Building a Better Future with Education

Support for lifelong learning is a commitment we make to our employees and our communities. Each year, our education initiatives reach thousands of students. We are pleased to partner with the leading colleges and universities in our region – through investments in scholarships, centres of excellence and research.

Breaking the Cycle of Poverty: the Pals for Prince Charles Partnership

An initiative of J.K. Irving and Bev MacDonald of School District 8, the Pals for Prince Charles Partnership launched in Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada in 2000. The students (K-8) of this inner city school are supported by 140 employee mentors who each spend up to 2 hours a week during their work day helping the students with reading, math skills, sports, music and more.

At Prince Charles School we combine a focus on academic achievement with a positive school environment. Over 10,000 hours of employee volunteer time has improved every aspect of school life including academic achievement, student behaviour and social skills. The best news - 50% more alumni are graduating from high school since the program began.

The PALs program has served as a catalyst and model for other companies to support neighbouring inner-city schools. Today, with the help of caring businesses the program has grown to impact the lives of students at 6 more schools in Saint John.

Our company and Prince Charles School were honoured with A Global Best Education Partnership Award.

Investing in the Future: Training Incentive Program with the New Brunswick Community College

In the next 3-5 years, we anticipate hiring over 3000 employees. About 70% of these jobs will be in the industrial trades. The Training Incentive Program (TIPS) builds on our long standing relationship with the New Brunswick and Nova Scotia Community Colleges and provides over $650,000 in company funding for qualified mature and high school students to pursue a community college education. As of June of 2007 $237,000 in funding has been awarded to 97 students. Twenty-seven of them have graduated and are full time employees with our company.

(Click here for more information - English)

(Cliquez ici pour plus d'information - Francais

Sawmill & Woodlands - Building Foundations Student Incentive Program

The Sawmill and Woodlands Divisions have a progressive incentive program that increases in value with each work term spent with us. At the end of each work term the bonus increases. In addition, top performers can quality for additional monies in their final year of study.

(Click here for more information in English - 2-year program

(Click here for more information in English - 4-year program)

(Cliquez ici pour plus d'information en francais - programme de 2 ans)

(Cliquez ici pour plus d'information en francais - programme de 4 ans)

Pulp & Paper Division - J. D. Irving, Limited Training Incentive Program now has a Real Bonus!

If you are graduating and you are currently doing your final work term with the Pulp & Paper Division, you can be eligible to receive a $2500 signing bonus to join our group permanently and if you have worked for any other divisions, you can add another $500 per work term.

(Click here for more information in English)

(Cliquez ici pour plus d'infomation en francais)

Earth Awareness: Eco-Education for the Future Stewards of the Environment

Every year, the Irving Nature Park in Saint John and the Irving Eco Centre – La Dune de Bouctouche offer the community a number of educational resources:

Over 5,000 students at each park get hands-on lessons about local ecosystems and the environment; school classes account for 44% of tours given at both sites
Fully funded summer day camps allow children as young as 4 years to experience the wonders of nature through a variety of games and experiential learning
People of all ages can partake in a number of free activities coordinated by the parks – including moonlight snowshoeing, meteor showers, and mud flat ecology

In addition to protecting special habitat, our nature parks also serve as great outdoor classrooms to learn about the environment!

Supporting Local Universities Over the past five years we've made over $4 million in contributions to local universities. This includes $1 million towards the business program at the University of New Brunswick (Saint John).	Employee Scholarships JDI supports the continuing education of our employees' children and spouses. Each employee scholarship is worth $1,000.