Venture for Canada, a non-profit organization that helps post-secondary graduates connect with startups, is launching in BC for the first time.
The organization’s Fellowship Program allows young adults to gain work experience at Canadian startups for two years while developing their workplace skills. Scott Stirrett, CEO and founder of Venture for Canada, said the organization aims to address “the gap that exists between the skills that young Canadians need to thrive in a changing economy and the skills that young people currently have.”
The Fellowship Program allows young adults to gain work experience at Canadian startups for two years.
Venture for Canada fellows have access to industry employers, mentors, and alumni, and attend a four-week training camp at Queen’s University in Ontario. Fellows can attend networking and community events, along with a graduation ceremony at the end of training. Each week is focused on a different theme related to the startup ecosystem, such as digital marketing, design thinking, and sales prospecting.
The program is now offered in Atlantic Canada, Ontario, and BC. To date, the program has helped more than 200 post-secondary graduates find a full-time job at a Canadian startup.
Last April, Venture for Canada received $4.4 million to go towards helping students access work at startups in Atlantic Canada, and $1.4 million to go towards building its fellowship program.
To be a part of the fellowship program, applicants must submit an online application form and complete a phone interview. They also undergo a series of group and individual interviews on fellow selection day, where, over the course of the day, the applicants face multiple challenges. The deadline to apply for the spring cohort is February 18.
Startups that have recently participated in the program include Nudge.ai, Nudge Rewards, Swift Medical, and Planswell. Individuals interested in the two-year fellowship can apply here. Startups interested in partnering with Venture for Canada can find their application here.
Featured image courtesy Venture for Canada.