News

Longueuil The APTS (Alliance du personnel professionnel et technique de la santé et des services sociaux) supports the UEQ (Union étudiante du Québec) and the FECQ (Fédération étudiante collégiale du Québec) in their demands that students be paid for mandatory internships in public services. Against a background of continuing labour shortages, this would help support the recruitment of the new employees needed to provide Quebecers with care and services.

“A great majority of health and social services employees are women, and the same is true of student interns,” said APTS vice-president Isabelle Mantha. “The true value of their work must be recognized. It’s a matter of fairness.”

Every year, thousands of students are required to work as interns in public schools and health and social services. Internships for some of the professions represented by the APTS demand full-time attendance over weeks or even months. This is a major commitment at a time when many students also face demands related to course work, a paid job and personal responsibilities.

For the APTS, ensuring that internships are paid is not just about fairness. It’s also a strategic investment in the future of public services. In health and social services, interns learn their occupation in settings characterized by work overload and recruiting problems. When future professionals and technicians enter the job market, many of them are already exhausted and in debt. Paid internships are a way of supporting new recruits, helping to keep them in the public system, and improving Quebecers’ access to services.

“We welcome the premier’s commitment, which was made explicit as soon as his cabinet was formed, to pay for internships in public services,” said APTS president Robert Comeau. “Now it’s time for words to be backed up by actions. They can’t sideline this promise in the name of getting back to a balanced budget. The government’s next budget will be the right time to finally correct this historic injustice.”

 

The APTS

The APTS (Alliance du personnel professionnel et technique de la santé et des services sociaux) represents more than 68,000 members who play a key role in ensuring that health and social services institutions run smoothly. Our members provide a wide range of services for all Quebecers, including diagnostic, rehabilitation, nutrition, psychosocial intervention, clinical support, and prevention services.