Media Release

2004 corporate award winners announced by
Career Edge, Canada's internship organization

Toronto - Nov. 23, 2004.

RBC Financial Group is among six employers recognized by Career Edge, Canada's internship organization, for providing top career-launching internships and mentoring support this year.

RBC received the 2004 Spirit Award, given to an employer that made a significant impact on the professional development of interns recruited this year through the Career Edge Organization. RBC, which has participated in the Career Edge Organization since 1996, was one of 10 employers nominated for this award by interns.

The award is part of the Career Edge Organization's annual Host Awards event, which recognizes organizations that select and "host" interns through the internship programs operated by the Career Edge Organization. The 2004 awards were given out November 18, 2004.

Five other employers won awards for recruiting the largest number of interns from the three internship programs operated by Career Edge Organization. The winning employers, by program and category, are:

Career Edge Program Award (Internships for recent graduates)

First National Financial Corporation - Small Enterprise Category (up to 500 employees)

Sprint Canada - Medium Enterprise Category (501 - 5,000 employees)

Bell Canada - Large Enterprise Category (more than 5,000 employees)

BMO Financial Group - Ability Edge Program Award (Internships for graduates with disabilities)

The Town of Markham - Career Bridge Program Award (Internships for professional level immigrants)

Also presented was the Mentor of the Year Award, given to the individual business person nominated by an intern for providing outstanding workplace coaching plus exceptional internship experiences. The winner was Catherine Klunder, a manager of on-line services at CIBC.

This year's event included a new achievement award - The 200 Club - for employers that have hosted a total of 200 or more interns through the Career Edge Organization. The inaugural members of the Career Edge Organization 200 Club are:

Alcan
Bell Canada
CIBC
GE Canada
Nortel Networks
RBC Financial Group
TD Bank Financial Group

"Since 1996, these seven organizations are together responsible for more than 1,800 paid internships across Canada," said Lucille Joseph, president and CEO of the Career Edge Organization.

Career Edge is a national, not-for-profit organization founded by private sector employers in 1996. It operates three paid internship programs:
Career Edge, for recent graduates; Ability Edge, for graduates with disabilities; and Career Bridge, for professional-level immigrants. The organization has worked with nearly 1,000 employers to create more
than 6,000 internships across Canada.

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For more information, contact:

John P. Mason, Director, Marketing & Communications
Career Edge Organization
Ph: 416-977-EDGE (3343) ext. 251
e-mail: jmason@careeredge.ca
www.careeredge.ca

Career Edge Organization
www.careeredge.ca
144 Front St. W., Suite 310
Toronto, ON M5J 2L7
Ph: (416) 977-EDGE
Fax: (416) 977-4090

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