News Releases
Government Home Search Sitemap Contact Us  


March 28, 2000
(Executive Council)


The following statement was issued today by Anna Thistle, President of Treasury Board. It was also read in the House of Assembly:

Graduate recruitment

I am delighted to stand in the House today and report that, this morning, government gave a progress report on the Public Service Commission�s Graduate Recruitment Program.

As part of the Public Service Reform initiative, the Graduate Recruitment Program began last year to foster the continual development of our professional public service workforce.

Since 1997, government has been involved in Public Service Reform. This entailed numerous developmental opportunities for current members of the public service including bargaining unit and management employees. A $2 million Organizational Development Initiatives Fund was established to foster the development of the public service. Programs such as Frontline Leadership training, departmental and strategic planning initiatives and professional development opportunities have been made available to all employees as part of Public Service Reform�s ongoing commitment to the renewal of public service.

To ensure that the province continues to have competent, educated and experienced professionals in the public service, the Graduate Recruitment Program was undertaken. For the fiscal year of 1999-2000, the Public Service Commission received funding to recruit five recent graduates from recognized post-secondary institutions. These graduates were the top candidates selected from over 500 applications. The five candidates are here in the gallery today, along with chairmen and CEO Fonse Faour. They are Krista Barnes, Ken Sooley, Douglas Sparkes, Robyn Montague and Robert Simmons.

To build on our current success with this initiative, and in our continued effort to meet the needs of our public service, I am pleased to announce that we are continuing and expanding the Graduate Recruitment Program. This program will now be an ongoing initiative of the provincial government. Combined with the recent five recruits, approximately 50 new graduates will be hired through the program over the next three years.

Graduates will be hired into entry-level, unclassified, non-bargaining unit positions and rotate through at least four work assignments over the next two years. The work assignments will provide a valuable experience for graduates and in return, the recruits will provide a benefit to the departments they serve.

After a competition process which includes an screening for qualifications, the public service entrance exam and an interview stage, successful candidates will be offered a position in the two year program. While the recruits are eligible to apply for competitions during their internships, they will be encouraged to complete the program, thereby giving them a more comprehensive skill set and better opportunities throughout the public service. Selection of the candidates for the program is conducted by the Public Service Commission in response to a public advertisement for the program.

This program has been developed in response to the demographic of our present public service. In the next five to 10 years, it is anticipated that a number of our management group will be eligible for retirement. This fact strongly indicates that the government needs to be proactive in its human resource planning. Our latest initiative, combined with others arising from Public Service Reform, will attract the best and brightest to the provincial public sector and will also show graduates that there are good opportunities for a career with the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador.

2000 03 28 2:05 p.m.


SearchHomeBack to GovernmentContact Us


All material copyright the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador. No unauthorized copying or redeployment permitted. The Government assumes no responsibility for the accuracy of any material deployed on an unauthorized server.
Disclaimer/Copyright/Privacy Statement