Northern Graduate Employment Programs - Frequently Asked Questions
When will I hear about a possible position?
There are different hiring processes for the four different Northern Graduate Programs
- Internship program (Public Sector) The bulk of internship positions are filled in February and March, although many departments start hiring interns earlier- sometimes in December.
- Teacher Graduates Northern Teacher graduates are considered at the same time as the general teacher hiring campaign which starts in February and runs through June.
- Nursing Graduates Nursing grad hiring takes place in February and March, with graduates beginning in their positions as early as May.
- Social Work Graduates Social Work grad hiring takes place in February and March, with graduates beginning in their positions as early as May.
Do I have to do an interview, or do I just get a position?
All graduates should expect to do an interview. An interview helps the supervisor determine if the graduate is suitable for the position.
Will you pay my way back from school?
Northern graduates are considered Northern hires. Therefore, there is no additional funding to pay your way back from school to your home community.
In instances where a grad accepts an internship or graduate placement outside their home community, removal costs will be covered from your home community to your new community of employment.
If I want an internship in a certain department, should I contact the manager directly?
Northern post-secondary students should start marketing themselves the summer before their final year of school. You can send your resume to a manager, let them know you are graduating in the upcoming year and very interested in an internship in their area.
Managers decide what internship positions they are going to develop in the late fall, so it is good for them to know who is out there.
Always keep in mind that even though you may make every effort to market yourself, getting an internship comes down to whether or not the department needs someone with your knowledge and skill in that particular year.
Unfortunately, the government can’t hire all the northern post-secondary graduates each year, so make sure that you include other organizations and companies in your job search.
Who should I contact to follow up with the status of my application?
Social Work, Nursing Students and Teacher graduates should stay in contact with the Mentorship Program Development Officer (call collect) or email Mentorship@gov.nt.ca.
Teacher graduates may wish to contact the Education Councils/Boards where they applied to find out what stage they are at in the staffing process.
Other registered Northern graduates should contact the Department of Human Resources at Casuals@gov.nt.ca for an update on the status of intern hiring.
