Campaign offers cash bonus to P.E.I. students to work in fish plants

The P.E.I. Seafood Processors Association and Skills P.E.I. have launched a new marketing campaign — and a cash bonus — to encourage more high school and university students to work in Island seafood plants.

Students are invited to join Team Seafood.

If they take a seasonal job at a seafood plant, they will get a cash bonus at the end of the summer before they return to class.

P.E.I. Seafood Processors Association executive director Dennis King said high school students will receive a $500 bursary for their tuition and university students will receive $1,000.

"It's a payment to the student for looking toward the seafood processing facility for work," said King. "And it just really reflects the aggressive nature of the industry to try to do a better job of recruiting local workers to come to work in our seafood processing facilities.

"We feel Island-wide that this is a bit of an untapped market in terms of employees."

King said the cost of the campaign will depend on how many students sign on for the work.

He said the cost of each bursary will be split between Skills P.E.I. and the individual fish plants.

King said the campaign is rolling out this week through social media, posters and ads. He said they also hope to visit high schools and campuses.

Students who are interested can apply at TeamSeafood.ca.