About the Project

Under the federal government’s Youth Employment Strategy program, ECO Canada offers post-secondary graduates, who are unemployed or underemployed, the opportunity to gain work experience in the environmental profession. For employers, the Environmental Youth Corps (EYC) program provides a wage-subsidy that can account for up to one third of the salary (to a maximum of $12,000) of an eligible intern’s entry-level position. 
 

The EYC program is made possible through our funders at Human Resources and Skills Development Canada and Environment Canada.
 

Why become an intern?

An ECO Canada internship can increase a post-secondary graduate’s chances of not just finding employment, but also getting a jump-start in their career. By becoming pre-approved for internship funding, graduates can target the companies they want to work for and offer a potential employer a wage subsidy. This subsidy can help cover some of the training costs and risks involved with hiring a less experienced employee. The subsidy may give graduates an advantage over other candidates who are applying for the same job.
 

Interns are not “placed” in their jobs, as is the case with some internship programs. Once pre-approved for funding, internship candidates are expected to find their own job within the environment profession, and funding is not guaranteed until a suitable host is found. Funding is available each year on a first-come, first-served basis. Applicants will hear about the status of their application approximately one  week after submission. 

Internship Programs

ECO Canada administers two programs: National Environmental Youth Corp. (NEYC) and International EYC (IEYC):

• The NEYC offers interns the opportunity to work on a project that focuses on a particular region in Canada. The subsidy is 33% of the intern’s salary, to a maximum of $8,000 and is funded through Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC)
• The IEYC program offers interns some international exposure. This can include working with samples from abroad, participating in conferences outside of Canada, associating with international companies, or travelling to foreign countries. The subsidy is 40% of the intern’s salary, to a maximum of $12,000 and is funded through Environment Canada.

Who can apply?

To be eligible you must meet the following criteria:

• Be 30 years of age or younger and a Canadian citizen or landed immigrant 
• Be a graduate of a post secondary institution (i.e. college, university, or technical school)
• Be eligible for full-time employment (i.e. not returning to school)
• Be unemployed or underemployed (i.e. working part-time, on a short contract of less than 6 months, or working outside of your field of study)
• Have not previously participated in a federal youth employment/education program (previous participants of summer employment programs are still eligible)
• Not already currently employed with the employer
• Not be a family member of the organization’s directors or senior officers
• Have the intention to obtain a permanent position in the environment industry

How to become an ECO Canada Intern

Not a member? It's free to join! 

To learn more about the program, or to apply now, register as a "Professional" and click on the link for “Internships” under "Find a Career".  If you require further assistance, please contact the EYC Project Coordinator at eyc@eco.ca or at (403) 233-0748.