RBC Future Launch

RBC Future Launch RBC Future Launch is a Canadian youth employment and skills initiative established by the Royal Bank of Canada to address youth unemployment and skills gaps. It funds skills training, internships, mentorships, and research aimed at preparing young people for the labor market in sectors such as technology, finance, and creative industries. The initiative collaborates with educational institutions, non-profit organizations, and private-sector partners to deliver programming across provinces and territories.

Overview

Launched in 2017 by the Royal Bank of Canada, the initiative operates alongside institutions such as Toronto Metropolitan University, University of Toronto, McGill University, University of British Columbia, and Université de Montréal. It targets Canadians aged 15–30 and coordinates with organizations including Youth Employment Services, United Way Centraide Canada, CAREERS: The Next Generation, Pathways to Education, and Boys and Girls Clubs of Canada. The initiative aligns with policy discussions involving ministers like Bardish Chagger and commissions such as the Advisory Council on Economic Growth, while engaging research partners like the Conference Board of Canada and think tanks including the Fraser Institute and Mowat Centre.

Programs and Initiatives

Programming includes paid internships, work-integrated learning, entrepreneurship supports, and digital skills bootcamps delivered through partners such as Communitech, MaRS Discovery District, BrainStation, General Assembly, and Lighthouse Labs. Educational collaborations have extended to colleges like George Brown College, Humber College, and Seneca College as well as high schools partnered with boards such as the Toronto District School Board and the Vancouver School Board. Youth entrepreneurship supports were developed with incubators including District 3, Futurpreneur Canada, and Launch Academy, while mentorship networks have connected participants with professionals from Deloitte, KPMG, PwC, Accenture, and IBM Canada. Sector-specific cohorts targeted fields represented by Shopify, Amazon Canada, Rogers Communications, and Bell Canada Enterprises.

Partnerships and Funding

Funding sources center on the Royal Bank of Canada with allied support from corporate partners like CIBC, TD Bank Group, Scotiabank, and philanthropic entities such as the McConnell Foundation and Tides Canada. Collaborative grants and contributions involved provincial partners including the Government of Ontario, the Government of British Columbia, and municipal actors such as the City of Toronto and the City of Vancouver. Program delivery leveraged non-profit partners including Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada, Skillshare, Project Management Institute, and Canadian Career Development Foundation. Research funding and evaluations have been carried out in concert with academic centres like the Centre for International Governance Innovation and policy institutes such as the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives.

Impact and Outcomes

Reported impacts included thousands of paid work placements, entrepreneurship grants, and training bursaries, with case studies featuring participants who transitioned into roles at companies like Microsoft Canada, Google Canada, TD Securities, and BMO Financial Group. Evaluations by institutions such as Statistics Canada and OECD-focused analysts considered metrics including placement rates, skill certification outcomes, and long-term wage trajectories. Regional outcomes noted differences across provinces such as Ontario, Quebec, Alberta, and Nova Scotia, with tailored programming for Indigenous youth engaging partners like the Assembly of First Nations and Indigenous Services Canada. Alumni networks connect participants to professional associations including the Canadian Information Processing Society and Association of Canadian Advertisers.

Criticism and Controversies

Critiques have arisen from advocacy groups and media outlets such as The Globe and Mail, CBC, and National Post concerning program reach, equity of access, and measurement rigor. Labour advocates connected to unions like the Canadian Labour Congress and the Unifor have questioned reliance on short-term internships versus permanent hiring, while scholars at universities including Queen's University and McMaster University have highlighted methodological limitations in impact studies. Concerns were raised about corporate branding and influence in public policy debates involving entities like Business Council of Canada and philanthropic visibility compared to direct government-funded employment programs overseen by departments such as Employment and Social Development Canada.

Category:Youth programs in Canada Category:Organizations based in Toronto