Employment

In a world where innovation is key, Desjardins supports universal access to a solid basic education and the pursuit of a higher education. Our support is felt in many ways.

Fondation Desjardins: close to $685,000 in grants and bursaries

Fondation Desjardins is a private organization that awards university scholarships in Quebec. In addition, the Fondation awards prizes for cooperative education projects and to entrepreneurs who demonstrate the excellence of Quebec and Ontario businesses. The Fondation awards prizes to non-profit organizations whose contribution to the community is remarkable or who help further the affirmation of culture and its democratization.

Through its bursary program, Desjardins helps propel young people doing great things for their community along the road to academic success by providing them the fuel they need to pursue their studies and achieve higher levels of excellence.

In 2007, Fondation Desjardins awarded 350 grants and bursaries totalling $683,975 to help improve employability and develop the entrepreneurial spirit of young people as well as stimulate job creation for them.

The caisses and their regional offices awarded $1,131,400 in bursaries.

Lowering the dropout rate

The caisses took a number of steps in the past year aimed at lowering the school dropout rate and fighting the social exclusion of people who don't succeed at school or who are facing major difficulties in life.

Employability

Currently, the 18 to 30 age group accounts for 19% of our employees. Our recruiting and hiring practices take young people into consideration. To find out about career opportunities at Desjardins, see our job opportunities or submit your profile.

Desjardins also takes part in Career Days in colleges and universities to help young people learn about career opportunities.

First summer jobs

Through the Desjardins Youth Work Experience program¹, 15- to 18-year-olds can complete 180-hour, paid and supervised summer internships at local businesses. The program also provides job search training and practice interviews to help improve their employability.

Carried out in partnership with Carrefours jeunesse-emploi and local businesses, the program has achieved outstanding results.

Reversing the youth exodus

Desjardins is actively working to stem the exodus of 18- to 35-year-olds to urban centres and encourage young people to move to regional areas.

It is possible to build successful careers in outlying areas. To facilitate your professional integration and help you set up your own businesses, Desjardins has been supporting Place aux jeunes du Québec (in French only) for the past 17 years. Our financial support made it possible to launch 69 projects that enabled 961 young people to complete exploratory, short-term visits to various regions across Quebec in 2007. In 2006-2007, 1,130 young people, i.e. twice as many as last year, settled in one of the regions they had visited.

Entrepreneurship

Desjardins Venture Capital offers a mentoring program for young entrepreneurs, which helps them see their projects through with the guidance of highly qualified individuals who already head up recognized businesses¹.

In 2005, Fondation Desjardins launched an extensive entrepreneur recognition program in Quebec and Ontario by offering 11 prizes worth a total of $400,000. Included were four Desjardins Young Entrepreneurs bursaries to reward the creativity and entrepreneurship of young people.

Helping talented young people get started

Since 1997, Desjardins has been associated with the Réseau intercollégial des activités socioculturelles du Québec (RIASQ) (In French only), as official presenter and main sponsor. Nearly 130,000 young people are involved in RIASQ activities.

1. Available only in Quebec.