Careers foundation receives $25,000 grant

By Heather Cameron
Taber Times
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

CAREERS: The Next Generations Foundation in the M.D. of Taber was recently presented with a cheque for $25,000 from the Community Foundation of Lethbridge and Southwestern Alberta during a grant celebration held its office.

“We were so excited and thankful to Community Foundation Lethbridge and SW Alberta, their board of directors and selection committee for the Henry S. Varley Grant for Rural Life,” said Saroeun Keuth-Ray, Regional Manager for Southern Alberta with CAREERS: The Next Generation. “We hope to set up 100 work-integrated learning placements for rural youth this year! This will include growing internships in the agricultural sector to 10 per cent of all placements within CAREERS. We are eager to dedicate more time to making a greater impact and enhancing rural communities in the southwest.”

Keuth-Ray says that the grant will be used to support a full time Program Coordinator role who will work specifically in the rural southwest communities, specifically with school divisions and employers to help find internship opportunities for rural youth in Agriculture, Skilled Trades, Information Communication Technologies, Health and Environmental sectors.   

“The Program Coordinator we have hired grew up in Coaldale and now resides in Taber with her family,” said Keuth-Ray. “Having a Program Coordinator working and living within Taber will allow for increased relationship building with local community stakeholders, industry and educators with the goal of addressing the needs of Alberta’s skilled workforce.  Also, having that rural background will allow us to be more successful working other rural communities such as Milk River, Coaldale and Cardston.  We will also focus on growing our young women in trades and technologies initiative and as well increased engagement with our Indigenous nations.”

CAREERS, Keuth-Ray says, is a non-profit charitable foundation established back in 1997 that works with schools to bridge the gap between industry and youth.  

“We are grateful to be the recipient of the Henry S. Varley Grant for Rural Life as now we can provide additional resources to support Alberta high schools in the rural southwest communities participate in work integrated learning by matching them with employers for paid internships,” said Keuth-Ray. “Our partnerships team applied for the grant when the application opened earlier this year and was informed that we were successful in April. As a non- profit charitable foundation, we are incredibly thankful for funding support so we can continue to provide opportunities to youth and help industry build their workforce.”