General Motors
of Canada Company
GM Communications
Oshawa, Ontario
media.gm.ca
General Motors Canada Responds with Financial
Assistance, Work and Training Opportunities for Syrian
Refugees
National GM Dealership Network Engaged to Offer Support and
Employment and Skills Training Opportunities
OSHAWA, (December 21, 2015) – GM Canada is pleased to announce its
support through funding, work and training opportunities for Syrian refugees as
they arrive in Canada.
GM Canada and its network of Canadian automotive dealers will work with local
resettlement organizations across the country to match refugees with work, training
and apprenticeship opportunities. Qualified refugees will be linked with local GM
Canada automotive dealers who are looking for potential technicians or candidates
to be trained through GM's Automotive Service Educational Program (ASEP), which
is carried out in partnership with community colleges across Canada. ASEP allows
GM dealers to “grow their own” technicians by selecting high potential candidates
and providing them with opportunities to turn theory from the classroom into
hands-on experience at the dealership after each school term.
GM Canada is also providing $50,000 in immediate direct support to the Welcome
Fund for Syrian Refugees hosted by Community Foundations of Canada. The
Welcome Fund for Syrian Refugees was established to provide housing, job training
and skills development support for the 25,000 refugees who will be welcomed in
communities across Canada in the coming months. In addition, GM Canada will
implement an employee donations matching program to potentially triple this
amount.
"We are witnessing an outpouring of community support across Canada which
recognizes the importance of a coordinated and thoughtful approach to refugee
resettlement", said Steve Carlisle, president and managing director, General Motors
of Canada. "GM employees and our dealers across Canada will work with
Community Foundations of Canada and its partners to offer support, work, skills
training and apprenticeship opportunities to support these new Canadians.”
General Motors
of Canada Company
GM Communications
Oshawa, Ontario
media.gm.ca
About Community Foundations of Canada
Community Foundations of Canada is the national network for Canada’s 191 community
foundations which help Canadians invest in building strong and resilient places to live, work,
and play. Community foundations contribute time, leadership and financial support to
initiatives that benefit community most, directing grants and other investments towards
everything from shelter, education, and care for those in need, to the arts, environment and
recreation. Collectively community foundations manage more than $4.6 billion in assets and
have put hundreds of millions back into communities over our 94 year history. To learn
more visit www.communityfoundations.ca.
About General Motors in Canada
Headquartered in Oshawa, Ontario, General Motors of Canada employs more than 9,000
people across the country. GM Canada markets the full range of fuel-efficient Chevrolet,
Buick, GMC and Cadillac vehicles and related services through Canada's largest automotive
dealer network. More information regarding GM vehicles can be found at www.gm.ca. To
learn more about innovation and the future of the automotive industry
visit www.gminnovates.ca or follow @GMCanada and #GMInnovatesCA on Twitter.
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