October 28, 2015
Mayor John Tory announced today that the City of Toronto’s Partnership to Advance Youth Employment (PAYE) program has already far exceeded the goals established earlier this year.
In March 2015, Mayor Tory announced a desired goal of 80 employers and 300 young people connected to jobs as part of the PAYE program by the end of 2015. At that time, 31 employers had indicated their support of the program and 150 young people were connected with jobs. To date, 129 employers are involved in the program, with 801 young people being hired this year.
"Earlier this year I challenged the private sector to help tackle the very important issue of youth unemployment in Toronto and they have answered that call beyond our expectations,” said Mayor Tory. "I would like to thank all of the companies that have come forward to hire and train the city's youth through our PAYE program. It’s good for business, it’s good for young people and it’s good for the city."
The PAYE program is a joint initiative between private sector employers and the City of Toronto that is successfully connecting youth 18 to 29 years of age from diverse neighbourhoods to job opportunities with some of the city's top employers. At PAYE, unemployed youth are provided with individual guidance and coaching, and are connected to City and community-based services and supports. Qualified candidates are screened and matched to employment opportunities and connect face-to-face with hiring employers.
On March 31, City Council endorsed the expansion of the PAYE program and in May endorsed a new youth employment action plan called Work-Based Learning Works: An Action Plan for Youth Employment in Toronto. The plan builds upon a range of successful employment initiatives through a variety of City programs and partnerships.
October is Workforce Development Month in Toronto. More information about Workforce Development Month and the many events and services provided by Toronto Employment and Social Services is available at
http://www.toronto.ca/workone, or follow Twitter @TorontoESS and Facebook facebook.com/TorontoESS.
Toronto is Canada's largest city, the fourth largest in North America, and home to a diverse population of about 2.8 million people. It is a global centre for business, finance, arts and culture and is consistently ranked one of the world's most livable cities. For information on non-emergency City services and programs, Toronto residents, businesses and visitors can visit
http://www.toronto.ca, call 311, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, or follow us @TorontoComms.
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Media contacts:
Anna McGrath, Toronto Employment & Social Services, 416-392-9052, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Keerthana Kamalavasan, Mayor's Office, 647-460-7507, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
