WELLINGTON COUNTY – Statistics Canada released a harrowing report for the month of July, suggesting a grim picture for Canada’s youth in today’s job market.
The Aug. 8 report stated employment fell by 41,000 jobs in July, and that decline is concentrated among youth aged 15 to 24.
According to the report, “Employment among core-aged (25 to 54 years old) people as well as among those aged 55 and older was little changed.”
The employment rate declined by less than one per cent to 60.7%, and remains unchanged at 6.9%.
And though the report encompasses all of Canada, local youth are feeling the pressure.
“This is big, this is very big,” said Second Chance Employment Counselling Wellington executive director Chris Baginski-Hansen.
“Youth are the ones who get hit twice as hard.”
The youth unemployment rate in Canada edged up to 14.6% last month, the highest rate since 2010, excluding the pandemic years. Young men were affected slightly more than young women — 16.2% and 12.8% respectively.
Second Chance Employment Counselling Wellington program manager Michelle Dally said part of the issue lies with the rise of AI, the loss of socialization due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the internet.
“With AI, a lot of the entry-level jobs aren’t maybe as in demand as they used to be. So where you would have started – those jobs have decreased,” said Dally.
“And that could be, you know, automated self-checkouts, it could be in retail, where there are not as many of those front-line, entry-level jobs that we used to see.
“The other thing that we find as well is … the use of the internet,” Dally continued.
“So, everyone, particularly youth, because of the technology … we’re really missing that personal connection, and we often find in smaller communities it really can be who you know or getting out there and building those relationships.”
Some youth are turning to entrepreneurial roles for employment.
“You can’t even get a job at a fast-food restaurant anymore,” said Desi Vanleeuwen, co-owner of Bob’s Backyard Liquidation in Arthur.
“I have so many friends who looked for months before finding anything.”
Though youth aren’t the only ones struggling to find employment, Dally warns that if the trend continues, it could have a lasting impact on youth and employers.
“Particularly youth are only going to be thinking about themselves in terms of, you know, what’s wrong with me? Why can’t I get something right?” said Dally.
“I think definitely there’s that impact of mental health, and the longer that you’re out of work, it can be challenging to sell yourself to an employer because they’re questioning when they’re looking at a resume,” she added.
“And it’s definitely going to impact employers’ long-term, because if they’re not working now and building those skills once the current workers leave or retire, we’re not going to have the same volume of people coming in to fill those positions.”
