Alberta has a problem that might come as a surprise: youth unemployment. Despite its reputation as a beacon of opportunity in Canada, the province has seen around 14 per cent of young people from ages 15 to 24 struggle to find work. That’s among the highest such statistic in the country.
Part of the problem is a growing lack of work experience, says Stefan Rutkowski, president and CEO of CAREERS: The Next Generation.
“A lot of youth go through high school now with less work experience than they did in the past,” he says. “They don’t work part-time jobs as much or at all anymore, so they’re missing out on foundational skills training. It’s important to engage youth early.”
That’s where CAREERS comes in. The non-profit organization started in 1997 in Fort McMurray. Executives at Syncrude noticed a rise in the number of retirement-age workers and knew they had to foster the next generation of employees. So, they launched an apprenticeship program for high school students to earn money and gain experience in the field.
“The trades were at the core, but we have branched out into other industrial sectors,” Rutkowski adds. “Agriculture is the second largest. We are in health, forestry, environment, and information and communication technologies. We started in aviation and manufacturing, too.”
The concept is simple: a student from any partnering school (which is nearly every Alberta high school) can apply on the organization’s website. A representative contacts them to find out about the student’s interests and experience, and the school helps the student complete an application. CAREERS then finds an employer that has already been vetted by the program and shares the student’s resumé for potential interviews.
It’s a win for young workers, but participating employers stand to gain, too. The young people learn about the expectations industry has of its future workforce. “And employers have a hand in developing the skills that industry will need in the future,” Rutkowski says.
A perk of the program has recently emerged, courtesy of the Alberta government. Employers are eligible for the Alberta Youth Incentive Program, which offers funding for companies hiring young people from age 15 to 24. The program can cover a significant portion of the employees’ wages.
For CAREERS, paying youth for their internships is a major part of the program.
“We believe it’s important that youth are seen as valuable intern employees, and we want to make sure the young people understand that they’re getting paid, so they need to show up and do valuable work,” Rutkowski says.
And the employer? “As soon as you pay someone, you give them more meaningful work.”
Over the last five years, the organization has grown the number of internships it has facilitated. Last year, it connected nearly 900 students with jobs. As artificial intelligence contributes to an uncertain job market and the cost of living continues to rise, more young people are turning to the trades and technology.
For those established in their fields, it can be hard to remember the challenge of choosing a path at 16 or 17 years old. CAREERS helps young people explore burgeoning interests through student jobs before they commit to a career.
“We want to help them understand there’s a bunch of different career pathways that they can explore or embark on at that age,” Rutkowski says. “The CAREERS program might help them figure out what they want to do.”
To find out more, or apply, visit careersnextgen.ca.
