Canadian Language Sector Enhancement Program (CLSEP)

Language Industry Initiative Component

Value of investment: $10M (2008-2013)

The objective of the Language Industry Initiative Component is to strengthen the capacity of the Canadian language sector in the following areas:

1. promotion
2. student internships
3. innovative projects
4. integration of language technologies

This component will help the industry implement promotional activities to enhance the industry's profile and promote the various language professions. It will be used to offer students on-the-job internships leading to permanent jobs within the industry. Funding will be available for innovative projects, including the development of tools, standards, infrastructure, studies, alternative programs and other practices. This component will also help to promote and facilitate the use of language technologies in post-secondary institutions, private-sector companies and non-profit organizations.

Eligible organizations

• Canadian non-profit organizations that represent:
  • professional associations
  • industry associations
  • private-sector firms
  • other organizations in the language industry, as well as post-secondary institutions and other associations in Canada's language sector
• Companies incorporated in Canada, partnerships and individual firms with head offices in Canada.
• Canadian research organizations and entities whose primary function is to provide services for the language industry.
• Post-secondary institutions and other educational institutions in Canada (i.e., college or university-level programs leading to a diploma or a degree in a field related to the language industry).

Eligible activities

1. Promotion of the industry and the language professions
   • Collaborative arrangements to promote the industry and the language professions targeting high school, community college and CEGEP students, workers interested in retraining, and the general public in order to stimulate enrolment in university programs and employment within the language industry.
   • Market analysis and development activities to help companies and universities find new markets for their linguistic products and services.
   • Initiatives to promote the language industry regionally, nationally, and internationally.
2. Coordination of Student Internships
   Student eligibility criteria for internships

   To be eligible for an internship, the following criteria must be respected:

   Students must be Canadian citizens or landed immigrants enrolled in a full-time or a part-time translation program (including interpretation, terminology, localization and language technology integration) in a Canadian post-secondary institution. This includes students in the first, second, third or fourth year of a Bachelor of Arts in translation, a Master's in interpretation or a doctoral degree, or in a college program that leads to a university degree or students in a joint program, involving a second technical discipline.

   • Sponsorships for the placement of eligible students in internships with employers in the language industry, where they can acquire practical experience and specialized skills while completing their programs of study.

     Employer eligibility criteria to offer internships

     The organizations eligible to offer internships to students must be directly or indirectly linked to the Canadian language industry, and demonstrate the capacity for providing academic and professional supervision in accordance with the standards and requirements established by the student's post-secondary institution.

3. Innovative projects
   • Collaborative arrangements with industry associations, post-secondary educational institutions, and government organizations in order to expand the capacity for innovative projects, such as the development of tools, standards, infrastructure, studies and alternative programs, and other practices.
4. Integration of language technologies
   • Collaborative arrangements for demonstration projects, workshops, conferences and courses that promote the integration of language technologies in the language sector as a whole, facilitating the use of these technologies in post-secondary institutions, businesses and non-profit organizations in the language industry.
   • Collaborative arrangements that facilitate the adoption of computer-assisted language technologies and computerized tools to assist translators and to enhance productivity.
   • Awareness-raising and information-sharing activities within the language sector that lead to the establishment of collaborative arrangements between technology developers, universities and businesses that, in turn, enhance the industry's capacity.
   • Collaborative arrangements with post-secondary institutions, industry associations and government entities that result in new curriculum or alternative delivery methods that provide students with exposure to new language technologies.

Ineligible activities

Since the Program objective is to strengthen the capacity of the entire language sector, no direct financial support will be offered to individual firms. For example, the following activities are not eligible:

• risk capital financing
• commercial product development
• commercial product promotion and marketing
• research activities
• commercial advertising
• travel to other countries
• capital costs for the construction of a building (other than repairs or renovations to support the participation of persons with disabilities) or the purchase of land or buildings