NS Government: 1,000th Graduate Connects to Career

Press Release

October 23, 2019

Employers across the province are discovering how hiring skilled young workers can benefit their business through the Graduate to Opportunity program.

Maplewave, a premier provider of software and services in the retail and telecommunications sectors in Dartmouth, now has seven new graduates through the program, including Hadley Igoe, the program’s 1000th graduate.

“Many graduates are building their futures in Nova Scotia, and they’re bringing new energy, ideas and skills to help employers innovate and succeed,” said Labour and Advanced Education Minister Labi Kousoulis. “I am happy to see so many businesses realizing the value of hiring young people. It is good for business growth and good for our province.”

The program has also supported more than 280 diverse graduates in landing full-time jobs in their chosen careers through a diversity bonus.
Quotes:

“The program has given me the opportunity to work for and learn from a thriving business in a booming industry and remain in Nova Scotia.” Hadley Igoe, test engineer at Maplewave, NSCC IT graduate, and 1,000th hire from the program

“At Maplewave, we want energetic talent, who are eager to learn and grow. It’s vital to our own development and Atlantic Canada’s, that great talent stay in this region.” Leigh Anne Dingwall, vice-president, Human Resources, Maplewave

Quick Facts:

• the program provides a wage subsidy to employers who hire recent university and college graduates for full-time jobs
• more than 1,000 new graduates have been hired in their chosen fields since the program launched in 2015
• 585 Nova Scotia employers have used program funding since 2015
• the program has a diversity bonus of 10 per cent for employers who provide permanent full-time jobs to graduates who identify as members of an under-represented group, including visible minority, Mi’kmaq or Indigenous, a person with a disability, African Nova Scotian, a women in a non-traditional occupation or an international graduate

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