SWASP program provides meaningful summer employment for students

Youth Services and Post-Secondary Education Minister Anna Thistle is pleased to report that 1,670 Newfoundland and Labrador students have found summer employment under the 2003/04 Student Work and Services Program (SWASP).

SWASP is a national award-winning program designed to assist young people who plan to attend or return to post-secondary studies, by providing meaningful, career-related employment.

The program which has been in existence for approximately 10 years, has two components. The first component is Paid Work, where employers receive funding to subsidize 50 per cent of student wages, for a minimum of five weeks to a maximum of 14 weeks. In addition to wages, students receive a $50 per week tuition voucher for every week worked under the program.

Under the second component which is Community Service, students receive a $50 per week stipend and a $1,400 tuition voucher, for eight-week placements with community-based, not-for-profit organizations.

"In addition to gaining valuable work experience, the tuition vouchers these students receive are great incentives in helping to reduce the cost of their next semester at school," said Minister Thistle. "Some 1,600 businesses and organizations throughout the province are benefitting from this program, and I commend them for the employment opportunities they are providing to our young people."

The 1,670 student placements amount to $1.5 million in salaries and $950,000 in tuition vouchers, funding for which is provided under the Student Investment Opportunity Corporation (SIOC).

Media contact: Kathy Dicks-Peyton, Communications, (709) 729-6573.

2003 08 11                                       10:50 a.m.