Employers aren’t the only ones benefitting from the Student Temporary Employment Program (STEP).
Every year, the province announces funding for businesses and organizations through STEP, a subsidy initiative that covers half of the cost of hiring a high school or post-secondary student for up to 37.5 hours per week for four to 16-weeks.
Bonnyville and District Chamber of Commerce executive director Serina Parsons said while it’s a large benefit for employers, there’s also an advantage for students.
“These summer positions really help provide students with work experience, inclusive skills, customer service experience, whatever it might be, to help prepare them for the future.”
For Bonnyville-Cold Lake MLA Scott Cyr, it’s important to support youth in finding valuable work.
“We’re all youth at one point in our lives. To be able to help a youth get that training and knowledge to be able to move on in life is important, and unless our business leaders start to step up, you won’t see that next generation get involved in the workforce. In the end, that will mean they won’t have training to be good employees,” he emphasized.
For business owners, the reduced cost of wages is just one of the benefits, Parsons said.
Hiring a student means an extra set of hands from May to August.
As a non-profit that utilizes STEP, Parsons confirmed it’s a great option for businesses like the chamber during those busy summer months.
“Really, you’re getting half of that wage covered, you’re not paying the full amount of minimum wage to have a student come in and work for you,” expressed Parsons.
She continued, “The STEP program has been around for quite some time, and it really is, especially in recent years in Alberta with the hikes in minimum wage, a way for businesses to take advantage of getting an employee in during the busy summer months… It really just helps the business get extra work and projects done and focus on growing their business.”
As the town’s information centre, the Bonnyville chamber applies for STEP every year.
“We’re the first point of contact for people coming into our area, so it’s important that we get these students to come in and help us facilitate visitor needs,” noted Parsons. “We’re a very small organization and staff, I already have projects in place that I want my STEP students to complete for me this summer. It sets us up for a really strong fall and to do more member relations and focus on what’s important and why we’re here as a chamber. I feel like it would be the same for other small businesses in our area.”
STEP is open to non-profits, small businesses, municipalities, First Nations and Métis settlements, public libraries, school boards, and publicly-funded post-secondary institutions.
Last year, the program helped nearly 1,400 employers hire over 3,000 students.
“I think that if we didn’t have this program, we would see less of our youth employed during the summers. The fact is, this STEP program is one of those mechanisms that we’ve got to help facilitate some new jobs,” Cyr stated. “I think that if this is something that we ignore, then we’re going to have an entire youth population that will feel like they can’t contribute to society, and I think that would be such a shame because they have so much to offer to each and every one of us.”
Those interested in the program can apply online until Feb. 8. For more information visit alberta.ca/step.
