Employers everywhere should reevaluate their job requirements and expand their recruitment funnels to capture skilled young talent.

It is becoming more difficult for young Canadians across the country to land a job in their field. Many do not have the opportunity to develop the hard and soft skills that employers require from new candidates. 

Take a look at any job descriptions across any hiring platform, you’ll see that many reputable organizations require at least two to three years of experience for starter positions.

Young people are stuck in the cycle of being unable to find jobs because of their lack of experience, which they then cannot gain because of high experience requirements to land jobs. 

Long-time barriers have been worsened by the pandemic

While this problem has been around for a long time, it has only worsened since the pandemic.  During periods of crisis and economic hardship, youth development is often overlooked.

We’ve seen this across the Canadian workforce, in response to lost business due to COVID-19 early talent opportunities for young people and women were cut.

In addition to the pandemic affected economy, young people have to navigate obstacles such as harmful stereotypes, cultural divides, and lack of networking opportunities. As a result, many are removed even further from opportunities to build the relevant skillsets required to break into any field. 

The effects of limited opportunities can weaken the Canadian economy

The effects of unemployment on young Canadians are long-lasting. If barriers to employment are not considered, it can lead to detrimental outcomes for our country’s future. 

According to MercyCops, young people with a history of unemployment are more likely to face a lack of job development opportunities and slower financial growth. 

Businesses should take the time to reassess what they require for entry-level positions, as well as consider how non-traditional experiences and real-life circumstances create fundamentals values; such as resiliency, creativity and quality communication. 

Employers can also actively create opportunities for engagement; such as paid internships and diversifying their hiring funnels. This will address the root of the systemic barriers causing unemployment among young people. It is important to remember that an investment in these endeavours is an investment in the future of Canada’s economy. 

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