WHAT STUDENTS NEED TO KNOW
“Canada’s postsecondary sector is caught between two worlds. On the one hand, youth unemployment hovers near 14 per cent, the highest in more than a decade outside the pandemic. On the other, Canada is facing chronic labour shortages in health care, STEM and skilled trades.. The system produces too many degrees in lower-demand disciplines and too few in fields where growth and public returns are highest.”
Read the full article 👉 What is the value of higher education in Canada December 2025, the Globe and Mail
Students are not powerless in the changing environment. Students can and must take ownership to flourish in the fast changing environment. Hacking College challenges the long-standing assumption that a student’s major is the key determinant of future success. Laff and Carlson argue that the traditional structure of higher education — which prioritizes majors and narrowly defined curricula — often leads students to earn “empty degrees” that are disconnected from meaningful work and employer expectations. The authors call for a shift in how students approach college: from passively completing degree requirements to actively designing a personalized educational pathway.
They introduce the Field of Study concept, a framework that encourages students to focus on a real-world, multidisciplinary wicked problem. Rather than fixating on a single major, students should explore knowledge across departments, pursue experiential learning, and build social capital through networking, internships, mentorship, and conversations with faculty and professionals.
Learn more 👉 Hacking College: Why the Major Doesn't Matter—and What Really Does 2025
This piece looks at why work-integrated learning is the most effective way for students to enter the workforce
Learn more 👉 Fastest Path from School to a Career
The government of Canada is committed to helping Canadian post-secondary students gain valuable work experiences. This resource lists 8 WIL programs designed to target various industries and how to apply.
Learn more 👉 Work-Integrated Learning Initiatives - Government of Canada
Do you know about the government funded programs like Riipen and Wavemakers that offer online internships?
How to apply 👉 Government Funded Online Internship Programs
CanWorks is building a young-Canadian-focused job hub by partnering with a group of talented students from the University of Toronto.
Our goal is to provide young Canadians with an easy-to-use platform to access curated, relevant, and hard-to-find opportunities.
Stay tuned for our monthly update in February!
Many skilled trades have some of the highest job openings in Canada with many of these roles pay between $65,000 and $170,000 a year. Check out the 7 roles with most openings in Ontario. There is more than one path from school to career.
Learn more 👉 Skilled Trades Pay Scale - December 2025
WHAT STUDENTS CAN INFLUENCE
Learn More 👉 Future of Work Challenges
Entry-level opportunities are shrinking. Since early 2024, vacancies requiring a degree and under three years’ experience have dropped over 50%, including roles in business, policy, software, and data science. There is a urgent need for timely, occupation-level labour market information so students can make informed education and career decisions.
Read the full article 👉 Timely, up to date, accessible labour market information October, 2025, LMIC
As of June 2025, Canada had 492,000 vacant jobs, many attributable to a mismatch between skills supplied and those required by employers. Highlighted skill shortages include: engineering, higher-skill goods production, and related technical occupations, as well as complementary skills (e.g., digital literacy, teamwork, communication, problem solving, etc).
Read the full article 👉 Major job vacancies tied to skills imbalances October 2025, Future Skills Centre
Insights into how hands-on projects bridge the skills gap between university theory and employer needs, specifically within the Canadian context.
Learn more 👉 The Value of Work-Integrated Learning and Still Worth It? Re-examining The Economic Returns to WIL
Germany’s high employment rate for recent graduates stands out among top economies.
Germany’s dual education system offers learners a combination of class- based and on-the job training.
Learn more 👉 High Employment Rate for Recent Graduates in Germany, Germany’s Dual Education System
Van Ton-Quinlivan details a collection of workforce development strategies reimagined for the private, public, education, and nonprofit sectors that were proven impactful in California. Van proposes building the foundation of workforce development as “a three-legged stool of collaboration among employers, community organizations, and education providers, with each entity doing what it does best”.
In many developed countries such as Germany, skilled trade training is highly prized and those with skilled trade training can easily pivot to universities. In Canada and the US, skilled trade training is sometimes stigmatized as an option for “less capable” students.
Learn more 👉 Skilled Trades vs Universities
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