Canada Summer Jobs Training Today for Éducazoo’s Workforce of Tomorrow

How can a summer job for a student become the beginning of a real career? How can a company use a few weeks to pass on its expertise to the next generation? And most importantly, what can the Canada Summer Jobs program really offer young people who want to take their first steps into the workforce?

In this blog article, the team invites you to discover how the Canada Summer Jobs program allows Éducazoo to welcome young workers, develop their skills and, for some, continue the journey with them well beyond the end of the summer.

Canada Summer Jobs: much more than a job for a few weeks

The Canada Summer Jobs (CSJ) program is part of the Government of Canada’s Youth Employment and Skills Strategy. It allows young people aged 15 to 30 to gain paid work experience, develop their skills and gain firsthand experience in the workforce. For eligible employers, wage subsidies in turn make it possible to create more quality employment opportunities.

The program has a considerable reach. In 2025 alone, more than 42,800 applications were received, more than 27,450 employers received funding and more than 75,000 jobs for young people were created in Canada.

Émile, Megan, Marilou and Jazmine

 

At Éducazoo, a summer job can become much more

For Éducazoo, participating in the Canada Summer Jobs program does not simply mean filling additional needs during the summer period. It is also an opportunity to identify young people who want to learn, pass on our expertise to them and train the next generation in a professional environment where animal welfare, education and teamwork play a central role.

Over the years, several young people hired through a summer job at Éducazoo have continued their journey with us. After working full-time during the summer, some joined the team part-time while pursuing their studies. The summer experience then becomes a true gateway to the workforce and allows Éducazoo to continue developing the skills they acquired during their training.

A visit to the sanctuary to meet our next generation

This summer, our Terrebonne sanctuary received a visit from the Member of Parliament as part of the Canada Summer Jobs program. It was an opportunity to introduce her to our mission as a refuge for more than 700 exotic animals, but also to introduce her to four young people who contribute directly to the work of our team: Jazmine, Émile, Marilou and Megan.

Above all, this meeting put faces to what a youth employment program looks like in the field. Behind the national statistics are young people who learn to work as a team, develop their independence, acquire new knowledge and sometimes discover a professional field in which they will want to pursue their careers.

From left to right: Marilou with Willy the mara, Jazmine, the Member of Parliament with Coco, Joanie the owner, Megan, India the Human Resources Director and Émile with Georges the sulcata tortoise

 

Megan and Chaupin: when commitment goes beyond a summer job

During this visit, a certificate of recognition was presented to Megan Boivin to highlight her exceptional involvement with Chaupin, a cockatoo rescued by Éducazoo. Even before arriving at the Terrebonne sanctuary, Chaupin had a wound on one foot and had developed self-mutilation behaviours, meaning that she was attacking her own feet.

Veterinary examinations notably identified a neurological issue affecting sensation in part of her left foot. Over the months, her condition proved to be complex and multifactorial: discomfort, inflammation, pain and a behavioural component could all influence her episodes of self-mutilation. Chaupin therefore required close veterinary monitoring, treatments, hydrotherapy, massages and the use of an Elizabethan collar to prevent her from injuring herself further.

It was in this context that Megan became particularly involved with Chaupin at the sanctuary. She devoted a great deal of time to building a relationship of trust with her and participating in her behavioural training. Her involvement even continued beyond her working hours when she temporarily welcomed Chaupin into her home to ensure continuity in her care during a more difficult period.

The journey was not linear. In March 2025, an attempt was made to remove the collar, but Chaupin began attacking her feet again a few days later. The collar therefore had to be put back on. This type of situation highlights an important reality in animal welfare : with an animal experiencing a chronic condition, progress can take an enormous amount of time and may include setbacks.

More than a year of patience and work later, Chaupin reached a particularly important milestone: she can now live without her protective collar. Behind this result are, of course, the veterinary follow-ups and the work of the entire team, but also Megan’s consistency and commitment to her. Her story clearly shows what a job for a young person at Éducazoo can become when an opportunity to learn meets someone who chooses to fully commit themselves.

This is also what we hope to achieve through our participation in Canada Summer Jobs. Training the next generation is not simply about showing someone how to perform a task: it is about allowing young people like Megan to develop their judgment, independence and professional skills while being supported by an experienced team.

Training young people means investing for the long term

Why are summer jobs for young people important? Can a student job lead to permanent employment? How can someone gain experience when they are just entering the workforce? These are precisely the issues that programs like Canada Summer Jobs can help address.

A young person starting their first student job does not necessarily arrive with several years of experience behind them. Instead, they arrive with their curiosity, knowledge, motivation and potential. An employer’s role is also to provide them with the tools, guidance and opportunities needed to transform that potential into concrete skills.

Tomorrow’s next generation starts today

At Éducazoo, we believe that a company can contribute to its community as much through its mission as through the people it chooses to train. Participating in Canada Summer Jobs means stimulating youth employment, sharing knowledge and allowing new talent to gain their first professional experiences in a structured environment.

And sometimes, the story does not end when summer comes to an end. A summer job in Quebec can become a part-time job, lead to new responsibilities and, eventually, help build a career. Young people represent our next generation of professionals: they simply need to be given the opportunity to learn, practise and prove themselves. Éducazoo is proud to participate in this collective effort and, above all, to see young people like Jazmine, Émile, Marilou and Megan grow professionally within our team.