Is There an Upbeat Future for the Youth of Canada?

In 2012, Statistics Canada conducted a study, which concluded that historically, youth unemployment has consistently been double the national average. In their report they outlined the fact that the discrepancy in the unemployment rate in the two age groups was actually widening. That year, youth unemployment was at an astonishing rate of 14.3% while the national average was 6%. This bears the question if this discrepancy in employment rates is caused by something other then economic forces? This phenomenon can partially be explained by our depressed global economic state, but I also feel that there are other forces that have made an impact on the jobs market for the youth of today. This brings me to the idea that the youth of today are ultimately troubled and are hopeless in combatting these widespread issues.

Comparison of Level of Unemployment for Different Age Groups in Canada (1977-2012)

In the 21^st century, the Canadian jobs market has become a much more competitive place then what it used to be. Despite the efforts of many, the new economic reality has ultimately left the youth of Canada helpless in combatting these issues. Employers are demanding a higher level of education and knowledge in the workplace, which is forcing many to go back to school and receive more degrees in order to be able to qualify for a decent job. This trend can be clearly seen in the recently published report by the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada where they noted that full-time university enrolment in undergraduate and graduate programs are at an all-time high.

Graph Displaying Full-Time University Enrolment in Canada

This trend can also be seen in my own family. The situation that my cousin David has found himself in resembles that of many Canadian youth. After finishing high school, my cousin went to McGill to complete a bachelor’s degree in the field of social work. His dream was to one-day work in a place such as Portage or Batshaw, where he would be able to help many troubled kids in the Montreal area. After applying to many of these places, he was able to finally get a job at Portage. After working there for over two years, he quickly realized that there were no promotions or higher-level positions that he could fulfill with his current degree. This ultimately pushed him to go back to get his masters degree as even though he enjoyed his previous job, it was not one that paid well and was ultimately unstable with crazy hours and long shifts. Currently he is completing his masters and is already looking for a job. Despite the fact that my cousin might seem like the exception, he is in reality the norm and his situation mirrors that of many youth in Canada.

My Cousin David (Right) and I (Left) at a Football Game

To further examine this trend, I made it a point to examine the view, which employers have taken on the topic of hiring today. My father is the President of a company called Omnitrans.

The Logo and Slogan of Omnitrans

One of his many duties as the President is to hire quality people to fill positions 

within the company. I discussed this topic with him and he brought up some interesting points. Besides things like experience, my dad looks for the university that he or she graduated from and whether or not they possess a graduate’s degree as he strongly feels that education is an important factor. He explained to me his thoughts on education in the 21^st century: “What a high school degree was in the 1970’s is the equivalent of an undergraduate degree today.” Not only does my dad recognize the importance of education when hiring someone, but he also brought up the topic of outsourcing and how that has drastically altered the landscape for the job market. Over twenty jobs have been outsourced to India and the Philippines for my dads company as it is much cheaper, which he thinks could be an attributable factor to why many youth cannot get a job today. I strongly feel that my dad provided some great insight on this topic and his comments are relevant due to his active engagement in the Canadian job market.

A Picture of my Dad (Right) and I (Left)

In conclusion, it is evident that the youth of today are facing many challenges and headwinds when it comes to finding stable employment. The job market has ultimately evolved into a much more competitive environment. Companies are demanding a higher level of education from their employees and are now outsourcing many jobs to foreign countries, which has ultimately left the youth of Canada helpless and struggling to find footing in this difficult environment. I expect to see this trend of a difficult economic environment for youth to continue and I strongly believe that there is no near-term catalyst that can correct this issue. Despite the fact that I feel that the youth of today possess a unique aspect, I still remain pessimistic on the future of the youth of Canada due to the challenging economic environment.