NEWS

Industry Leaders Support Federal Budget Extension of Student Work Placement Program

On behalf of many Student Work Placement Program (SWPP) delivery partners listed below, we welcome the continued investment made by the Government of Canada to ensure the continued operation of SWPP until 2025-2026.

SWPP has played a crucial role in providing work-integrated learning opportunities to students and addressing skills gaps in the Canadian economy since its inception. The continued support of this program underscores the government's recognition of the program's importance.

However, given the resounding success of the program and its impact on supporting small- and medium-sized businesses and not-for-profit organizations across critical Canadian sectors, we express our hope the government will start to focus on stable long-term funding for the program.

“Through the Student Work Placement Program, tens of thousands of students have gained valuable job experience while supporting small- and medium-sized businesses across Canada and driving economic growth and productivity across the country,” said Rob Henderson of BioTalent Canada.

SWPP partners are committed to working with government and all parliamentarians to ensure a greater understanding on the need for long-term investments that support the productivity and strength of the Canadian economy for generations to come.

“Long-term, predictable and stable funding for the Student Work Placement Program allows Canadian small- and medium-sized businesses to ensure that work-integrated learning is a fundamental part of their business operations, which is a critical reason we will continue to focus on the future of the program.”

We look forward to continuing to work with government to ensure a more robust, longer-term plan for the Student Work Placement Program to help ensure that its operations can continue to drive economic growth for 2026 and beyond.

SWPP delivery agents who endorse this message include:

BioTalent Canada
Canadian Agricultural Human Resources Council (CARHC)
Canadian Council for Aviation & Aerospace (CCAA)
Cultural Human Resources Council (CHRC)
ECO Canada
Electricity Human Resources Canada
Excellence in Manufacturing Consortium (EMC)
Food Processing Skills Canada (FPSC)
Information and Communications Technology Council (ICTC)
Magnet
Mining Industry Human Resources Council (MiHR)
Ontario Chamber of Commerce
TECHNATION Canada
Trucking HR Canada
Tourism HR Canada
Venture for Canada

For more information about the Student Work Placement Program, please visit the website.

About the Student Work Placement Program

The Student Work Placement Program (SWPP) is a dynamic initiative that bridges the gap between academia and the workplace. Designed to equip students from diverse fields such as STEM, healthcare, culture, and business, SWPP prepares them to excel in the Canadian job market. Through work-integrated learning (WIL) opportunities, students gain valuable, real-world experience. Additionally, the program offers wage subsidies, supported by the Government of Canada, to reduce hiring costs for employers, making it an attractive opportunity for businesses looking to invest in new talent.