Empowering Canada’s Emerging Workforce: Career Development Strategies for Youth and Early Career Seekers

Supporting young people in their career journey isn’t just about finding jobs—it’s about building hope, purpose, and community strength for the future. - Brandyn Knight

Across Ontario and the rest of Canada, thousands of young people are preparing to enter the workforce—some for the first time, others after retraining, relocating, or reassessing their goals in a post-pandemic world. But as they step forward, they face a rapidly changing labour market with both visible and hidden barriers. As Career Development Professionals (CDPs), educators, employers, and community advocates, we must adapt how we support them—because their success is tied to the health of our communities and economies.

The Landscape: Shifting Realities Facing Young Job Seekers in Canada

Today’s youth and early career workers are navigating a labour market that’s more complex than ever:

• Slowing job growth across multiple sectors, including retail, hospitality, and even entry-level professional roles

• Increased competition from experienced workers re-entering the workforce due to layoffs or career pivots

• Rising cost of living and limited housing affordability across both urban and rural communities

• Technological disruption, such as automation and AI, influencing hiring practices and changing skill demands

• Changing expectations around credentials, soft skills, and “job readiness” from employers

  
  

Recent data from CERIC, Statistics Canada, and provincial labour market reports highlight that nearly half of job seekers—including youth—are prioritizing short-term or survival employment just to manage rising living expenses. This can leave them underemployed or disconnected from long-term, meaningful career pathways.

A Call to Action: Reimagining Youth Career Development in Canada:

While the challenges are significant, so too is the opportunity to innovate, collaborate, and uplift.

We can better support the emerging workforce by:

• Fostering career self-awareness through accessible tools, assessments, and reflective conversations

• Expanding access to career services in schools, community organizations, and digital platforms

• Bridging the gap between education and employment with mentorships, job trials, co-op placements, and applied learning

• Creating inclusive, equity-focused career pathways tailored to the diverse needs of Indigenous, rural, immigrant, LGBTQ+, and neurodiverse youth

• Promoting partnerships between employers and local service providers to ensure smoother transitions into meaningful work

  
  

Why It Matters: More Than a Job Market Issue:

This is more than an economic trend—it’s a social responsibility and a community-wide opportunity.

By investing in early-stage career development:

• We build resilience and hope in the next generation of workers

• We reduce long-term underemployment and economic disparity

• We equip young people with the confidence to navigate complexity and change

• We strengthen local economies and community well-being for the future

  
  

Let’s Build a Future-Ready Workforce—Together:

Whether you're a Career Development Professional, employer, educator, or community leader, the role you play in supporting youth matters now more than ever.

Let’s continue building collaborative, creative, and compassionate systems that honour both the potential and the real-world needs of young job seekers.

Brandyn Knight (He/Him/His

Career Development Professional | Community Connector founder, Orillia Career Network advocate for Youth & Community-Driven Career Supports.

Certified Career Coach & Navigator

Professional Member - Career Professionals of Canada (CPC) | Certified Peer Support Specialist (CPSS, Provisionary)

brandyn.knight@outlook.com