In 2025, young Canadians experienced unemployment rates not seen since the Great Recession. A survey from Statistics Canada reported that, excluding the COVID-19 pandemic, the “unemployment rate for returning students [aged 15 and older] was 17.9 per cent on average between May and August — the highest rate since the summer of 2009 (when it was 18.0 per cent).” These figures are more than just numbers on a chart; ask almost any McGill student about employment prospects, and their response is likely a mix of frustration and uncertainty. As LinkedIn browsing becomes a full-time occupation for Gen Z job seekers, many are asking where the jobs are. This leads one to wonder: what does McGill University currently do, and what could it do better, to help its students and alumni navigate today’s fraught labour market?
Described by CBC as the “perfect storm,” Canada’s current economic instability was a long time coming, partly due to the ongoing trade war with the United States. As the Governor of the Bank of Canada acknowledged last June, US President Donald Trump’s erratic threats and tariffs on Canada have “stalled momentum” in the labour market. When combined with post-pandemic inflation and a growing population outpacing job availability, continued economic instability has led six in ten Canadians to believe the economy will only deteriorate further in 2026.
Furthermore, as in most other sectors of society, artificial intelligence (AI) is beginning to transform the Canadian economy and youth employment prospects. In a recent survey of Canadian companies, 23 per cent reported plans to reduce their employee count in 2026 due to increased reliance on AI. The jobs currently threatened by AI are highly repetitive, entry-level positions that often allow young workers to get a foothold in their respective fields.
Commenting on the Carney government’s recent efforts to alleviate youth unemployment, the vice-president of Scotiabank Economics said, “they’re going to have to go deeper in terms of how the education and the university systems [are] equipping younger
Canadians to enter and stay in the workforce.” When it comes to McGill, Career & Planning Services is responsible for equipping students for the workforce. CaPS provides a range of resources, including “career counselling and advising, skills development workshops, experiential learning and career exploration programs, mentoring, and career and networking events.”
Student reviews of CaPS are mixed. While some may find value in the services CaPS offers, others find their instruction to be rudimentary and largely unhelpful. Many students report being redirected towards LinkedIn and Indeed after seeking career guidance from CaPS. “I went to one of their events, and I did a one-on-one consultation,” says one third-year undergraduate. “Most of the information shared at both was nothing beyond basic information that I already knew or could find very easily with a Google search or TikTok.” Additionally, the limit on post-graduation access to CaPS is currently restricted to one year for most services, including “access to search jobs, book appointments, and attend career events” through McGill’s MyFuture portal. For many, a year simply isn’t enough time to find a job anymore.
Amid ongoing concerns over youth unemployment, McGill must reform the quality of CaPS’ assistance. CaPS needs to improve its accessibility and provide greater personalization in guiding students through an ever-evolving economic landscape. In a job market where it’s more about who you know than what, CaPS must also do more to directly facilitate connections between students and prospective employers. With our futures on the line, our generation needs all the guidance we can get.