In 2017, RBC unveiled its most significant commitment to the future of the country: RBC Future Launch — an initiative of $500 million over 10 years to help young people acquire the necessary skills, experience and networks and support the mental well-being they need to be ready for the workforce.
According to the 2023 Urban Work Index, Montreal ranks second among 30 Canadian cities as the best city to work in for young people aged 15 to 29. Quebec City and Laval rank eighth and ninth, respectively. Toronto is the top city for youth.
As part of the RBC Future Launch, young people can access about 100 programs, tools and resources to help them start their careers. Among other things, RBC is connecting young people with community leaders and private and public sector partners to prepare them for the jobs of the future.
Here are two unique programs in Quebec that offer young people the opportunity to acquire new experiences and develop new skills. RBC Future Launch provides financial support for these programs.
1. Factry’s Pause Program
Factry’s Pause program offers bright young people aged 18 to 27 who wish to do things differently the opportunity to develop the skills of creativity deemed essential in a changing world of work. Pause brings together young people from all sectors in the same cohort, which doesn’t happen in traditional courses. This mix creates tremendous richness. The program is based on an applied approach, in action, and aline with the reality of the modern labour market.
Over the 12 weeks of full-time work, participants will experience a combination of hands-on workshops, expert conferences, coaching and mentoring. An integrative project offered in a real context allows them to put their creative skills into practice. Personalized coaching by workforce development advisors allows participants to picture themselves in a job in line with their ambitions and values. This is followed by a four-month internship with a company.
Marie Amiot, President and CEO of Factry, has this to say about the Pause program: “After six cohorts of 20 students, we don’t hesitate to say that we helped 120 young people to see clearly and to become positively involved in a changing world. Pause is a program largely inspired by the recommendations of the Humans Wanted study published by RBC. We shared the same vision, we implemented it.”
“This school changed my life. For several years, I had been caught in an existential crisis, stuck in the mould. Life sometimes doesn’t allow us time to think and sweeps us up in a daily routine running at full speed. Factry teaches creativity, but above all teaches soft skills, meaning everything the citizen of tomorrow needs. My only wish is for this school to continue to allow as many people as possible to have this experience” – Julia Barkany, a communications student at UQAM, a Centech intern and a second cohort grad.
“Traditional schooling has long demonstrated its limits. Training human beings who will be the vectors of change for tomorrow is what Pause is able to do! It’s the incubator we need,” — Charlie Bilodeau, former Olympic athlete, intern at Lg2 and participant in the second cohort of the program.
2. Intégration TSA’s Projet Libellule
Created at the initiative of a group of parents, Intégration TSA (ITSA) is a non-profit organization that provides a living and training environment for clients aged 21 and over with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). After school services end, people with autism have limited access to specialized resources adapted to their needs.
ITSA’s mission is to support adults with autism and their families throughout this important transition to active adult life. The organization uses innovative approaches to include people with autism who are on the margins of the regular labour market. To this end, it aims to train adults with autism and turn them into long-term employable individuals. Currently, 20 participants benefit from the organization’s services.
Projet Libellule (French only) allows adults with autism who were separated from the labour market to have a socio-professional experience adapted to their unique needs. Once the 3,200-hour training has been completed, these exceptional workers can enter the labour market with support tailored to their needs and in keeping with their uniqueness.
Julie Lahaye, General Manager of Intégration TSA, talks about the experience of an adult with autism who participated in the Libellule project: “For example, we have a participant who, once the training was completed, joined the Libellule team at Groupe TAQ. After nearly 10 months, we observed that he wasn’t at his full potential. We changed him to a Libellule team at Éditions Passe-Temps. What a change we saw! After 10 months on the Libellule team, the employer decided to take steps to hire exceptional workers with a wage subsidy. What a victory for all of us! It took teamwork between ITSA, the parents, the exceptional worker and the company.”
Parents whose adult child participated in Projet Libellule noted that their child had gained autonomy and confidence, had demonstrated a better ability to adapt, and that their knowledge of the labour market had improved.
If you believe that Projet Libellule could benefit someone you know, please consult the following page for eligibility criteria: https://www.integrationtsa.com/projet-libellule (in French only)
Equipping young people for the jobs of today and tomorrow
RBC Future Launch is proud to partner with these innovative programs to help Quebec youth acquire the career opportunities, skills and support they need to become the next generation of local leaders. Learn how RBC Future Launch supports Canadian youth.
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