WILWorks program — Youth in Manufacturing

Manufacturers across Atlantic Canada are facing a familiar challenge: finding and developing young talent with an interest in hands-on, modern manufacturing careers. The WILWorks program — Youth in Manufacturing was created to help address that gap by making it easier for manufacturers to bring youth into their operations for short, meaningful work experiences. Delivered by the Excellence in Manufacturing Consortium with federal support, the program combines wage assistance with structured training to help employers introduce young workers to the realities of today’s manufacturing environment.

Through WILWorks, eligible manufacturing businesses can receive non-repayable funding of up to about $2,000 per youth placement to offset the cost of an 8 to 10 week work term. Beyond the financial support, the program stands out for its built-in training component. Youth participants complete online, industry-recognized learning in Manufacturing Foundations and Lean Fundamentals, while employers also receive mentorship training for existing staff. This structure allows businesses to offer supervised, productive work experiences without needing to design training from scratch.

The program is particularly well suited for small and mid-sized manufacturers in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador who want to build an early talent pipeline and assess potential future hires. For manufacturers interested in workforce development and youth engagement, exploring the full details of WILWorks can help determine if it fits your hiring and training goals.