'It's been really difficult': Young Calgarians grapple with increasingly competitive job market

Wrapped in a blanket to shield herself from the cold, Randi Tew stood in line for over an hour on Thursday outside of the Big Four building at the Stampede grounds.

Not for a concert — but for a job.

"It's been really difficult. No one's hiring," said Tew, a Grade 12 student who's about to head into a gap year.

"Being able to support myself, to feel financially stable, to feel like I'm able to protect myself … that's pretty important for me."

Tew was one of thousands of young Calgarians holding out hope that the city's annual youth hiring fair would finally be their chance to find work in an increasingly competitive job market.

The event, now in its 26th year, aims to connect 15- to 24-year-olds with 80 employers to fill labour gaps, and give teenagers and young adults the work experience they need to grow their careers.

Ary Ki-Michaels, 18, is looking for a second job to save for university and avoid dipping into student loans.

For them, the job fair is an opportunity to make a good first impression beyond a resume.

"It's really hard with resumes, because it's a little dehumanizing in a way," said Michaels. "[You're] kind of putting your entire self on that piece of paper. It's just really hard to sell yourself sometimes."

Population growth, high retention

Tara Huxley, team lead with the city's Youth Employment Centre, said the hiring fair comes at an especially difficult time for Calgary youth.

"For February, for example, youth unemployment in Calgary and area was at 14 per cent and it was at 6.3 per cent for adults," said Huxley. "So we are seeing a competitive job market. It's a little more challenging for young people to find employment."

Huxley said Calgary's booming population is leading to a more saturated market, and the centre has been hearing from employers that staff retention is up — a positive sign for businesses, but not so much for job seekers.

She added it's too early to tell what the potential impact of a trade war with the U.S. will be on employment, although the centre is closely monitoring the situation.

For now, Huxley wants employers to know there are many benefits to hiring Gen Zs.

"They are really loyal to employers…. They're incredibly tech-savvy and yet this generation really loves in-person connections. They are also aware of diversity — they want to be in a team that offers that," Huxley said.

"This is a really exciting generation coming up in the workforce and looking for work."

Huxley said she also wants discouraged youths to know it isn't their fault if they aren't getting calls back, and that there are ways the centre can help them.