Student Employment Experience Development

The Student Employment Experience Development (SEED) program provides funding to employers to create summer job opportunities for students.  The program provides eligible students with a summer job of up to twelve (12) weeks in duration with a New Brunswick employer between April 22nd and August 30th, 2024.

• Provides a wage subsidy to non-profit organizations, First Nations communities and municipalities to help them provide summer employment to students;
• Provides a work experience for students, experiential learning, mentoring and coaching;
• Helps students develop and build transferable skills and/or find employment in their field of study;
• Enhances students’ employment prospects upon completion of their studies; and
• Enables post-secondary students to finance the continuation of their education.

Eligible employers*:

• First Nations communities
• Municipalities
• Non-profit organizations**

*Please be advised that private sector companies and post-secondary institutions are not eligible for the SEED Program.

**Some museums will receive funding for student employment outside of the SEED program and are not eligible for SEED funding. See a list of non-eligible museums here.

Additionally, employers:

• Must be located in New Brunswick;
• Must have a business number from the Canada Revenue Agency for payroll purposes. Canada Revenue Agency's contact information is available here.
• Must consult with unions and ensure that placements are not in contravention with provision of the collective agreement (if applicable).

A candidate (student) must:

• Be a resident of New Brunswick (must have lived in New Brunswick for at least 6 months) or a First Nation community in New Brunswick;
• Be eligible to work in Canada (must have a valid SIN number);
• NOT be an immediate family member (spouse, children, parent, brother or sister) of the employer;
• Be a high school student entering grade 10, 11, or 12 in September 2024; OR
• Be a full-time Grade 12, university or college student in the current academic year of 2023-2024 AND attending a post-secondary institution full-time in the fall of 2024.

1. Employers can apply online at www.NBSEED.ca for SEED funding beginning January 8th, 2024. The deadline to apply is February 16th, 2024.
2. Applications will be evaluated for eligibility by the staff of the Department of Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour – WorkingNB.  Approval for SEED funding will be made by department staff in consultation with all Members of the Legislative Assembly based on the priorities of their electoral districts.
3. Employers approved for SEED funding will be notified by email between March 11th to 29th, 2024 and receive details on how to create a SEED contract. 
4. Job postings will be listed on the Employer Directory at www.NBSEED.ca.  Students seeking employment can apply directly to the employer using the contact information for each employer on the Employer Directory.
5. Employers will select a student for the SEED funded position and contact the Department of Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour – WorkingNB central office to set up a SEED contract.
6. Employers will provide a valuable work experience to the student.

1. Research job opportunities in the Employer Directory on www.NBSEED.ca beginning March 11th, 2024.
2. Directly apply for jobs through the employer using the contact information on the job posting in the Employer Directory and go through the employers’ recruitment process to ensure a successful work placement.
3. The hiring decision rests with the employer.

The placement must:

• Be up to twelve (12) consecutive weeks;
• Be completed by August 30th, 2024;
• Provide a minimum of 35 hours per week;
• Not start before receiving formal approval by the Department of Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour staff;
• Not displace or replace permanent employees on layoff, parental leave, sick leave or in a part-time position;
• Not already be funded by another federal or provincial government job creation program.

To view approved SEED employers and positions, click here.

• For non-profit organizations and First Nations communities, 100% of minimum wage for 35 hours a week will be subsidized for up to twelve (12) weeks.
• For municipalities, 50% of minimum wage for 35 hours a week will be subsidized for up to twelve (12) weeks.
• Includes Mandatory Employment Related Costs (MERCS): Employment Insurance (EI), Canadian Pension Plan (CPP), and vacation pay.
• Employers can only receive SEED funding for a maximum of up to four (4) students.
• Employers can top up the subsidized wage.

Important:

Employers are responsible to find candidates for their SEED positions. The list of approved employers and jobs will be available to students through the Employer Directory at www.NBSEED.ca starting on March 11th, 2024.  Employers (selected for SEED or not) are encouraged to advertise their job posting(s) on job boards, or other methods. Job posting(s) from most outside job boards will automatically be posted on www.NBjobs.ca. 

Once a SEED position is filled by a student, the employer should contact the Department of Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour - WorkingNB central office by email at NBSEED@gnb.ca to set up the contract and remove the job posting from the Employer Directory.

• Employers MUST ensure that they have funds available to pay the students. The wage subsidy reimbursement process may take up to 4 weeks upon the employer submitting all the necessary documents.

For general inquiries, please contact the Department of Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour - WorkingNB central office at 1-833-971-7333 or email us at NBSEED@gnb.ca.