The province announced this week that a diversity bonus will be added to two popular programs for university and college students.
The Co-op Education Incentive helps businesses, non-profits and municipalities hire university and college co-op students every year.
Ashley Collins of Atlantic Electronics says it’s been helpful for them as the company hired two new technicians in Digby and Yarmouth, both graduates of the Nova Scotia Community College.
“They have flourished, and its been fantastic,” she said.
“We have one who originally grew up in New Brunswick, and is now in Digby, and the other one was born and raised in the Yarmouth area, and is still there now.”
The enhancements build upon the success of the diversity bonus offered through the Graduate to Opportunity program, and since 2017, more than 200 young, diverse workers have landed jobs through the program.
Collins says they have seen the benefits of the enhancements first hand.
“There is a big learning curve in this industry,” she said.
“So the Graduate to Opportunity program for us is great because it gives us that subsidization while we’re training our techs. It gives us the opportunity to invest the money into our techs.”
