Calgary unemployment rate leaves student afraid for future
Posted Mar 22, 2023 12:03 pm.
Last Updated Mar 22, 2023 12:05 pm.
A Calgary post-secondary student says he’s worried about his future amid the city’s high unemployment rate and a lack of full-time jobs.
This comes after Calgary reported one of the highest unemployment rates among cities in Canada at 6.7 per cent, according to Statistics Canada.
Travis Neil, a 19-year-old Calgary native, is currently enrolled in the broadcasting news program at the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT). Even though he loves what he’s learning, the lack of jobs has him questioning if the broadcast industry is sustainable.
“If I can’t get a job I want in Calgary, I’ve thought of going back into retail or restaurants, which is something I don’t want to do,” Neil said.
“But if it’s my only option, I’ll do what’s necessary.”
Neil says if the city doesn’t create more jobs, post-secondary students like himself will be forced to move elsewhere to find more opportunities.
“I’ve lived here my whole life, so moving from Calgary is a big step for me,” he said. “But if I have to, I will.”
“[The City of Calgary] could definitely do a better job showcasing jobs, creating more jobs … Calgary has a lot of improving to do, they’re just not creating these jobs to do so,” he added.
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As he nears the end of his schooling, Neil says finding a job in the city is increasingly becoming a worrying task.
“I put so much money into my schooling,” Neil said. “Just knowing that there’s a chance I don’t get a job after all this time is definitely scary.”
Tara Huxley, community and program services coordinator with the City of Calgary, says the Youth Employment Centre is available to post-graduates with concerns for the future.
“Whether you’re looking for a first job, the next job, or part-time work, it will help students find the jobs they’re looking for,” she said of the centre a statement.
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She also points out the annual Youth Hiring Fair is coming up on April 6 at the Big Four building on the Calgary Stampede grounds to help connect people with potential jobs.
According to the Calgary Real Estate Board, there were fewer full-time jobs in the city in February than at the start of the year.
Meanwhile, Statistics Canada says Alberta’s unemployment rate also dropped slightly in February, from 6 per cent to 5.8 per cent.
-With files from Alejandro Melgar
