FAQs

The DS4Y process is fairly simple:

1. Apply with a job description.
2. DS4Y staff will review your organization’s application and the current funding available. We will either approve your application, put you on a wait list or reject your application.
3. Advertise your approved job description.
4. Have VCN verify the candidate for eligibility prior to offering the position
5. Hire the intern
6. Pay the intern
7. Submit pay stub information monthly to be approved by VCN for reimbursement.
8. VCN will reimburse 100% of verified wages, mandatory employment related costs and any bursary expenses to a maximum total of $30,000 for all expenditures.
9. Internship ends by March 31, 2023

Funding is a maximum of $30,000 for each internship. This is 100% reimbursement of wages, mandatory employment related costs (vacation pay, EI, CPP and WCB) as well as an upskilling bursary. The bursary amount is up to $4,000 within the maximum funding provided.

Example funding allocations

Total Wages and MERCs: $26,000 or more
Bursary: $4,000
Total Reimbursement: $30,000

Total Wages and MERCs: $20,000
Bursary: $2,000
Total Reimbursement: $22,000

Total Wages and MERCs: $28,000 or more
Bursary: $2,000
Total Reimbursement: $30,000

Total Wages and MERCs: $30,000 or more
Bursary: $0
Total Reimbursement: $30,000

*The intern and DS4Y staff would need to approve any bursary re-allocations.

Reimbursements are processed based on the pay stub documentation information submitted.  This means you must have the capacity to pay the intern as a regular employee. Typically monthly, you would make the repayment request using our reporting portal. At the end of each week, VCN would review and verify your request.  The transfer of funds takes 5 business days which can be delayed by statutory holidays.

Employers (with support from DS4Y) will provide the intern the bursary on the condition that the intern completes the course by March 31, 2023 or by the end of the internship – whichever comes first. In this situation, the amount of the scholarship or bursary is considered to be employment income for the intern.

The payroll reimbursements are to be submitted and reviewed each month. We ask that at least two pay periods are complete prior to expecting the reimbursement.

We will only contemplate the number of interns you request as part of your application on a first-come first-serve basis.  If – after subsequent applicants are reviewed and approved – there is more funding available we will review additional internship requests. Reply to your DS4Y approval email to request additional interns.

The funding provided would be for any new hire made on or after April 1, 2022 that meet all of the other requirements.

No. You can only submit one application. The application has a field to apply for the number of interns you are requesting.  Duplicate applications are rejected.  If you subsequently want to add another intern, DS4Y staff will edit the approved internship number to reflect this if the available funding limits permit. Reply to your DS4Y approval email to request additional interns.

 The following are examples of eligible job titles:

• Cloud applications and platforms
• Programming
• Web Design
• Service-based Architecture
• Chatbots and AI
• Analysis
• Data Design
• Project Management
• Social Media
• Digital Engagement

The list of potential position titles is not limited to the above items.  If the role is too administrative or lacking any real technical skillset to build on, the position will not be approved. The program’s main purpose is to provide career-entry positions to employers who may overlook recent grads with limited work experience and provide funding to support the acquisition of the work experience. The federal funder would like the employee to learn and grow in the role such that the intern will add so much value to the Intern Host Organization that they will continue once the program is over.

No. Previously sponsored interns under DS4Y – or the Youth Employment Strategy Program are not eligible.

Other employment expenses refer to ‘MERCs’ or Mandatory Employment Related Costs. These are EI, CPP, vacation pay and Worker’s Compensation only.

The $1000 upskilling contribution from the Intern Host Organization is matched up to $4,000 from the federal funder.  The opportunity for Digital-upskilling and or soft-skills is not defined as the Intern, and the Host Organization needs to assess what would be best for the career goals of the intern.  The Intern Host Organization only provides guidance so does not direct the course of study.  The general criteria is digital and/or technical skills only.  The course of study must be pre-approved by the coordinator prior to enrolling.

There is no ‘last day’ to apply.  The approvals for applications will happen on a first-come; first serve basis and will be tied to the available funding.  Our goal is to get this funding and interns working as quickly as possible such that none of the available support to organizations lapses.

For-profit organizations are being asked to provide $1000 in bursary to compliment the $4,000 the federal funder will contribute to bursary spends.  Many of the courses we have seen interns take are about $2500. This amount will allow for two courses.

There is no set timing on approvals. They will be done on a rolling basis – first come;first serve.  That said, we will require movement on the hiring process within 5 days of approval.

The application steps are:  

• a. Additional questions/Approval after due diligence review. 
• b. Follow up on criteria for Internships and contract sent (if required – past Intern Host Organization do not need this)
• c. Internship candidate review
• d. Internship candidate approval – reporting portal information sent to Intern Host Organization
• e. Employ the intern – required documentation sent to VCN
• f. Intern does the job as described and is introduced to the bursary program
• g. Intern is paid by the Intern Host Organization
• h. Intern Host Organization submits payroll data once a month (fridays)
• i. VCN reviews payroll data and initiates reimbursement transfer.
• j. Internship ends – completion documentation is immediately sent to VCN
• k. Final transfers and review for Intern Host Organization sent by VCN

The hiring process needs to begin within 5 days of the approval.  If no candidate is found within 2 weeks the funding will revert to “pending further approval and the ‘spot’ will be offered to other applicants.  In the past, too many Intern Host Organizations really dragged the hiring process out and caused a lapse of funding and/or scrambling to try to repurpose the funds.

The internship will end as of March 31, 2023.  Individual extensions MAY be possible based on unanticipated challenges.

The fund will pay for wage + MERCs (Mandatory Employment Related Costs).  These are Worker’s Compensation and EI, CPP, vacation pay.

March 31, 2023

There is no maximum number of placements.  This is completely at the discretion of VCN and is typically based on length of time the Intern Host Organization has been in operation and the size of their staff to support the roles.

We have developed a reporting portal to expedite this process.  Invitations to the portal and a brief tutorial will be given to successful Intern Host Organizations with interns placed.

If the internship ends for any reason, the internship ends.  New approvals will need to be made by VCN for another internship to start.

Social media roles are acceptable.

This would be digital program management  – typically to foster the creation of software, SAAS or apps.  Candidates will gain experience with planning, directing, and coordinating technology projects and teams.

There is a strong need for it to be a digital role in terms of project management. We will review the job description to make sure there is a threshold of tech met.

For the role we should see a task list that would be streamlining processes managing digital projects from concept to completion, making sure the project is within the budget and using a certain amount of resources. It involves planning, delegating, tracking, reviewing, and measuring results — usually all done using project management software. The goal of every project is different, but the overarching objective is to grow the business and see valuable ROI from the project. Types of projects can range from events to digital content projects.

Digital projects come in all shapes and sizes. They can include:

• Websites
• Mobile apps
• Videos
• Games
• Events
• Content
• E-commerce
• Social media
• Advertising
• Search engine optimization