The Centre for Employment Innovation, St. FX Extension, is looking for one a post-secondary student (enrolled in post-secondary in the fall of 2020) who is interested in joining a dynamic and supportive team.

Positions Available:

There is one (1) CEI Initiatives Intern position available at the CEI.

The Centre for Employment Innovation (CEI) at St. Francis Xavier (StFX) University is committed to Dr. Rev. Moses Coady’s vision of “a full and abundant life, for all”, and strongly believes that collaboration, collective action, and adult learning are necessary to create vibrant, thriving, and resilient communities. The world of work is changing, and it is more important than ever to understand how to prepare for, adapt to, and shape future possibilities. As communities, organizations, and individuals, we believe that people have the assets and strengths to collectively address economic, environmental, and social challenges and inspire meaningful change—to be able to shape a future that works for all.

The CEI provides leadership, fosters best practices, conducts research and encourages collaboration in the development and delivery of employment services across the Province of Nova Scotia. Operating within and supported by the StFX Extension Department and working in partnership with government, service providers, community agencies and researchers, it strives to bring people and knowledge together to strengthen the quality and effectiveness of employment services. The aim of the CEI is to foster a skilled, resilient and productive workforce across Nova Scotia.

At the CEI, we recognize the importance of collaboration, across and within sectors, to foster more effective and sustainable impacts for positive change. We are an important component of the employment services ecosystem in Nova Scotia. As part of a systems-focused approach to service excellence, the CEI conducts its activities in collaboration with the network of community-based Nova Scotia Works employment services providers, the Nova Scotia Career Development Association (NSCDA), and the Province of Nova Scotia’s Department of Labour and Advanced Education (through Employment Nova Scotia).

What Can I Expect in this Role? As an integral part of the CEI team, the CEI Initiatives Intern will facilitate research and engagements that will support the design and implementation of local and provincial career development and employment services initiatives. Specifically, this position will involve working alongside mentors on:

  • Engagement-specific tasks, which will include supporting the development of a regional partnership and engagement framework as well as potentially designing virtual convenings/workshops, facilitation, and conducting surveys/interviews.
  • Research-specific tasks, which will include literature reviews on emerging best practice in equitable partnership development and may also include gaining hands-on experience with participatory action research, qualitative methods, supporting research project design, and data gathering and analysis.
  • Communication-specific tasks, which will include documenting all learnings, sharing stories across multiple communications platforms, and report writing.

CEI Initiatives Internship

The CEI and StFX respect and welcome diversity.  Applications from Indigenous persons, Black/African Nova Scotians, people of colour and people across spectrums of gender, sexuality, abilities, and age are highly encouraged.  It is important to our emphasis on community-based research that all communities are represented. We encourage applicants to self-identify. Only those selected for an interview will be contacted. All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply.

How Do I Qualify?

The applicants must be attending post-secondary in the fall of 2020 and have access to a computer, reliable internet, and space to work. We are also looking for team players who exhibit the following:

  • Motivated by a care and compassion for others.
  • Desire and willingness to learn, adapt, and improve.
  • Open-minded and ability to think outside the box.
  • Ability to work well independently and to support team goals.
  • Flexible and able to balance and shift multiple priorities in a dynamic and fast-paced environment.
  • Effective listener and written/oral communicator, with the ability to adapt to a broad range of stakeholders.
  • Collects information with precision, accuracy and attention to detail.
  • Acts in a professional, ethical and confidential manner.

Although not required, we consider the following attributes as assets:

  • Bilingualism/Multilingualism.
  • Experience in research, community development, and/or community engagement.
  • Experience working with diverse stakeholders.
  • Valid driver’s license and/or ability to travel.

Hours / Term / Location of Work:

  • This is a part-time position, with hours negotiable between 5-15 hours per week.
  • With a starting date as early as September 16th, 2020, this position is listed for a 13-week term, (however, later start dates would impact the length of the term), at a rate of $15 per hour.
  • Given the circumstances surrounding COVID-19, this position will work from their home location. Reliable internet is a necessity for this position. There may be opportunities for in-person meetings with the team; however, all Nova Scotia Public Health and STFX policies will be enforced.

CEI Initiatives Internship

How Will This Internship Benefit Me?

As an important member of our team, you will:

  • Contribute to province-wide initiatives that foster a more skilled, resilient and productive workforce across Nova Scotia.
  • Become part of a network of social change agents, community leaders and facilitators, and applied researchers.
  • Join a core team that values the experience, perspective and voices of all team members.
  • Have an opportunity to interact and deepen relationships with various stakeholders and communities.
  • Be encouraged to pursue your own area of interest, within the scope of work at the CEI, and be mentored by various staff and faculty.
  • Gain hands-on, practical experience working with community-based, community-led initiatives (including field work), research (interviews, literature searches, data analysis, etc.), and engagement (facilitating focus groups, workshops, communities of learnings, etc.)
  • Deepen your ability to translate complex information for widespread usage.

How Do I Apply?

Please compile the below documents:

  • Your resume
  • A personal reflection (maximum of 2-pages) on the following topic:
    The CEI and its partners aim to enhance diversity, equity, and inclusion within workplaces, so that all Nova Scotians have opportunities to meaningfully engage in the workforce and their communities. The CEI’s work, along with the Coady Institute and Extension Department, is rooted within the principles of the Antigonish Movement and strives towards Moses Coady’s vision of a “full and abundant life for all”. In your own words, please provide a reflection about what ‘a full and abundant’ means to you?

Submit your application package in confidence to cei@stfx.ca using the Subject Line: CEI Initiatives Intern Application – Your Name.

Deadline for Submissions: Friday, September 11th, 2020 (12 NOON ADT)