Project Learning Tree Canada celebrates investment in Green Jobs

June 05, 2023

Ottawa, ON — On World Environment Day, Julie Dabrusin, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) and the Minister of Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC), announced over $30 million to create 960 green jobs and training opportunities over the next two years for youth in the natural resources sectors that have positive environmental outcomes.

The green jobs and training opportunities are funded by NRCan’s Science and Technology Internship Program (STIP), part of the Government of Canada’s Youth Employment and Skills Strategy (YESS) to increase the employability skills of young adults aged 15 to 30 and invest in building a diverse and inclusive workforce in the natural resources sector. As a delivery organization for this program, Project Learning Tree Canada (PLT Canada) will support 100 green jobs and training opportunities for youth to gain valuable on-the-job experience and advance careers in the forest and conservation sector.

“We are so proud of our collaboration with NRCan to grow a resilient and diverse workforce in the forest sector. Through the STIP Green Jobs program, PLT Canada has ensured that more than 90% of participants are from diverse backgrounds, including women, Indigenous youth, and visible minorities. This funding will allow us to help young adults gain the skills and experience they need to make a successful transition into the workforce. We know this program makes a difference as 85% of our STIP-funded youth who participated in our surveys confirmed that they have found full time jobs following their placements,” said Kathy Abusow, President and CEO, Sustainable Forestry Initiative and PLT Canada.

PLT Canada is a not-for-profit charitable organization whose mission is to advance environmental education, forest literacy and career pathways using trees and forests as windows on the world. PLT Canada is committed to engaging youth in learning about the world around them—in rural, Indigenous, and urban communities—and using trees and forests to inspire action and grow the next generation of future forest and conservation leaders.

We invite you to read the full Government of Canada press release: New Youth Jobs-Training Across Clean Technology and Sustainable Resource Sector.