch and learn with vice-president of business sales and solutions David Ekstrand, where employees could ask him questions about his career and get advice in a relaxed environment.

“I would tell any graduate looking for a co-op or full-time

job that they will have plenty of opportunities to learn here. The people are really supportive and the work is also challenging,” Vyas says. “During the initial part of your career, you want to learn more and grow your skill set and that is the environment employees will get at SaskTel.”

Ready to build your career?

sasktel.com/careers

 SaskTel provides career workshops and an online development plan tool to help support employees’ growth.

internships and co-op terms for students

How Schneider grows and develops future leaders

It doesn’t take long for anyone working at Schneider Electric Canada Inc. to use the word “curious” when talking about their experiences. Munshareh Shafaq, not yet four years into her career with the French digital automation and energy management giant, is no exception. “It’s a fantastic company for me,” says the 29-year-old, “because I’m a very curious person, and I need to try my hands at different things, and Schneider makes sure I do.”

for your first three years there,” Shafaq says.

That’s the entire point of Schneider’s Graduate Development Program, says Angela Salemi, the company’s talent management & diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) leader. “We always say at Schneider that the employees really own their careers,” Salemi says. “They’re in the driver’s seat, so we ask how can we help by offering them these kinds of opportunities and experiences.”

The graduate program is for recent university grads with varying backgrounds, typically in the

STEM fields (science, technology, engineering and math). “The intent is to give them a rotational journey across the organization, with challenging work assignments and learning objectives that complement their academic programs, taking them out of their comfort zones and answering their curiosity,” says Salemi.

As full-time employees with full benefits from the start, the new hires take on three different roles in three different departments, with three different managers. “They’re provided with dedicated training, exposure to the leadership team and all the resources they

need to grow professionally and personally,” says Salemi.

Shafaq, whose education was exclusively technical, began at Schneider in marketing communications, then after 10 months moved on to a business development-marketing mix before coming to sales work with contractors in her third rotation.

“My experience was very diverse, and taught me aspects of the business that I had no idea about, which was wonderful,” she says. “And it helped me decide my post-program role, by allowing me to network across the company and letting me see where I fit in

An engineer who came to Canada from India for her master’s degree in energy systems at the University of Toronto, Shafaq knew little about how her chosen field operated as a business. But she was aware that Schneider was as eager to teach as she was to learn.

“I knew it had a great learning culture where you are connected to different aspects of the industry, different experts, by rotating through different departments

They’re provided with dedicated training, exposure to the leadership team and all the resources they need to grow professionally and personally.

— Angela Salemi Talent Management & DEI Leader

 Schneider Electric Canada offers training and exposure to the leadership team to help young employees grow in their career.

More than 20% of employees in Canada are under 35 12-month sales operational rotational program Graduate Development Program for career progression

20 weeks of paid leave for primary caregiver (birth or adoption)

after I figured out I wanted to combine technical and commercial work. Now I’m a digital specifier sales specialist – working with engineering consulting firms to help them with their electrical designs – something I’m passionate about.”

Schneider’s focus on recruiting

and fostering its talent, says talent manager Salemi, runs right through the company’s culture and policies, from its flexible work-from-home policies to its programs for mid-career employees to its paid internships for undergraduates. Those can run from four to 16 months, and be

either full- or part-time. “We have a three-E philosophy,” Salemi says, “and the internships are an opportunity to develop through ‘exposure, experience and education.’ Interns get exposure to the leadership team, experience with challenging work and learning on the job.”

The rotation of newcomers through company operations, though, is at the centre of Schneider’s forward planning, Salemi says. “The Graduate Development Program is how we aim to grow and develop those we hope are the future leaders of our organization.”

 Schneider Electric Canada develops its future leaders with a graduate rotational program.

Equal opportunities for everyone, everywhere.

New grads can try different pathways at Siemens

Fizzah Khan applied to Siemens Canada Limited after graduating in building systems engineering. She started out in Siemens Certified Education and Talent Academy (SCETA).

a pipeline for the next generation of leaders.”

