Career and Job Search Help Blog

The first day of Summer is June 21^st; but in reality, many young adults and recent graduates started their jobsearch months ago. The rate of unemployment for Ontarians between the ages of 15 and 24 is between 16 and 17 per cent (18 per cent in Toronto). Those numbers are double the overall provincial unemployment rate, and higher than the national rate, which is between 13.5 and 14.5 per cent, according to a report released in September 2013 by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives entitled The Young and the Jobless.

TPL's e-magazines/e-journals database, Canadian Business and Current Affairs, has many current articles on the dire state of youth unemployment in Canada and the initiatives that have been developed to help youth obtain meaningful employment. "Young, Jobless and Getting Organized" published in Our Times and 'Labour Woes' published in Novae Res Urbis: City of Toronto Edition are two such examples. You can find these and other relevant articles describing new initiatives by using the search words 'unemployment and young adults Canada' in CBCA.

The Ontario government's initiative, Starter Company, offers mentoring and funding to young people who wish to start up their own small business. Have a look at these other initiatives.

Internships may also be another way to go. Apply for internships just as you would any job, meaning, compose a customized, error-free cover letter consisting of why you'd like to intern, what you like about that company and what you can contribute. Here are a couple of internship sources:

Campus Access - for students and new grads, this directory features a comprehensive directory of internship programs in eight different categories.

Charity Village - dedicated entirely to Canadian non-profit organizations. Listings are current and easy to navigate/search.

 Federal Student Work Experience Program (FSWEP) - Paid internships with the federal government.

All of these sources will offer you opportunities to gain practical experience, explore different/related careers and enrich your and others' lives.