Young Professionals International

The Young Professionals International program (YPI) is designed to help young Canadians launch their careers by bridging the gap between formal education and a profession. YPI provides underemployed or unemployed young Canadians with a first paid and career-related international placement to prepare and position them for future employment. The YPI is part of the Government of Canada's Youth Employment Strategy (YES) and is funded by Foreign Affairs Canada (FAC) and International Trade Canada (ITCan).

Today Media Corp. is a Canadian media company. We publish CanadaToday magazine, the first comprehensive Chinese language magazine about Canada. Today Media Corp. has a division based in Shanghai, China to help Canadian companies promote their products in China.

Today Media Corp. is also an implementing organization for the Young Professionals International (YPI) program. We provide the opportunity for young Canadian graduates to participate in career-related international work enabling them to develop their skills and enhance their employability. For 2006, we are able to fund ten international placements.

The goals are to cultivate research and professional skills and ready youths to establish a career. This project allows our participants to progress beyond learning China's society from the book, but also gain practical knowledge by immersing themselves within the culture and do relevant research. Also, this project gives our participants first hand experience with dealing people form a variety of levels, understand China's investment environment, business etiquette, law, culture, thoughts, people and society. Our participants will also learn about Chinese laws and policies that encourage or constrain foreign investment. After gaining the experience offered by this project, these youths will be able to better market themselves and have a strategic advantage in finding a full-time job.

Today Media Corp. coordinates placements in China that will provide young professionals with international research and professional skills in commerce, investment, trade policies, and communications. Placements focus on research, intellectual property rights, copyrights, and business development relating to China/Canada trade or investment issues. Candidates should have completed their post-secondary education in a field related to the position that interests them.

By the end of the placement, you must write a thoughtful thesis paper (at least 4000 words) from a perspective that interests Canadian companies looking into developing the Chinese market. Your paper may be selected to be included in a Today Media publication. If so, you may add the printed copy to your portfolio for job applications.

Your approximate start and end dates will be May 1st 2006 to Dec 31st 2006.

You will work 6 months in China, spend 1 month for predeparture orientation in Toronto, Canada, and 1 month to finish writing your paper/report once you return to Canada.

Candidates should be fluent in English and have good communication skills. Knowledge of Chinese will be an asset.

For 2006, we are able to fund ten participants into four different placements. Assignment to placements will be based on availability.

Placement 1 Details

Your job will be to research at a university and a lawyer office in China that deals with protecting intellectual property, which is needed to further foreign investments in China. Such departments have tight connections with Europe, keep close watch, and contribute to the still emerging field of intellectual property protection. At this placement, your job will be to research and write a report on the status of copyrights and intellectual properties in China. Your main area of study will be critically evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of the current Intellectual property rights protection system.

What you will get out of this

You are given a unique opportunity to become experts on the current state of China's intellectual property rights, allowing you to critically evaluate certain business decisions based on such knowledge. Canadian companies wishing to develop the huge Chinese market will find individuals armed with this knowledge invaluable.

Placement 2 Details

For this placement, you will work at a Canadian business advisory firm based in China. These companies provide financial advisory, management consulting and project management services to foreign (non-Chinese) organizations. You will be given an office job, which includes translating materials into English or proofreading documents. At the same time, you will interview Canadian companies in China to determine the factors that make an investment a success.

By the end of the placement, you will need to apply your education on your research and submit a thesis.

What you will get out of this

Through this placement, you will become familiar with the economic climate in China. You will also be knowledgeable on how factors such as Chinese culture impacts businesses, allowing you to creatively brainstorm viable business options unique to this oriental culture. In addition, you will be able to sharpen your interview, analytic, and translation skills.

Placement 3 Details

At this placement, you will work in a non-profit organization to provide comprehensive services and programs to foreign investors at the local level. Your job will be to help out in the organization such as translating and editing English documents, as well as to research and write a report on the status of foreign investments in China (investment environment, policy, return of investment) for Canadian investors and enterprises that are interested in the development of Chinese market.

What you will get out of this

You will become familiar with the investment policies and return of investment in china. You will understand how the policies relate back to the oriental culture, allowing you to become an asset to companies that want to make smarter decisions when investing in China.

Placement 4 Details

At this placement, you will be working at a "trade development service center", which provides comprehensive service programs that foster foreign (non-Chinese) local small and medium-sized enterprises. You will also research and write a report on the status of small enterprises, both foreign and local, in China. You will place an emphasis on Canadian small businesses in the Chinese market. You will work at the center by translating documents, and teaching basic English to employees.

What you will get out of this

You will become familiar with the foreign businesses that have opened up in China. This knowledge will let you make smarter choices and decisions regarding investment there. In addition, you will enhance your communication and teaching skills.

• Share in the realization of project objectives
• Carry out the tasks outlined in the job description
• Respect the duration of the placement
• Participate in program evaluations prior to, during, and after the placement
• Participate in pre-, mid- and post-placement self-assessments of your skills
• Based on the self assessment results and under the guidance of your co-ordinator, complete a set number of skills improvement courses on the Virtual Campus
• Register on-line in ROCA with the FAC and ITCan Consular Division
• Complete the on-line Participant Data Form
• Partake in a pre-departure orientation and reentry debriefing. It is the participant's responsibility to book and pay for his/her travel fare to Toronto in order to attend the pre-departure orientation and to arrange and pay for accommodation while in Toronto
• Manage your participant funds in a responsible manner, including returning any funds that you have not earned, should you leave the placement early

• We will cover the travel fare from Toronto to China and return fare to Toronto
• We provide participants with payment/living allowance for the project duration (Approximately $1000 CND per month. EI and CPP contributions will be deducted)
• We will cover the costs of your visa and travel insurance

To apply for YPI you must:

• Be aged 21 to 30
• Have a postsecondary diploma or degree but is unemployed or under-employed and not receiving Employment Insurance benefits. You must be out-of-school at the time the position begins, and is not enrolled in an educational program with no current plans to return to school
• Be a citizen or permanent resident of Canada. Foreign students, even if they hold valid work permits, are unfortunately not eligible
• Have not previously participated in placement of the Career Focus Program of the Youth Employment Strategy (YES) and not have previous paid and career-related international work experience

The application deadline for our Young Professionals International Program has now passed. Thank you for the huge response we got! Successful candidates will be contacted in the weeks of April. If you have any enquiries, please feel free to contact us at ypi@canada-today.net. Subject line should state: YPI Questions.

The following is now for reference only.

Please apply directly to us. Do not apply to Foreign Affairs Canada or International Trade Canada. Due to the large number of applicants, it is possible that only short-listed or selected individuals will be contacted. Note: while this is not strictly on a first come first serve basis, favourable consideration will be given to those who submit their application the earliest (preferably by march 20th).

The following information is required:

A Cover Letter

Cover letters should clearly describe:

1. Which position you prefer
2. Why you are interested in the position
3. Your experience as it relates to the duties defined in the Job Description and each of the Preferred Qualifications listed for the position.
4. Whether you can meet the project timeline

Resume/CV

Your resume should outline:

1. How your education, work experience and/or life experience relate to the duties defined in the Job Description and to the Preferred Qualifications listed for the position; and
2. The names and telephone numbers of three references.

Interested persons must submit their applications in Word format via email by March 26, 2006 to:

ypi@canada-today.net

Subject line should state: Application for YPI

Thank-you for your interest! Only those selected for an interview will be contacted.