The sunshine that didn't come after the storm: Youth unemployment

I remember being in my late years of elementary schools, teachers kept repeating us that we were the lucky generation, with plenty of opportunities regarding careers ahead of us. They kept saying that since baby-boomers were to retire as we were going to enter the labour market, a bunch of positions would then be available for us. Growing up now as a university graduate pursuing my studies in law, from what I keep hearing recently, I can say that these prospections have only served to deceive me.

Even though I don’t position myself as being on the student associations’ side concerning the rising tuition in Quebec, I think it’s primordial that we stress the realities of the job market that awaits young students like me. I think it’s a grim portrait that has not been painted enough by the student association and could be a convincing argument for their cause since the government barely made a move on this problem.

Since the economic slump of 2008-09 age groups beside the youth, which is defined in the 15 to 24 year of age range, have recovered from the approximate 430 000 jobs losses.  The employment in the youth age group, on the other hand, is still 250 000 jobs short of the pre-recession level. On top of that, the Canadian youth is facing unique challenge, even though their generation is known as the one suffering the most during recessions. The range of people aged 60 or older actually gained 100 000 jobs while all other age groups actually lost jobs. Apart from facing competition from their own age cohort, young people also have to compete with people older than they are that have been dismissed during the recession.  The OAS reforms proposed by the Conservatives will mean even more people will stay in the jobs market later.

When a young person does find a job, all there seems to be available to them is contracts, much often without benefits. So instead of having a normal life, where one usually settles down, buys property and thinks about having a family, youths are traveling from one contract to another and lose hope towards stability. This not only hurts the youth itself but the economy in general since the youth has not been empowered with a higher buying privilege.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not trying to start a generation war like many editorialists seem to do every weeks. But the fact is that less jobs are available for young people while our generation will probably be the one paying the most taxes to afford a sustainable health care for everybody. I find it sad and angering how we have been a forgotten generation since we will be the backbone of living standards for older Canadians.

Some people say that going back to school even after completing your bachelor’s degree will certainly help you in finding a job. But as I’m going into my first year of law school this year, more and more studies seem to point out in a shortage of articling position for law graduates and difficulties in finding a job in the traditional practice of law. But school is obviously not for everyone and if every youth would decide to go to university, our world would collapse in chaos. The Globe and Mail recently reported an increase in NEET, neither in education , employment or training, which proves that more and more people are totally disconnected from the labour market and more and more people might be socially isolated.

It’s time to claim to our government more action towards stimulating initiative for young people. Not only will it serve our generation but the older ones too, as we represent the possibility of a bright future for our country.

Cornertalk.org, February 22nd 2012