Calgary post-secondary students face tight job market heading into new school year

As post-secondary students in Calgary head back to class, those hoping to land part-time jobs face stiff competition and a tight market. 

The University of Calgary Students' Union says they're hearing from a growing number of students under financial strain who are looking to work while they study.

"It's been harder and harder to make ends meet as a student, especially if you're a vulnerable student," said the union's president Ermia Rezaei-Afsah.

"With this job market currently, students often have to settle, if they even find anything." 

The unemployment rate for youth 15 to 24 in Alberta hit 14.3 per cent in July, up 1.5 per cent from a year ago, according to the provincial government.

The employment rate for returning students in the province reached 37.5 in April, down from 38.2 per cent last year, according to Statistics Canada data.

Rezaei-Afsah said he initially struggled to find work opportunities as a student, before landing on his feet with the students' union. 

"I was facing food insecurity myself … I was working odd jobs, whatever I could land. It was tough," he said.

"And this was early on. This is in 2022. I can't imagine how bad it is now." 

Rezaei-Afsah also said tuition and housing costs pile onto the other financial pressures students face. 

Tuition for domestic undergraduate students at the University of Calgary is increasing by two per cent for the 2024-25 academic year. Tuition for undergraduate international students is also going up by six per cent. 

Student services sees strong demand, offers help

Demand for career supports at the University of Calgary is also on the rise, according to Carllie Necker, the manager of career and life design with the University of Calgary's student services. 

"We are meeting the demands right now. But you know, September could be another thing altogether," said Necker. 

"We know that it can be discouraging for students, but we are really supporting them to say that persistence really can pay off." 

Necker said University of Calgary students can access resume support, mock interview practice, guidance on how to communicate with employers and drop-in career advising through student services.

She's also encouraging students to consider applying for jobs in a broader range of sectors or industries.  

The same pressures are being felt at Mount Royal University, according to the university's students' association. 

"A lot of our students are skipping meals because they are not able to make ends meet with their regular funding sources," said the association president Tala Abu Hayyaneh.

"Students are concerned about their financial stability and jobs create a big part of that."

The Mount Royal Students' Association and the University of Calgary Students' Union are asking the provincial government to bring back the Summer Temporary Employment Program to help get more students into the job market. 

The program, which stopped receiving funding after the 2019 season, incentivized employers to hire students. 

CBC News reached out to the provincial government to ask if it was considering bringing the program back. 

In a statement, the Ministry of Jobs, Economy and Trade said it provides grants, scholarships, student loans and other supports to potential young workers. 

The ministry also said it funds other employment programs, including one called CAREERS: The Next Generation, which connects students with apprenticeship positions.