(April 30 – 15:10 ET) – Franklin Templeton Investments Corp. has been recognized as one of the top Canadian employers of youth by the Conference Board of Canada. The company received an Outstanding Business and Education Award for its efforts to attract, develop and retain young employees at The Conference Board’s Partners 2001 – Linking Education and the Local Economy Symposium and Showcase, held in Winnipeg on the weekend.

“Franklin Templeton Investments is committed to providing employment opportunities and a structured career path for young employees,” said Don Reed, president and CEO, Franklin Templeton Investments Corp. “These efforts form the foundation for our organization’s future success. We are extremely proud to receive this award from the Conference Board of Canada.”

Canada’s Top Employers of Youth Awards, sponsored by the Federal- Provincial-Territorial Forum of Labour Market Ministers and part of the Conference Board of Canada’s Outstanding Business and Education Awards, recognizes employers who hire youth into full-time, permanent jobs with training and career development opportunities.

Franklin Templeton is being recognized for its extensive hiring and development programs designed to provide employment opportunities and skills development for career-minded youth. One example is its co-operative education program run in conjunction with Centennial College, through which co-op students are able to gain hands-on experience at Franklin Templeton.

“Almost 70% of the co-op students we employed last year have become full-time employees of the company,” said Reed. “We benefit from the enthusiasm and skills of some of the top young students in the country, and they gain critical experience that enhances their future employability. It is a win-win program.”