More than 60 employers and community organizations are taking part in a job fair at Place d’Orleans Shopping Centre as young people face an increasingly challenging employment market. The YMCA of the National Capital Region is hosting the free event Thursday, with more than 1,300 job seekers expected to attend. “I’ve been looking for a job for a year now, so hopefully this sticks and, so far, it’s been really nice,” says Dee Alkurdi, who’s hopeful to find a career in the environmental field. “Whatever I’m doing, I’m very passionate about it. I bring a lot of detail, orientation, good management. So, hopefully, they’ll see that at a job fair and see my personality through the resume.” Employers attending the event include Farm Boy, OC Transpo, the Royal Bank of Canada, Alterna Savings, Potvin Construction and the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, with job openings across sectors including health care, construction, transportation, hospitality and retail. The fair also aims to connect job seekers with career guidance, training programs and community supports. “It takes a lot to understand what you need to get through that door, the skills needed to apply to jobs and, get your resume looked at,” says David Sinclair, YMCA director of employment services. “We are committed to support newcomers or anybody in the community.” Statistics Canada’s latest report reveals Canada’s youth unemployment rate for people aged 15 to 24 was 13 per cent in September. Youth employment fell by 48,000 that month, marking a second consecutive monthly decline. Nationally, there were three unemployed people for every job vacancy in the second quarter of 2026, while the overall job vacancy rate stood at 2.8 per cent. “It is an incredibly tough job market especially for younger people right now,” says Jeff Plante, a senior manager with Lindsay Landscape. Plante attended the job fair and says he aims to help the next generation build a solid career foundation. “You can go all the way to the top at this job. You start out at the bottom, and you work your way up, and you’d be amazed at how it can turn into a really good progressive career,” he said. While the job fair was a one-day event, the YMCA operates three employment centres across the capital, offering year-round support for job seekers.
