It seems […] that we’re heading into another summer that’s going to be tough job-wise
says Nicole Schmidt, president of the University of Calgary Students’ Union.
Same story with the acting director of the University of Alberta’s career center, Blessie Mathew.
According to her, finding a job may still be difficult this summer, despite the fact that the center she runs is currently receiving job offers whose number is comparable to that of the pre-pandemic period. .
The situation may seem paradoxical insofar as Alberta has reached its lowest unemployment rate in two years, according to Statistics Canada, and at a time when there is talk of a labor shortage in several sectors of activity. .
Claimed jobs program for students
Nicole Schmidt considers the non-existence of a student employment program as one of the factors behind this situation, in addition to the lingering effects of the pandemic.
The union she leads has called for a new scheme to help students find jobs, but her call is unfortunately fell on deaf ears
she explains.
Alberta had a Summer Temporary Employment Program (STEP) through which municipalities, small businesses and non-profit organizations received grants to hire students during the summer, between May and August.
Since 2019, this device has been abolished by the provincial government, which then justified its decision by saying that the funds mobilized for the STEP were not effectively managed.
The province recently announced the Alberta Works program (Alberta at Workin English), which plans to invest $600 million over the next three years in retraining the workforce.
In Nicole Schmidt’s opinion, this project is not likely to have the same lasting impact as a program specifically aimed at student employability. Especially since seasonal jobs subsidized by the public authorities very often turn into permanent jobs after graduation.
So, for both students and employers, it is a very beneficial route to long-term employment and [un] benefit for the economy
she decides.
The elimination of the Summer Temporary Employment Program (STEP) by the Alberta government in 2019 is cited as one of the causes of students’ difficulties in finding seasonal employment. (Archives)
Photo: David Bell/Radio-Canada (left) / University of Alberta (right)
Mismatch with student expectations
The other reason cited by Blessie Mathew is that some available positions do not pay students enough to cover their living and other expenses, or they simply do not match their career aspirations.
” The ideal situation is that a student can earn a living, save for school [et] settle some of their debts while gaining experience in their field of study. »
She adds along the same lines that on the student job board at the University of Alberta, no distinction is made between offers that require a high school diploma and those requiring a qualification in a field. more specialized.
With information from Bryan Labby and Helen Pike
Reference-ici.radio-canada.ca