Many young Canadians do not have access to the same opportunities when entering the market for employment. RBC and Franco-Ontarian public media company TFO understand this well.

With this in mind, they have joined forces to launch “Prêt pour demain” (“Ready for tomorrow”), a free employment program within Idéllo, a TFO platform of educational resources for teachers and parents. This program is part of RBC’s “Future Launch,” a decade-long, $500 million CSR campaign to empower Canadian youth for the jobs of tomorrow.

The new program encourages bilingualism in young people and aims to equip them with equal access to life skills and opportunities for finding jobs. “Prêt pour demain” offers online resources, primarily in the form of video capsules focused on skills such as critical thinking, creativity, communication and collaboration among students aged 15 and over.

“RBC is challenging themselves and their partners to create equitable access to programming, resources and networking opportunities that support youth in preparing for their future. As such the bank is supporting programs that reflect the diversity of the country, in both official languages, and increasing access to resources through a number of digital programming options,” says Allison Tam, manager, citizenship content and activations at RBC.

The program also aims to answer several questions, such as: What does bilingualism represent for young people? What are the advantages of bilingualism in Canada? How can being bilingual become an asset in the labor market?

The answers are addressed in a new collection of videos featuring young people discussing bilingualism and sketches showcasing the work of one of Ontario’s iconic French voices: Patrice Desbiens, author of L’homme invisible (The Invisible Man).