Jobs | Employers | Industries
An Updated Look at the Labour Market
Many students start planning for the future by trying to identify the specific career options they can pursue with their degree. In a world that is so rapidly changing, this can be an almost impossible (and unrealistic!) feat. When planning and researching possibilities for your future, it's important to arm yourself with up-to-date information and to be able to distinguish fact from fiction.
- There are more than 2 million job titles in Canada, and unfortunately, they are not nicely organized according to degree requirements.
- Only 20% of jobs are regulated; which typically means a defined pathway to entry (e.g. doctor, lawyer, engineer and teacher).
- By the end of this decade, the majority of jobs that will exist are considered to be "unknown" at this time.
- Most employers value work-integrated learning, co-curricular involvements, and the ability to apply knowledge in real-world settings, above academic performance.
- Employers today are also placing a greater emphasis on skills such as critical thinking, communication, complex problem solving, creativity, digital literacy, and more; over an individuals' specific undergraduate major.
Beliefs You May Hold That Are Not Actually True
My major determines my career options
FACT: More than 80% of employers hire for skills and experience over a specific major.
My dream job is waiting
FACT: You design your dream job through a process of actively seeking and co-creating it.
I should know by now
FACT: It’s never too late to create a life you love. You may not always know where you're going, but you can know what you're going to do next.
The Most Important Questions to Tackle
- How can I use my degree to work on interesting challenges, problems, and opportunities?
- Where can I use the skills and expertise I have developed through my degree and other experiences?
When you reframe how you plan for the future, starting with the challenges that interest you most, you are better positioned to see the broader value of your degree and discover how many possibilities actually exist!
Identify the Challenges That Interest You
STEP 2
Insert Western's unique code WesternU and sort the cards.
STEP 3
Post your top three challenges to social media, or ask people in your network "who is working on this challenge?"
STEP 4
Conduct informational discussions/coffee chats to learn more about the people and organizations working on these challenges.
Book a Career Appointment for Help
Better understand yourself and identify what meaningful work means to you.
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