Youth unemployment on the rise in B.C.: Statistics Canada
CBC
Cassandra Ogalino, a second-year political science student at the University of British Columbia, has been searching for work since last summer.
Despite sending out over 120 job applications online, Ogalino says she has yet to secure a permanent position.
"I felt like I really wasn't getting anywhere, and I just didn't know what was wrong with my resumé," she said. "I think I got called in for interviews probably two or three times."
Though she landed a seasonal job at the Pacific National Exhibition as a lottery vendor, it lasted only a few weeks.
The undergrad student says the lack of a stable income has forced her to move back in with her family.
Ogalino's experience highlights a growing challenge for many young British Columbians, as recent data reveals an increase in the province's youth unemployment rate.
According to Statistics Canada's Labour Force Survey for December 2024, released last week, the unemployment rate for individuals aged 15 to 24 rose to 12.9 percent in December, marking a 4.5 percent increase compared to the same period in 2023.
Pippa O'Brien, a Statistics Canada analyst and economist, says the uptick is part of a broader trend.
"There's been an upward trend that we've been seeing since January of 2024, so really, over the last year, youth unemployment in B.C. has been steadily increasing from January until August, and since then, it's been pretty flat," she said.
Across Canada, youth employment increased by 39,000 in full-time positions and 34,000 in part-time roles over the past year.
"But when you look at the situation in B.C., the story changes," O'Brien explained.
Data reveals that B.C. saw a decline of 25,000 full-time youth jobs between December 2023 and December 2024, while the number of part-time positions grew by 32,000.
O'Brien says that's partly because many young people prefer part-time work while balancing school.
"The majority of youth who are unemployed right now were previously in school and are now looking for a job."
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