MacEwan students face limited opportunities at campus career fair
MacEwan students say limited opportunities, experience requirements and few program-specific employers made it difficult to find summer jobs at a campus career fair, reflecting broader youth unemployment challenges in Alberta.
Interior of Building 6 at MacEwan University, where the Get to Work Fair was held on March 25. Students said limited field-specific opportunities at the event made their summer job search more challenging. Photo credit: Rea Francesca Pallay
Students at MacEwan University say they faced limited opportunities and experience barriers while searching for summer employment at the Get to Work Fair on March 25.
The event, held in Building 6, connected students with 12 employers recruiting for summer positions, but several attendees said many of the jobs targeted upper-year students or were unrelated to their fields of study.
MacEwan students Jinseo Park, Chaemin Kim, and Nina Valiente said they encountered few employers connected to their early childhood education program.
“Some jobs are only seeking third- or fourth-year students,” Park said.
Kim and Valiente agreed, saying they hoped to see more employers recruiting for early childhood education roles.
Several employers at the fair advertised entry-level retail and service positions. Chick-fil-A at West Edmonton Mall recruited team members, while Freson Bros. sought grocery clerks and cashiers. Uline promoted warehouse associate positions.
Other employers offered labour-focused work. Becklar listed customer service representative positions while Formations Inc., Green Oasis Services, and Qualico offered logistics, landscaping, and construction labour roles.
Technology and administrative positions were also advertised. Ark Renewable Energy Inc. advertised green energy roles, while CGI promoted tech support roles. Prairies Economic Development Canada offered administrative positions, and MacEwan Student Life sought Community Nest Leaders.
Despite the range of employers, some students said positions still favoured those further along in their studies.
Steven Regis, who is finishing his degree in biological sciences, said many roles in his field require experience students often do not have.
“Lab positions demand prior experience we lack,” Regis said.
He described the job search as “scary but exciting.”
According to Statistics Canada, Alberta’s youth unemployment rate was about 13.7 per cent this winter, higher than the national average of 11.9 per cent. Economists say slower growth in entry-level jobs and inflation have made it harder for young workers to enter the labour market.
Students at the fair said networking remains one of the few ways to find opportunities.
“Some jobs connect, but not many,” Kim said.
After months of searching, Regis eventually secured a research position in his field. His advice to other students was simple: “Don’t give up.”
