Calgary youth employment summit connects newcomer job seekers with employers

More than 300 young job seekers attended an event as Alberta's youth unemployment rate stays double the provincial average.

More than 300 young job seekers gathered at Platform Calgary on Tuesday for a youth employment summit aimed at helping newcomers connect with employers at a time when Alberta’s youth unemployment rate remains more than double the provincial average.

The Calgary Catholic Immigration Society’s (CCIS) Youth Employment Summit brought together 341 registered participants between the ages of 15 and 30.

More than 30 Calgary-area employers also attended for a day of hiring, interview preparation, career workshops and employer panels.

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Organizers said the event was designed to go beyond a traditional job fair by combining practical job-search support with face-to-face recruitment opportunities.

“We envisioned so much more than just hiring event,” said Hasmik Asmaryan, director of business, employment and training services with the Calgary Catholic Immigration Society.

“We wanted it to be more of a conference type that we will have a platform opportunity to encourage youth, to inspire them, to help them to feel a true connection, not just to show up at the hiring event, but to go through the preparation stage.”

The summit included workshops on the job search process, interview preparation and building professional portfolios.

A panel of human-resources leaders also answered questions from participants, while additional sessions focused on mental health and the pressures of job hunting.

Youth unemployment remains elevated

Alberta’s overall unemployment rate stood at 6.5 per cent in March, while unemployment among people aged 15 to 24 was 13.8 per cent — representing about 53,900 unemployed young Albertans.

Asmaryan said newcomer youth often face additional barriers beyond broader economic pressures.

“One of the major challenges is lack of financial capital and the other is a lack of social capital,” she said.

“They are in a new country navigating assistance without knowing anybody so we have to prepare them for that.”

She said many also have to adapt to Canadian workplace expectations, learn how to market their skills and overcome language barriers while competing for increasingly crowded entry-level jobs.

“Entry level jobs are extremely competitive nowadays and the market is saturated by job seekers targeting these exact positions,” Asmaryan said.

She said face-to-face interactions, however, can help bridge some of those gaps.

“It’s one thing to give employers one page, two pages of resume,” she said.

“But it’s totally different when they see the smile behind those pages, when they see lovely interactions, and when they see enthusiastic positivity.”

Asmaryan said last year’s inaugural summit led to 56 on-the-spot hires, with additional hiring in the weeks and months that followed.

Angus Reid poll highlights growing concern as newcomers navigate difficult job market

A recent Angus Reid Institute poll suggests anxiety around jobs is growing among young Canadians.

The poll, released April 29, found 38 per cent of Canadians aged 18 to 24 identified jobs and unemployment as one of their top concerns — more than double the share recorded at the beginning of 2025.

Among Canadians who are looking for work, or who have someone close to them searching for a job, four in five described the labour market as either “bad” or “terrible.”

The survey also found 68 per cent of job seekers said they are not hearing back from employers, while many cited a lack of available jobs in their area.

The findings suggest a labour market that may feel tougher than headline employment figures indicate, particularly for younger Canadians trying to secure entry-level work.

Among those attending Tuesday was 28-year-old Mohamed Chkih, who arrived in Calgary from Morocco just three months ago.

He previously worked as a financial accounting analyst for about four years before moving to Canada.

“I chose to take this adventure and get out of my comfort zone,” he said.

Chkih said adjusting to life in Canada has been difficult, especially without family or an established network.

“Coming to this event is really helpful mentally and everything,” he said.

“Because you feel that you belong to a community. You are not alone here in Canada.”

He said one of the biggest challenges has been understanding Canadian workplace culture while trying to build local credentials.

“I don’t have any Canadian experience so that’s why I am here and as an accountant my next goal is to get my CPA.”

Chkih said he is now working toward that designation and described the summit’s workshops as valuable in helping him better understand employer expectations.

“We don’t have the full picture of the Canadian market and workplace culture,” he said.

“So they were helping us a lot, especially in building resumes, preparing for interviews, getting to know what employers need from us.”

He said the support has changed how he approaches his job search.

“The first Mohammed that came here the first day is not the person that is now talking to you,” he said.

“I’m learning so much about Canadian culture and the Canadian workplace.”

Pamela Nascimento, a 30-year-old newcomer from Brazil, said leaving home while trying to establish a new life can also be emotionally challenging.

“I left behind my family, my people that I love all my life,” she said.

“So, it’s really nice to have programs like that because we can feel that we are part of a community. It’s more than just a résumé or an interview. It’s being part of something.”

Nascimento previously worked as a data analyst in Brazil and said competition in the technology sector has made finding work especially difficult.

“I don’t have experiences in Canada yet,” she said.

“So it’s really hard to compete against people that lived all their lives in here, that studied in the universities in here.”

She said repeated rejection can also take a toll.

“When you’re trying to find the job it’s not easy, we receive a lot of no’s, but I know I have to keep applying and try my hardest. These workshops are really helping to build my confidence.”

From participant to volunteer

For Hijab-Izehra, now 20, Tuesday’s event reflected how quickly circumstances can change.

Originally from Pakistan, she first connected with the Calgary Catholic Immigration Society as a client in one of its employment programs.

She now volunteers with the organization and has also found work in a marketing role with Sunterra Market.

She is also set to begin studies at the University of Calgary in law and society.

“At first I was kind of like, I’ll take my own chances and figure it out, like just going blindly,” she said.

“But then I realized there are a lot of things that are different from our country back home.”

She said learning the importance of workplace communication and interpersonal skills was one of the biggest lessons.

“You can get hired for your hard skills, but you also can get fired if you don’t have those soft skills, those essential communication skills” she said.

Hijab-Izehra said youth like her often struggle because employers increasingly want experience, even for early-career roles.

“It’s very difficult being a youth with just having an education background to get that experience necessary for holding a job,” she said.

“But it’s my goal to take on every opportunity I can even if it’s not in my preferred field because I can always learn something new.”

Employers say in-person connections matter

Pearl Hystad, a franchisee with Tim Hortons and Firehouse Subs who participated in the summit’s panel discussions, said personality and people skills can matter as much as formal credentials.

“My biggest piece of advice for anybody looking for jobs, especially young people who are just trying to sometimes break into the market, is to be yourself,” she said.

“It’s so easy right now to talk to Mr. Google or have AI to help you write a resume, but it’s not you.”

Hystad said face-to-face meetings also allow employers to see qualities that often do not appear on paper.

“My biggest piece of the puzzle that I’m looking for is their hospitality and their people skills,” she said.

“And you can’t properly put that onto a piece of paper.”