It’s Back to School! But What Will Students Do After School? 

Every September, Canada makes a generational investment in its future.  

Over the coming weeks, millions of students will return to classrooms, colleges and universities with the expectation that education will prepare them for successful careers. For decades, that promise has largely held true: build your skills, gain experience and the labour market will reward you.  

But for the next generation entering Canada’s workforce, that first step on the career ladder is becoming more complicated.  

Young Canadians are entering a labour market shaped by several forces at once. Economic growth has been weak, hiring has slowed and AI is changing some of the work traditionally performed by junior employees. Employers are demanding new skills, while experienced Canadians are working longer.  

None of these forces alone signals a crisis. Together, however, they raise an important question for Canadian business:  

Are the pathways that turn today’s students into tomorrow’s experienced workers becoming harder to navigate?