SAINT JOHN (GNB) – Premier Brian Gallant hosted a Youth Opportunities Summit on Jan. 29 focused upon increasing youth engagement in the workforce and enhancing entrepreneurship.
“Creating the conditions for young people to be successful in New Brunswick is essential to tackling the province’s challenges,” said Gallant. “Encouraging them to build a life in New Brunswick will lead to job creation, grow the economy, help families, and move our province forward. We are focused upon working with stakeholders to create the right conditions to ensure New Brunswick youth are actively engaged and participating in growing the economy.”
A diverse group participated in the summit including representatives from the Centre for Research on Youth at Risk, La Fédération des Jeunes Francophones du Nouveau-Brunswick, the Federation of Labour and the Native Friendship Centre. Several youth leaders and entrepreneurs also participated, including Kayley Reed, co-founder of Wear Your Label.
Discussions centered on youth demographics and the current youth workforce in New Brunswick, recent online recruitment activity, entrepreneurship opportunities and provincial programs for employment, the labour market outlook, and the role of youth in society. Participants discussed ideas to help increase and enhance youth engagement in the workforce.
“Our government is focused upon tackling the province’s challenges and I thank all the summit participants for their contribution,” said Post-Secondary Education Training and Labour Minister Francine Landry. “By working together, we can improve the province’s opportunities for youth through job creation and economic growth.”
A series of Opportunities Summits are taking place around the province to identify new prospects for creating jobs and economic growth. The opportunities identified will be reviewed and evaluated for development as part of an economic action plan for the province.
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