Friday, April 23, 2010

Small Business Internship Program

MUSKOKA COMMUNITY NETWORK ASSISTS IN PLACING E-BUSINESS STUDENTS WITH LOCAL BUSINESSES

April 19th, 2010 ─ Muskoka Community Network (MCN) is pleased to announce assistance in placing up to 5 students with local businesses. Small and medium-sized businesses can receive support to hire students who can assist with E-Business through the Small Business Internship Program. Muskoka Community Network is working with the Ontario Association of Community Future Development Corporations (OACFDC), who are delivering this Industry Canada program within Ontario.

What is the Small Business Internship Program?
The Small Business Internship Program (SBIP) helps small and medium-sized businesses go beyond simply having email or an Internet site by enabling them to adopt an active e-business strategy that will help them prosper during the current economic instability.

The SBIP program provides financial support to qualified small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) so they can hire student interns to assist them in adopting information and communications technologies (ICT). This support will help participating SMEs increase their productivity and competitiveness in order to grow their businesses.

SBIP also offers promising post-secondary students valuable, hands-on job experience working on e-business and ICT projects under the guidance of entrepreneurs. Student interns will gain an appreciation of entrepreneurship and the opportunity to explore career possibilities while making money to continue their education.

How does the Small Business Internship Program work?

SMEs from rural and Northern Ontario submit an application to Muskoka Community Network to hire a student intern. If the application is approved, the SME can hire a student intern to help them take advantage of technology to help them grow their business. SMEs will have the flexibility to hire the interns that possess the skills and abilities for their specific project or needs. We encourage them to hire from employment equity groups.

The SME negotiates the salary of the intern, and the benefits they may receive. Once the 12-week internship is over, the Government of Canada will reimburse 75 percent of the eligible costs to the SME. The SME gets the information and communications technologies help they need to grow their business, and the student gets valuable on-the-job experience.

Do You Want To Learn More About The Small Business Internship program?
To learn more about the Small Business Internship Program please visit the Muskoka Community Network website at www.mcnet.ca/sbip


For more information on broadband and technology in Muskoka, visit the Muskoka Community Network website at http://www.mcnet.ca/

What type of internet connection do you have?