WILWorks Youth in Manufacturing - NB
- Employers
- Participants
- Educators
About the Program
Supported by the Government of New Brunswick through WorkingNB, the program is designed to help New Brunswick manufacturers build their early-career talent pipelines by hiring local youth (ages 17–29) into paid placements. The initiative integrates structured, on-the-floor mentorship with self-paced online training courses designed to build essential industrial, safety, and digital skills—awarding successful youth with industry-recognized digital micro-credential badges upon placement completion.
Program Funding
The WILWorks NB program directly offsets your onboarding and payroll investments through a 50/50 cost-matched wage subsidy of up to $3500 for a full-time or part-time employee over a maximum duration of 6 months. Reimbursements are triggered based on the eligibility stream:
- Non-Student / Unemployed or Underemployed / Recent Graduate Stream: Target of 320 working hours.
- High School* Youth Stream: Target of 240 working hours.
*Applications to hire high school students will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
Program Training
The program integrates structured learning to boost workplace safety, productivity, and retention, ensuring youth make meaningful contributions from day one. Youth participants receive access to industry recognized online training courses. Employers must allow participants paid working time (approximately 10 hours) to complete these online courses:
- Manufacturing Foundations: Covers core workplace soft skills, including accountability, adaptability, teamwork, communication, and problem-solving.
- Lean Fundamentals: Introduces continuous improvement principles, Kaizen, and Value Stream Mapping, applied through a hands-on project.
Upon successful completion of these modules and their work placement, participants are issued industry-recognized digital micro-credential badges.
These modules complement your company’s site-specific safety and task-based training, and a successful placement is required for the participants to earn their formal digital badges.
Employer Benefits
- Provide youth with an opportunity to learn about careers in manufacturing
- Identify new hires for your organization
Funded By:
Eligibility
Employer Eligibility
- A registered, active business operating in New Brunswick
- A member of Canada’s manufacturing sector (NAICS 31–33) or Manufacturing Allied Industries
- Have active, valid WorkSafeNB coverage
- Offering a position with the intention of creating full-time employment
- Will provide a target of 320 working hours for non-students for a maximum duration of six months and/or 240 working hours for high school students; participants must be hired as direct payroll employees (independent contractor arrangements are ineligible)
- Commitment to a minimum of 10 hours of participant training during the work period
Participant Eligibility
- Between 17 – 29 years old at program start
- A current resident of New Brunswick and legally eligible to work in Canada
- Not a registered apprentice or on an active post-secondary co-op or work-integrated learning (WIL) term *Applications for high school students will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis
Still have questions? Download our Employer FAQ for more information.
Download FAQs
Get a Head Start in Your Manufacturing Career
Imagine shaping Canada’s future by creating everyday essentials. Picture yourself at the heart of cutting-edge tech, crafting items that touch daily lives, things you buy and use daily. Engage in dynamic work that keeps both your mind and body in action. If digital tech excites you and you are drawn to hands-on work, this program is your gateway. And the best part? A rewarding, stable career awaits. If this sparks your curiosity, the manufacturing world is calling your name.
Program Advantages
- Gain valuable work experience in the field manufacturing
- Participate in training that will enable you to make valuable contributions at work and in future opportunities
- Start building your network and work experience
- Earn micro-credentials for Manufacturing Foundations and Lean Fundamentals to enhance your resume
Flexible Training
The program is designed to be highly flexible. Training is delivered through online self-directed e-learning courses accessible anytime and supported by EMC staff through progress monitoring and check-ins. All set online, you’ll need around 10 hours to wrap it up. Employers are aware they need to allow you this time to complete the training.
Program Eligibility
The program is open to individuals
- Between 17 – 29 years old at program start
- A current resident of New Brunswick
- Legally eligible to work in Canada
- Exclusions: You must not be a registered apprentice or completing a formal high school co-op or post-secondary co-op term.
Application Process
When you are looking for a job, let manufacturing employers know about this program!
Still have questions? Download our FAQ for more information.
Download FAQs
Helping Youth Get a Head Start
The Canadian manufacturing industry is a vital sector for economic growth in many countries. As technology advances and consumer demands evolve, there is continuous innovation and development in the industry, providing a dynamic work environment for youth. Being part of the industry means contributing to the creation of tangible products that people use and rely on daily. This aspect can be personally rewarding for individuals who enjoy seeing the real-world impact of their work.
Manufacturing careers offer a world of opportunities for youth, from entry-level positions to highly-skilled roles. Whether interested in engineering, design, quality control, logistics, or management, there are various roles available within the manufacturing industry to cater to different interests and skill sets. Even marketing, finance, data analysis, health and safety and environmental sustainability are career options within the manufacturing sector. It can be a great starting point for youth to build their careers and gain valuable work experience and develop practical skills
By promoting careers in manufacturing, you equip youth with in-demand skills like problem-solving, critical thinking, and advanced technologies that will make them valuable contributors to the industry. Help inspire the next generation to explore manufacturing as a viable path.
Program Highlights
- Increase in work-integrated learning placements for the learners you support
- Fantastic program to support the school-to-work transition
- Networking support for connection to employers
Program Training
All youth participants complete EMC’s Manufacturing Foundations Micro-credential and EMC’s Lean Fundamentals Micro-credential training. This training is offered in a self-directed online format and will take most participants approximately 10 hours to complete. The training complements but does not replace existing onboarding procedures and training employers provide to new hires or student placements.
Training and Support
EMC monitors participant progress and provides individual support to ensure learning completion. Employers are informed of the participant’s progress by being included in the communications.
EMC expects employers to match the participant with a mentor – most suitably, a colleague in the same department or on the same shift. We offer online mentorship training to the individual selected to work with the participant.
Training Period
EMC requests the employer allow time for the participant to complete training in the first few weeks of the term.
Eligibility
Participant Eligibility
The program is open to individuals
- Between 17 – 29 years old* at program start
- A current resident of New Brunswick
- Legally eligible to work in Canada
- Exclusions: You must not be a registered apprentice or completing a formal high school co-op or post-secondary co-op term.
*Applications for high school students will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis