When the pandemic hit, schools were closed, and young people’s lives were put on hold. How or when will they finish their college or university? How will high school students transfer to their first year of university? A survey on a 100,000 students by Statistics Canada showed that one of the largest impacts of the pandemic on students is whether they can keep their career goals. Online classes, exams, new tools, reducing fees and more became solutions. But school was one part of the problem but getting a job was another:

58% said they were very or extremely concerned about losing their job prospects in the future and 67% said they worry they won’t be able to find a job in the near future. – Global new According to the United Nations young people were playing a key role in the management of this pandemic and the recovery following the outbreak.

Young innovators are already responding to the virus through social impact innovation. Around the world, a number of initiatives are being developed to leverage young people’s efforts to generate and deliver support to at-risk populations or populations affected by the pandemic.

A lot of people around the youth faced uncertainty; hundreds of resumes sent for summer jobs with no call or interview. The one who got hired just before the pandemic outbreak or as part-time workers, they got laid off. If they were lucky, they kept their employment but hard to work outside their comfort zone, their routine was broken.

Like all of us, they have worries about their future. The world is changing, and we don’t know if it will come back one day like before the pandemic. This International Youth Day young people want to continue live and build their lives.

Cody Debelle is one such a young person facing our new world. He was almost finished his College program in labour relation in Ottawa hoping to become employed in the field in labour relations. He had completed 50% of his program but COVID-19 happened. The school adapted well: they extended the program to let people fix all their things (children, jobs or others). But he lost a semester. He is trying to find some positive by imagining his future in different ways:

I thought after my program I’ll go to an office 9 to 5 Monday to Friday but with the pandemic I got surprise how the world was adapting. I actually like it because I was hoping to work from home but now, I feel it’s possible so it’s good news. If I don’t need to go to the office every day, I can have less stress with traffic, less distraction at the office and be in my comfort zone to work. – Cody Debelle explained.

He does feel that it might be more difficult to get into some jobs right now. He is wondering how they will make the interview and even if it’s online on Skype or Zoom, it will not be the same feel.

The government is trying to help through a website job back with all the jobs that are hiring right now divided by sector.

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The message for youth is yes, the world is changing, but your career is not over, times are just different. Don’t give up, it’s a new era and each generation has had to adapt to change. We will face the challenges and succeed.