Siemens Canada takes approximately 125 students per year in co-op and internship positions. It recruits university graduates to join SCETA, an integrated work and learning program. The graduates take on experiential learning within a business and complete academic requirements, including business skills. Once they finish the program, they are ready for available roles within Siemens.

During the pandemic, Siemens launched the Experience at

Siemens program to help new graduates transition from their academic career to the workplace through up to a year of experiential learning.

“The Experience at Siemens program started as a way to support graduates to get experience and to give back during COVID, but the results have been so positive we’ve kept it going,” says Rakovalis. “The conversion to hires has been over 50 per cent.”

One reason for the success of these programs is the culture at Siemens. Khan says the

environment encourages continual growth and improvement. Coaching and mentoring are available to employees and there are also mentor pods – groups of individuals mentoring one another.

The company provides tuition reimbursement for courses focused on an employee’s current or future roles, and there are also internal options. Siemens offers thousands of online learning opportunities. There is also a two-year finance leadership development rotation and a one-year leadership development program for talents

“Right off the bat I was pushed to try different pathways and learn as much as possible,” says Khan, now a service specialist in smart infrastructure. “Every day I get to do mechanical, electric, HVAC and building automation work –exactly what I studied in school.”

Siemens Canada is a technology company focused on industry, infrastructure, transport and health care. Active in Canada for 110 years, the company recently provided components for over 10,000 ventilators that were delivered in record time in the early days of the pandemic.

“Our different programs for young people enrich their experience and help us to innovate,” says Rose Rakovalis, head of people and organization. “We’re creating

Our different programs for young people enrich their experience and help us to innovate. We’re creating a pipeline for the next generation of leaders.

— Rose Rakovalis Head of People and Organization

 Faisal Kazi, CEO (second from the left) at Siemens Canada, with students in the Siemens Certified Education and Training Academy.

across the country. Even with a focus on development opportunities, Rakovalis says employee well-being is the company’s top priority. Siemens has increased its mental health resources and expanded accessibility through webinars and a telehealth option. The pandemic has brought

a flexible, hybrid approach to work. Employees can choose to do some work remotely, and Siemens creates a space for people to come in to meet and collaborate. Diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives often come through a bottom-up approach. Employees form their own resource groups,

Inspire change

and one group recently delivered a webinar with information on Ramadan.

Although Khan initially felt a bit nervous to be the first woman on her team, she says she finds the environment at Siemens supportive and welcoming. She has a woman from another team as a mentor, her

managers make an effort to get her input and her team is always there to answer a call or a text.

“I knew that Siemens was doing meaningful, sustainable work and I wanted to be a part of it,” says Khan. “At the end of the day, being able to make a contribution to a building – that’s incredible!”

 Siemens Canada creates meeting spaces for employees to collaborate.

Tuition assistance for employees interested in further education Apprenticeship and skilled trades programs Paid internships and co-op terms for students

2-year finance leadership development program

Young people bring new skills and approaches to Teck

Afew months after graduation from mining engineering at the University of British Columbia, Nathan Skubovius was hired at Teck Resources Limited in the geotech department as an engineer in training. Even though he was new to open pit mining, he created a template on an iPad, which cut a field engineer’s daily inspection reporting period from three hours to 25 minutes.

“Right out of school, my ideas were valued,” says Skubovius, who is now in his third year and third role with the Vancouver-based mining company. “And we’ve adapted and changed and now it’s a daily process for us.”

Skubovius, a member of the Tahltan Nation, grew up in northern B.C. and was always familiar with Teck, co-owner of the Galore Creek project in Tahltan territory.

the workforce at Teck – but now, perhaps, more than ever. “The skill requirements that we have in the mining industry are changing so rapidly,” says Carley Hughes, senior lead, recruitment in talent acquisition. “Young people are the ones bringing that new set of skills – they’re more technologically savvy, more connected. They come to the table with a

different perspective.”

Another change in the past several years, Hughes adds, is that the new generation of recruits are attracted to making a positive impact on the world and seek out companies with aligned values. “They want to know what our sustainability objectives are and what we’re doing to ensure the well-being of the people in the

communities and environments we’re entrusted with.”

