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Human Resources Manual - 121a - Progressive Experience Program

Contents

Introduction

  1. The Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) provides a subsidy to Departments, Boards and Agencies that employ summer students position that is relevant to their postsecondary education field of study.
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Application

  1. These guidelines, procedures and definitions apply to all GNWT Departments, Boards and Agencies, except the NWT Power Corporation and the Workers Compensation Board.
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Definitions

  1. Progressive Experience Placements are jobs that provide work experience relevant to a northern post-secondary student's field of study.
  2. Progressive Experience Funding is a contribution of $330 per week per placement to a maximum of $5,000 (15 weeks).
  3. Northern Post-Secondary Student is a student who has completed a semester of full time studies at a post-secondary institution within the four months prior to being employed under the program or who has been accepted to attend full time post-secondary studies at the start of the fall or winter semester, whichever is closer to his/her entry into the program.
  4. Returning Student is a postsecondary student who has successfully completed
    his/her postsecondary year, who worked for the Department, Board or Agency in the previous summer, had a positive employment history with that Department, Board or Agency and who the Department, Board or Agency wishes to rehire.
  5. CasualWork Website is the Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) website that accepts applications for summer student employment. It has a student registration feature and a search feature to allow employers to identify potential candidates for summer positions.
  6. Management and Recruitment Services is the Management Services Division of the Department of Human Resources.
  7. Corporate Human Resources Services (CHRS) is the Corporate Human Resources Services Division of the Department of Human Resources.
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Guidelines

  1. Progressive experience funding is not provided in cases where other student employment programs are funding some or all of the position or where an employee on education leave or PLWOP (for education purposes) returns to work between semesters.
  2. The Progressive Experience Program (PEP):
    1. provides students with work experience directly related to their field of study; and
    2. allows Departments, Boards and Agencies to develop relevant skills and experience in northern students.
  3. Departments, Boards and Agencies providing progressive experience placements are eligible to apply for funding of up to $5,000 for each student.
  4. Northern postsecondary students can be considered for funding under this program between April 15th and August 31st.
  5. Northern post–secondary students in coop programs or looking for practicums can be considered for funding through this program at any time.
  6. The Affirmative Action Policy, as it applies to postsecondary student employment, applies to all hiring under the PEP (see the Human Resources website for a copy of the Affirmative Action Policy).
  7. Northern postsecondary students MUST register on the CasualWORK website in order to be considered for a progressive experience placement.
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Procedures

  1. As part of the promotional campaign undertaken during November and December, CHRS advises northern students of the requirement to register on the CasualWORK website in order to be considered for summer student employment, including the PEP program.
  2. Students are encouraged to apply on the CasualWORK website for summer employment as early as possible, preferably in January of each year.
  3. Management and Recruitment Services works with managers to identify possible job opportunities where students would receive work experience directly related to their postsecondary studies.
  4. Managers with access to the Department of Human Resources’ Intranet site will
    be able to search for PEP students on the CasualWORK search.
  5. Managers who need to look for students will contact their human resource representative in order to be given “reader access” to the CasualWORK search link.
  6. Managers working in Departments, Boards or Agencies without access to the Department of Human Resources’ Intranet contact their human resource representative who will search the database to find them a selection of suitable students for their PEP jobs.
  7. Management and Recruitment Services helps managers complete the required PEP application form.
  8. On the initial application, the manager may identify one or several students whose field of study would be a match to the specified placement.
  9. Management and Recruitment Services forwards PEP applications to CHRS by a date set by CHRS each year.
  10. CHRS assesses each application to ensure that the proposed job and student are appropriate for a progressive experience placement. The assessment may result in:
    1. approval of both the position and student; or
    2. approval of the position, but not the student; or
    3. approval of neither the position, nor the student.
  11. CHRS forwards the results of each assessment to Management and Recruitment Services. In cases where a student or position was not approved, an explanation is included.
  12. If an application is not approved, Management and Recruitment Services advises the manager about the application results and works with the manager to revise the job duties and/or consider alternative students.
  13. If the application is approved, Management and Recruitment Services works with the manager to arrange interviews and conduct reference checks.
  14. When students are hired, Management and Recruitment Services:
    1. advises the Casual Employment Coordinator of the hire by email, including:
      1. student name;
      2. affirmative action status;
      3. start and end dates;
      4. department; and
      5. community;
    2. ensures the “student” field is checked off in the Personal Data section on PeopleSoft.
    3. marks the student as hired in the CasualWORK database
  15. Both the students and the managers are asked to complete an exit interview at the completion of the program for evaluative purposes.
  16. In October, CHRS provides Progressive Experience funding to each participating Department, Board or Agency based on the number and length of placements
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Last Updated: March 2007