Summer jobs still scarce for students: Canadian Federation of Students

Federal government should provide more incentives for employers to hire students

High unemployment continues to be a major obstacle for students this summer. The unemployment rate of 17.4 per cent in July for students aged 15 to 24 remained nearly unchanged from July 2010, according to Statistics Canada. This is more than double the national average for July of 7.2 per cent.

"We are reaching the end of the summer and many students have still not found work," said Roxanne Dubois, national chairperson of the Canadian Federation of Students (CFS). "Students who have been unlucky in their job hunt this summer will face difficult choices this September given record-high tuition fees."

The situation is even worse for younger students aged 17 to 19 who are facing an unemployment rate of 17.6 per cent.

"Younger students, who are just starting their studies, are facing very grim employment prospects and a precarious financial situation," said Dubois. "Despite some minor gains in the job market since the recession, student unemployment remains too high.”

As a solution, the federal government should provide increased student employment support which would include incentives for employers to hire students, CFS said.

Employing students in the summer is valuable in helping them develop skills for future jobs, said CFS.

Youth have historically faced higher-than-average unemployment levels, with the rate reaching 19.2 per cent in the summer of 2009, the second-highest on record, according to Statistics Canada.

Latest stories