FREDERICTON – CyberNB, New Brunswick’s hub for cybersecurity, will help unemployed college and university graduates in the province find internships in the industry thanks to a federal program.

The organization announced Wednesday that it was selected to be the Digital Skills for Youth (DS4Y) Delivery Organization for the province. CyberNB will connect eligible youth with industry partners for 50 internships across the province beginning this month.

Organizations that hire an intern as part of the program will receive up to $30,000 in funding from Innovation, Science and Economic Development (ISED) Canada.

“There has never been a more exciting time to begin a career in cybersecurity or the wider digital economy,” said CyberNB CEO Tyson Johnson in a release. “We know that completing your education is only the first step and that for many New Brunswick youth, finding and securing job opportunities can be difficult. CyberNB is thrilled to be able to help connect our underemployed graduates, right here at home, with rewarding opportunities and real on-the-job experience from our industry partners.”

Digital Skills for Youth (DS4Y) is a federal program funded by the federal government. It aims to connect underemployed or unemployed university and college graduates with small to medium-sized businesses and not-for-profit organizations that can offer meaningful work experience to help youth under 30-years-old transition to career-oriented employment.

The initiative stems from the government’s Youth Employment and Skills Strategy (YESS), which aims to provide more flexible employment services and enhanced support to help all young Canadians.

Through Digital Skills for Youth (DS4Y), CyberNB will recruit post-secondary graduates and connect them with meaningful digital internships within its proven network of small to medium-sized businesses (SMBs under 500 employees) and not-for-profit organizations.

“This year has exposed entirely new barriers to finding employment,” said Jenn Peck, CyberNB’s Digital Workforce Strategist and DS4Y Program Lead. “Having worked alongside both employers and jobseekers, I knew what challenges they faced even before this global shift. The DS4Y program couldn’t have come at a more opportune time – and I’m beyond thrilled to be leading an initiative that helps connect skilled youth to New Brunswick’s businesses. The knowledge-based sector is in need of talent, and DS4Y can certainly help fill that gap!”