Clean Tech Internships

Fight climate change and support the green economy!

Help grow the green workforce! Hire a clean tech intern and give them the chance to apply their STEM skills through hands-on experience and mentorship. You can get up to $30,000 towards their salary, training and wrap-around services costs.

Funded by Environment and Climate Change Canada as part of their Science Horizons Youth Internship Program creating employment opportunities for youth to build the green workforce and contribute to economic growth in environmental and clean technology sectors.

Applications are currently closed.

What you need to know

Funding

Up to $30,000 is available to cover 80% of an intern’s salary, training and wrap-around service costs. Employers must establish an employment contract with interns and they must be paid following a regular payment cycle.

Up to $5,000 can be used for intern training and wrap-around service costs during the internship, and up to $25,000 of the intern’s salary. Employers are required to cover 20% of the total internship cost.

Reimbursement will be dispersed midway and at the end of the internship when the required documentation, including intern paystubs, is submitted.

Cannot be used:

  • For positions receiving a Science Horizons Youth Internship grant from another program delivery partner
  • for a currently filled position
  • to replace an employee who is on leave
  • for a current employee moving to a new position

Application selection process

Here is what to expect when submitting your application:

  • Once the applications window is closed, the Career Launcher team will review all applications.
  • Employers will be notified of their application status approximately two weeks after the closing of the application period.
  • Employers whose applications will be pre-approved for funding will have approximately six weeks to complete the remainder of the application process, including recruitment if required. Specific deadlines will be provided in the pre-approval email.

Internships will be selected based on:

  • Alignment with the Science Horizons Youth Internship Program objectives to support post-secondary graduates to gain relevant and meaningful work experience, increase job readiness and employability, and transition to employment.
  • Creation of an employment opportunity for Indigenous youth, youth living with a disability and visible minority youth.
  • Strength of the position and its alignment with an environmental sector indicated under “Eligible Internships”
  • Environmental sector representation – we seek a fair disbursement of funds for positions across all the above environmental sectors
  • Geographical representation – we seek a fair disbursement of funds across Canada
  • Strength of the position and its alignment with the SDGs.

Eligible training and wrap-around services

Up to $5,000 is available to enhance intern experience!

This funding can be used to cover costs of various wrap-around services. These services must be selected based on the needs of the intern and employer and must be pre-approved by CICan.

Acceptable training and wrap around expenses include:

  • Certifications and Training at a CICan member college or institute
  • Language opportunities for official minority language communities
  • Mentorship and career coaching
  • Conferences and workshops
  • Transportation and relocation costs associated with the internship
  • Childcare and family care
  • Work protective equipment
  • Adaptive and/or assistive computer software programs and technology

Although $5,000 is available, each service is subject to a funding cap; this cap varies per service. Please consult our guideline document to view more details about eligible training and wrap around services and the various funding caps.

Cost will be reimbursed along with the wage subsidy at either the mid-term or end of the internship. Invoices and supporting documents will be required.

Eligible employers

Eligible employers must have an established payroll system, be set up to receive payments by direct deposit, have a process for supervising and mentoring interns, encourage their intern to consider the wrap-around services or training they qualify for and be a Canadian company or subsidiary in one of the following categories:

  • Post-secondary education institution
  • Indigenous organization (including band councils, tribal councils and self-government entities)
  • Small- or medium-sized enterprise (SME), less than 500 employees
  • Large corporation, more than 500 employees
  • Non-government organization (NGO)
  • Not-for-profit organization
  • Municipal or local government
  • Provincial or territorial government, institution, agency or Crown corporation

Eligible internships

Eligible internships are:

  • 6-10 months (26 to 42 weeks) in duration, and ending by February 29, 2024
  • A minimum of 30 hrs per week
  • In a science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM) field
  • Clean tech or environment-related positions
  • focused on environmental and sustainable issues within an environmental sector:
    • Eco Tourism – Nature-based tourism focused on an appreciation and respect of local ecology and Indigenous peoples/practices.
    • Green Manufacturing/Retail/Service – Goods/services which minimize environmental impacts.
    • Health – Technologies and practices related to health and the environment.
    • Resource Conservation/Management and Sustainable Development – Protection or sustainable use of natural resources.
    • Sustainable Energy Systems – Design, construction, improvement, and maintenance of low-carbon and/or renewable energy sources/infrastructure.
    • Sustainable Planning – The planning and construction of built spaces including buildings, cities, rural communities.
    • Wildlife Conservation – The protection of species in Canada.

Eligible Interns

Eligible interns are:

  • Post-secondary graduates
  • Between the ages of 15-30 (inclusive) at the start of the internship
  • Canadian citizens, permanent residents or persons granted refugee status in Canada*
  • Legally allowed to work according to the relevant provincial and Canadian legislation and regulations
  • Available to work for at least six months (26 weeks)

Cannot be:

  • Previous participants of a Science Horizon Internship
  • Employees of the hiring employer prior to the start of their internship (does not apply to previous coop students or student interns, although this must be clearly indicated by the employer)

* Refugee protection must be conferred under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. Persons awaiting refugee status, as well as those who hold a temporary visitor visa, student visa or work visa, are ineligible to participate in a Youth Employment Strategy initiative.

Ready to get started?

Applications are currently closed.


What are people saying about our programs?

Hear first-hand from the employers and job seekers who have benefitted from one of our programs.

View all testimonials
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This internship has been an excellent opportunity to bridge the gap between my academic experience and the more technical conservation world. I've had a chance to apply the theory and skills which I learned in an academic setting to more practical questions.

Kira MacFarlane
Ontario Nature


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