Engineer in training Kate Burnham started at Teck five years ago in the company’s co-op program – “a pipeline for talent,” Hughes says – and got so much out of it that she extended her stay and then moved into full-time work after graduation.

Already, she has worked at four

“I was drawn to Teck because I knew that I was going to see a few different roles before I was eligible for my professional engineer designation,” says Skubovius, who is currently working as a field engineer in the integrated production department at Highland Valley Copper. “I knew there would be lots of opportunities to try new things.”

Early-career employees have always been an important part of

Right out of school, my ideas were valued.

— Nathan Skubovius Engineer in Training

 Teck Resources Limited co-op students on site at the company's Steelmaking Coal Operations in Sparwood, B.C.

operations in different roles with different teams. “Teck puts a real emphasis on promoting people’s growth,” she says. In B.C.’s Elk Valley alone, the company operates four mines that are near one another. “It’s easy to rotate to a new mine and a new position without uprooting your entire life.

So, there’s a greater stability to it.” For Burnham, living and working in B.C.’s Elk Valley – a popular tourist destination in the Rocky Mountains with world-class trails for skiing and mountain biking – is in itself a great reason to work at Teck. “A lot of people are attracted to the company

because Teck is a good employer and they can live in this area,” she says. “And they stay because the work is interesting and challenging.”

It’s also, in general, a younger cohort both at work and living in the Elk Valley, so even though the towns are small, the social life is

vibrant. “Most of my friends still living in the city are struggling to buy a car and wondering if they’ll ever be able to own a place in the city,” she adds. “Most of my peers here are in their twenties and already buying places. That’s a pretty different trajectory to be on.” 

 Teck Resources Limited allows post-secondary students to gain field experience through its co-op program.

Online and in-house training programs

Leadership Essentials program for new leaders

Executive education programs

Youth awareness of STEM careers initiative

Lifelong learning is fundamental at TELUS

When Sarah Coveney joined the graduate technology leadership program at TELUS Communications Inc., she didn’t expect to find her passion in cybersecurity, fighting fraud and hacking.

TELUS promotes having a good work-life balance with very flexible hours that help in managing life outside the job, as well as supporting employees in their career development.

“I feel the company not only cares about the work you’re doing, but you as a person,” says Coveney. “You set quarterly business and personal goals, plus development ones as well. Then, your managers and leaders help you sign up for the courses you want and suggest different ways you can build on your skill set. If you’re curious about a different

field, they’ll never stop you. TELUS wants you to always be learning new skills and developing.”

Debbie Oster, vice president, talent acquisition & development, says TELUS provides lots of opportunities and programs to encourage lifelong learning and to help employees with their goals. That includes unlimited access to a wide range of curated programs on an integrated learning platform available to all. Team members also meet with leaders on a bi-weekly basis to discuss performance and objectives.

“The quarterly goals are quite audacious as the idea is to stretch yourself,” says Oster. “We do a lot of teaching to help all the team members and leaders know how to do proper quarterly goals, and we find that the personal development goal resonates specifically with our young team members. Because you’re meeting on a regular basis, you’re being held accountable to your goals.”

TELUS has a formal MBA program with the University of Victoria and tuition reimbursement for courses at outside institutions, whether people are

Like many new grads, Coveney wasn’t sure what she wanted to do with her electrical engineering degree. After looking at the different telecom companies, TELUS stood out for her because of its strong community involvement and environmental initiatives, as well as offering an ideal rotational program where she could try three different technology roles.

“I thought I’d really like wireless networking, but felt drawn to cybersecurity, a completely different department – which was great,” says Coveney, now a security consultant. “Ultimately, I ended up being on a fraud and analytics focused team because I was really interested in solving problems that come up when there’s fraud or hackers. I’d definitely credit it to the guidance that my mentors gave me and being able to talk to different members on different teams.”

Coveney also appreciates that

I feel the company not only cares about the work you’re doing, but you as a person.

— Sarah Coveney Security Consultant

 TELUS offers a wide variety of formal, informal and social learning opportunities available to all employees.

working on a bachelor’s degree or building up their technical skills. The company also partners with McGill University in a one-year program for top talent with high potential.

