Press Release: JA Canada, Coke Canada Bottling and The Coca-Cola Company Partner to Advance Youth Employability in Canada

TORONTO, Jan. 30, 2025 /CNW/ - Junior Achievement Canada (JA Canada) together with Coke Canada Bottling and The Coca-Cola Company are proud to announce a new partnership offering skills, experiences, and support to help Canadian youth overcome barriers to employment. In May 2024, Statistics Canada reported an approximate 30 per cent increase in unemployability rate among youth ages 15-24, a reality attributed to increased competition for less jobs and lack of experience. The initial findings from the RBC Young People and Economic Inclusion Longitudinal Study highlight the shortage of work-integrated learning opportunities for youth, which would inherently allow them to integrate in the workforce more successfully.

Recent studies, highlighted by The Conversation, show that mentorship has the potential to improving social and economic outcomes for underserved youth. Moreover, a study by Être, indicates mentorship boosts confidence among teenage girls. Through this new partnership, Coke Canada Bottling employees will engage in career mentorship sessions with youth aged 14 and up across the country, sharing their personal knowledge about what it takes to succeed in today's rapidly evolving job market.

These sessions will take place through JA's World of Choices events and a new program, called Pouring Potential: A JA Job Shadow Experience at Coke Canada, being piloted at select Coke Canada facilities and designed to provide opportunities for their manufacturing, distribution, merchandising, and warehouse employees to participate.

World of Choices, JA Canada's flagship work readiness program, is an interactive initiative designed to annually equip over 7500 high school students, with essential skills and knowledge to prepare them for future career success. Over 30 per cent of participants come from underrepresented and underserved communities.

Pouring Potential: A JA Job Shadow Experience at Coke Canada offers youth with a unique job shadowing experience. These custom-designed events at select local Coke Canada facilities offer students an immersive opportunity to gain insights into the industry, develop career skills, and learn directly from professionals in the field.

Both programs have been designed to shape the next generation's career journeys, helping them realize their full potential and contribute to making a positive impact in local communities.

Quotes from Leadership

"We are thrilled to partner with Coke Canada to support the next generation of Canadian leaders," said Scott Hillier CEO of JA Canada. "Together, we are creating meaningful opportunities that empower our young people to develop the skills they need to thrive in their careers, aiding to a stronger and more resilient workforce."

"We have a role to play in helping Canada's youth be better enabled to gain employment through career mentorship, skill building, and work readiness. This new partnership allows our employees to share their unique work experiences and the skills necessary for their career success. We are excited to see this partnership come to life with our teams coast-to-coast." – Todd Parsons, CEO, Coke Canada Bottling