JA Canada and RBC Collaborate to Empower Youth with the Skills for a Thriving Future

TORONTO, Jan. 23, 2025 /CNW/ - JA Canada is proud to announce the renewal of its collaboration with RBC, reaffirming a shared commitment to equipping youth across Canada with the skills, knowledge, and confidence needed to thrive in an ever-changing global economy. This long-standing collaboration focuses on career readiness programs, with a particular emphasis on empowering young Canadians to explore skilled trades and emerging job opportunities.

Through RBC's continued support, JA Canada has been able to scale its World of Choices program, providing youth with invaluable opportunities to explore diverse career pathways. Interactive panels, workshops, mentorship sessions, and career fairs allow students to connect with industry professionals from a variety of sectors, offering firsthand insight into the skills and educational pathways needed to succeed in today's job market.

"RBC is committed to strengthening the workforce of tomorrow by supporting projects that focus on equipping youth with the skills needed for a thriving future," said Gayle Corcoran, Sr. Director, Social Impact, RBC. "That is why we are proud to collaborate with JA Canada to help unlock the potential of the next generation by providing youth with the opportunities and programming needed to kickstart their careers with confidence."

The renewed collaboration also highlights RBC's focus on fostering opportunities within the skilled trades, a critical area for Canada's workforce development. As the National Community Partner of the World of Choices Skilled Trades Summits, RBC is supporting an innovative initiative aimed at inspiring young people to explore rewarding careers in skilled trades. As the need for trade professionals continues to grow across Canada – 700,000 of Skilled Trade Workers to retire by 2028 - these summits provide students with the tools, knowledge, and hands-on experiences to navigate potential career paths in this vital sector. These summits, delivered in partnership with Colleges & Institutes of Canada, will involve hosting more than twenty events each year across every province and reaching the Territories.

Additionally, RBC is a National Supporting Partner of the JA Career Exploration Centre, an open-access virtual platform designed to support self-guided learning and exploration. Aimed at youth aged 13-18, the centre offers a range of learning resources focused on trends and emerging opportunities in the workforce. By engaging with these tools, students can make better-informed decisions about their future career choices.

"JA Canada is excited to announce the renewal of our longstanding partnership with RBC," said Scott Hillier, CEO of JA Canada. "This renewal strengthens our shared mission to prepare the next generation for an evolving workforce. RBC's continued support allows us to enhance and expand our career readiness programs, providing youth with the skills and knowledge to succeed in the future of work."

Through this collaboration, we expect to reach over 24,000 direct beneficiaries across our series of initiatives. Together, JA Canada and RBC are creating opportunities for thousands of students annually, building a stronger, more resilient workforce, and preparing the next generation to seize their potential.

About JA Canada
JA Canada is the country's largest youth business education organization, dedicated to inspiring and preparing youth to succeed in a global economy. Through hands-on programs, JA empowers students to build entrepreneurial skills, financial literacy, and career readiness.

For more information, please visit www.jacanada.org.

SOURCE JA Canada