News Release

February 5, 2007
Launch of New Sheet Metal Program

Pathfinder opened welcomes Bruce Yantz and his Sheet Metal Program into the Pathfinder organization. Bruce comes to Pathfinder with over 25 years of experience in the construction industry and 10 years of experience of training youth with employment barriers in the Sheet Metal Industry. The program starts with Pathfinder on Monday February 5th. For more information on the program go to our Program Outline page for a description and requirements.

January 6, 2005,
Government of Canada funds Pathfinder program
to help high-risk youth gain work experience

Human Resources and Skills Development Canada is providing Pathfinder Youth Society Centre with $144,978 in financial assistance through the Skills Link program, a component of the Youth Employment Strategy. The Skills Link program helps youth facing barriers to employment to acquire the skills, knowledge and work experience they need to participate in the job market.

The Honourable Raymond Chan, Minister of State (Multiculturalism) and Member of Parliament for Richmond, on behalf of the Honourable Joe Volpe, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development, announced $4.3 million in funding for 25 projects, including Pathfinder Youth Society Centre, that will help almost 500 young British Columbians make a successful transition to the workplace.

"Investing in our youth will produce benefits above and beyond their return on the dollar investment," said Minister Chan. "Helping young people to shape a positive future is one of the most important things we can do as a government and as a society."

Today's announcement is linked to Canada's Workplace Skills Strategy, aimed at helping Canadians acquire the skills needed for meaningful and productive jobs. The Government of Canada recognizes that Canada's future competitiveness depends on a highly skilled work force and on high-performance workplaces that focus on skills development. It will work with business, unions, other levels of government, sector councils and workers to ensure that all Canadians have the opportunity to develop their skills and succeed, and employers' needs are met.

The federal government's commitment to improving opportunities for youth is part of an ongoing effort to build a strong, vibrant Canada for the 21st century. The Government's strategy is to create a Canada where meaningful, long-term employment opportunities exist and the work force is trained to meet the requirements of modern businesses.

The Strategy offers a three-pronged approach to addressing youth unemployment issues: it provides work experience opportunities for unemployed or underemployed youth and students; provides access to relevant information on Canada's labour market; and facilitates access to learning.