Exchange program provides low-cost summer staff for employers

May 21, 2003

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Jessica Hiebert is looking for work -- 25 jobs to be exact. She's not a workaholic -- she's a Project Officer for Young Canada Works: Languages at Work, a federal program that helps students gain work experience in their second official language. Her mission is to have summer jobs lined up for visiting French Canadian exchange students by the end of June.

"Employers can have a full-time employee for less than half of the minimum wage because government grants offset the cost," says Hiebert. "But the benefits aren't purely financial. There's a cultural exchange. The employer gets to share culture and experiences with someone from a very different part of Canada. They also get an employee who can speak a second language."

Before starting work, the French Canadian students participate in the Federal Government's Summer Language Bursary program at Douglas College, where they undergo extensive English training for six weeks -- no French speaking allowed. Many students choose to stay for the Languages at Work program which employs students from June 30 to August 22.

"They're young, they're vibrant and they are here to work," says Hiebert. "Some of them have very impressive resumes, with experience in areas like tourism, accounting, graphic design and recreation. Others are willing to take on any kind of work, as long as it gives them a chance to practice their English."

Trudy Van Dop, owner of Van Dop Gallery in New Westminster, hired a French Canadian student last summer to help produce and market the Van Dop Art Guide to B.C. and plan an annual event, the B.C. Cultural Crawl. "Joanne was able to pull it all together," says Van Dop. "She was hard-working, smart and could work independently. These are really important qualities for small businesses. And having the Quebec connection was great because we wanted to promote our art guide nationally." This year, Van Dop plans to hire two students.

Other Lower Mainland employers on Hiebert's roster include Moldovanos' Restaurant in Burnaby, Fox Manufacturing in Port Moody and the summer camp at West Point Grey Community Centre.

"After last year, I got phone calls months later from some of the students saying this was the best experience of their life -- that they'll never forget it, that they learned so much," says Hiebert.

If you'd like to be part of the Languages at Work Program, please contact Jessica Hiebert at 604-527-5175 or hiebertj@groupwise.douglas.bc.ca

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For more information contact:

Jessica Hiebert, Project Officer, Young Canada Works: Languages at Work: 604-527-5175
Tracey Winters, Communications & Marketing Office: 604-527-5325