Aspiring employees of Southeastern Manitoba who are under the age of 16 are now legally required to take a worker readiness course before being hired.

The Provincial Government recently passed a law that mandates all potential workers between the ages of 13 and 15 take an online class called the Young Worker Readiness Certificate Course. As of November 29, employers must receive a hard copy of this certificate before officially hiring an underage employee.

Henry Nickel, the General Manager of Clearview Co-op says that prior to this legislation, a child employee would need to have their parents sign off before being legally allowed to work. He views this extra step as a good idea.

“This is definitely a positive thing because the expectation at a place of employment are different then what they have had at school. There are certain rules employers have to follow in order to meet customer needs.”

While few companies in the area frequently hire children under 16, Co-op Manager Henry Nickel says he has hired the occasional 15-year old.

The course addresses topics such as understanding the world of work, fairness in the workplace, and health and safety. Nickel feels this could be an invaluable resource for young workers.

Shell Manager Verna Martens says she too will sometimes hire a 15-year old to work in the car wash. She agrees with Nickel and feels that young people can always benefit from a bit of extra knowledge before beginning their first job.

“I don’t think it's a bad thing that these young kids will be learning the basics about what it means to actually have a job,” Martens comments.

Manitoba’s Young Worker Readiness Certificate Course was based off of a similar course in Saskatchewan that has proved successful and has been adapted to suit the province’s differing guidelines.