Employers hiring students for WIL can receive grants to subsidize wages through the Innovate BC’s Tech Grants program, and the Innovator Skills Initiative Grant program. The BC Arts Council’s Co-op Placement Program is also available for arts and cultural organizations in BC.
Delivery Partners
BC Tech Grants
The BC Tech Co-op Grants Program provides up to $5,000, almost a 50% subsidy, towards a co-op student’s salary. The program is designed to help employers who are hiring young talent and to introduce students to tech-related careers. BC businesses benefit from co-op students’ fresh ideas and readiness to learn, while students gain work experience and valuable business and technical skills. Each employer is eligible to receive a maximum of four grants each per program year (May 1 to April 30) valued at $5,000 (a total value of $20,000), to recruit and train between one to four distinct co-op students.
Eligibility
- Be a B.C.-based business.
- Have less than 500 employees on payroll.
- Be a tech company or tech non-profit hiring for any role.
- Be a non-tech company, organization or non-profit hiring for a tech role (A tech role is defined as a role primarily related to developing tech or providing tech support).
- Be hiring a student for a co-op work term. If you’ve hired a student for a co-op work term in the last 5 years, then you must hire a first-time co-op student.
Innovator Skills Initiative Grant Program
The Innovator Skills Initiative (ISI) offers up to $10,000 a year to hire a student to fill a business or tech role. The program connects undergrad and graduate students with an opportunity to bring their skills to atechnology companylooking for help or to a non-tech company looking to expand theirinnovationfootprint. This program is delivered by our partner.
Up to $10000 towards your student’s payroll, per term (amount is based on your student’s total salary). Up to two vouchers per year (running May – April), worth a total of $10,000.
You are:
- A tech companyor tech non-profit hiring for abusiness or tech role, or
- A non-tech business or non-profit hiring for a tech role.
- Hiring a post-secondary student from an accredited institution in BC.
Your student:
- Is nota co-op student.
- Will be hired for a business or technical role.
- Is enrolled at an accredited post secondary institution in BC.
You agree to:
- Offer entrepreneurial and business training to the student.
- Match grant funding in cash or a combination of cash and up to 25% in kind.
- Complete required surveys and comply with the terms of the funding.