2 new scholarships. 1,800+ workers. 70 properties. 2 countries.

Mobilize Jobs, a unique work and travel staffing program that places youth (and the young at heart) in seasonal hospitality and tourism jobs across Canada and the US, has just launched a new scholarship program. Starting today, the company is offering two annual scholarships to help support students in Canada and the United States who need financial assistance, relieving some of the burden as they get through school, get started in their working lives, grow as people – and become the leaders, visionaries and change makers we need.

The Gap Year Scholarship provides $1,000 to a student taking a year between high school and post-secondary. It gives them a chance to travel, volunteer, work, have new experiences and gain new perspectives, build skills, mature – and take their education more seriously so that they do better when they return. Applications open today, October 16, and closes May 31.

The Mobilizer Alumni Scholarship provides $1,000 to a former Mobilize Jobs participant looking to go back to school. Mobilize appreciates its hardworking alumni, and wants to help support a student who needs a little financial help to continue their education. Applications open today, October 16 and closes December 31.

“Mobilize was founded with an important vision: to help tackle youth unemployment and we’ve been doing this successfully since our initial deployment more than four years ago,” says founder Benjamin Guth. “Offering scholarships to help students get job-ready is a vital part of that goal – I’m proud to be able to make these contributions to young people’s futures.”

Mobilize is a staffing model that works on a rotational placement basis, providing tourism and hospitality businesses with a continuous supply of motivated staff, and offering youth full-time, paid work over consecutive seasonal placements in different locations.

“We at Woods Hole Inn are committed to continuing to recruit American citizens to seasonal Cape Cod jobs. The greatest limitation we face as an organization is the intense shortage of seasonal labor in our region,” says Beth Colt, owner of Woods Hole Inn in Cape Cod, Massachusetts. “Our partnership (with Mobilize Jobs) was a big success and the Mobilizers had very high reviews. They stayed until the end of the contract and we would love to have them back.”

“Finding staff for every season was always a struggle,” says Chad Gulevich, owner of two hotels (Mountaineer Lodge and Mount Robson Inn) and partnered in a third (Best Western) in western Canada. “In the past, we spent a lot of time recruiting staff ourselves. We used to hire them from eastern Canada and outside of Canada. But it was a lot of work coordinating the logistics.”

“It has been very easy for us to integrate Mobilize workers with our other staff,” says Gulevich. “The millennials from Mobilize are exactly the same profile as our current workers, so they fit in well.”

Workers have a chance to live and work in incredible places for five to six months at a time, connecting with new friends and having life-changing adventures. In Canada, they’re placed in British Columbia, Ontario, Manitoba, Alberta and the Northwest Territories. In the US, they’re in Minnesota, Michigan, North Carolina, Massachusetts, Utah and Colorado. The locations are usually in tourism resort destinations. And there are more locations and properties joining the program all the time.

“Almost two weeks left in my Muskoka placement, and I’ve got to say it’s been one of the most memorable times of my life!” says Dylan James Skinner, a Mobilizer deployed to a property in Muskoka, Ontario. “I’ve made a lot of friends up here and made some really great memories. I traveled from Nova Scotia to Ontario by myself on my first solo trip – and I feel accomplished.”

“Thank you, Mobilize, for the greatest experience,” says Samantha Brown, deployed to Gillam, Manitoba. “From being surrounded by water, to the small-town feel, to polar bears, to the nightly Northern Lights, to the friendliest people on Earth! We are so grateful for our experiences these past few months.”

Since launching in 2015, Mobilize has placed over 1,800 workers to over 70 properties in Canada and the United States. They’re now closing their 11th season, and their 12th launch is now commencing deployment for five to six month winter placements.

More information on the Mobilize scholarship program is available at www.mobilizejobs.ca/scholarships.

To find out more about being a Mobilizer or getting great staff for your next busy season, visit www.mobilizejobs.ca or www.mobilizejobs.com.