“Everything connects back to our values, including our learning programs and how we select,

develop, retain and assess,” says Oster. “Half of your performance bonus is rewarded on what you completed and the other half is about how you completed it based on our values. It’s about being passionate about our customers and communities first, embracing change, innovating courageously

and growing together through spirited teamwork.”

So what do young people ask most when looking at TELUS?

“Our social purpose, and that what they’re doing connects to a greater good, are very important,” says Oster. “They want to be doing something of value.

What has to be in place is a role that’s giving them a chance for marketable skills and for growing and developing.

“We’re a people-oriented organization. You’re going to thrive at TELUS if you have a curiosity to learn, are highly collaborative and always looking to be better.”

 Employees at TELUS set regular personal and professional goals to build skills and advance their careers.

Up-skilling and re-skilling programs

Leadership development programs

Career development resources

High-potential development programs

York Regional Police is there for its new recruits

As a new officer for the York Regional Police, Cathy Le is excited for the chance to support community residents. She well remembers how it felt to receive that support.

Each day after elementary school, Le walked to her grandmother’s house with her brother and cousins. One day while in Grade 4, Le came out of school a little late and everyone was gone.

training continues as the employee progresses to a first-class police constable.

All members of York Regional Police are paired with a member of the Peer Support Team, which is made up of uniformed and retired officers and civilian employees who provide support and resources during times of personal or professional need.

In addition to support for new employees, York Regional Police provides opportunities for students interested in a policing career, in a uniform or civilian capacity. “We have a Summer Student Program and Youth in Policing Initiative,

offered to post-secondary and secondary students respectively who are interested in a temporary opportunity gaining work experience in a policing environment,” says Kristine Ockwell, supervisor, talent acquisition.

“For our internal members, we offer a mentorship program to assist professional growth by forming a professional partnership with a more senior member of the organization. Supporting young talent is crucial, as they are the future of our workforce.”

On their first day on the job, civilian employees and uniformed officers meet with the chief of

police and deputy chiefs. Civilian members also participate in a yearlong onboarding program, which provides an interactive overview of the organization, training, professional development and activities. Supervisors also work with the new employee to establish short- and long-term goals.

In addition to training and development, York Regional Police holds special events including Holidays in the Village, Police Week Open House, International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination and fundraisers to support local charities. The York Regional Police Association also

“I just sat there and cried. Then, a York Regional Police officer found me. I wasn’t lost, but I was overwhelmed and didn’t know what to do. The officer made me feel better and drove me to my grandmother’s house,” Le says. “To have someone do that and to be so kind to me meant the world to me.”

Le recently completed nine weeks of in-house training at York Regional Police and 12 weeks at the Ontario Police College, where cadets are taught academic skills, physical fitness and defensive tactics. After training, new recruits are sworn in as fourth-class police constables and assigned a coach officer for 50 shifts to guide them through field training. Mandatory

Supporting young talent is crucial, as they are the future of our workforce.

— Kristine Ockwell Supervisor, Talent Acquisition

 York Regional Police offers uniform and civilian experiences to students.

Subsidies for professional accreditations

Internal 6-month mentoring program

Summer Youth in Policing program

hosts events for members and their families, such as the Memorial Golf Tournament, Kids’ Picnic at Wonderland and Platoon Baseball and Hockey Leagues.

York Regional Police delivers many services to support employees’ mental and physical health, including in-house,

confidential psychological counselling and other mental health resources. A corporate wellness coordinator holds oneon-one consultations with members to create personalized fitness plans. Employees can also take advantage of fitness classes and seminars on physical fitness,

health and nutrition.

“The message is that service really cares about us,” Le says. “They provide so many resources and tools to promote our wellbeing and to remind us to take care of ourselves.”

Chief Jim MacSween says that investing in the well-being

of members has a direct link to community well-being. “Every day,” he says, “the work our members do exposes them to extremely distressing situations and as an organization, we need to provide them with the tools to keep them safe, both physically and psychologically.”

 York Regional Police supports employees’ well-being by offering in-house counselling and wellness consultations.

If you’re passionate about serving your community, consider a career with York Regional Police. yrp.ca/careers

Paid internships and co-op terms for students