This three-part episode looks at growing career opportunities for youth—particularly youth that do not have post-secondary education. We speak with three youth leaders who have done extensive research on up-and-coming, promising career paths that youth can access with the right tools and resources. Our panelists include Kamilah Ebrahim, Saad Rasool, and Ben Williams, each of whom provide some great advice to youth just starting out in their careers. 

We discuss our youth-led research project called, “YouthFutures,” which was developed in partnership with Canadian Council for Youth Prosperity. We explore labour market trends and their impact on youth, as well as tips on how to break into top sectors including Technology, Finance and Healthcare. 

Some questions we address include: 

1. How can we encourage more women to enter the Technology sector? 
2. How can a young worker advance their career in Canada’s competitive Finance sector? 
3. What are some examples of free or low-cost training programs in Technology, Finance and Healthcare? 
4. How can youth overcome the apprehension to enter these competitive industries? 
5. How can youth access less “traditional-sounding” roles in Healthcare, such as Dietary Aide or Medical Office Administrator? 

We also explore specific career paths and how to enter them, including: 

• Data Scientist
• UX/UI 
• Cloud Computing 
• Call Centre Specialist 
• Bank Teller
• Tax Preparation Specialist
• Dietary Aide
• Personal Support Worker 
• Medical Office Administrator 
  
  

Resources: 

• LinkedIn Learning (first month free, or free with a Toronto Public Library card!)
• Coursera
• AWS Cloud Computing Training
• The Career Foundation’s Workforce Development Centre
• Food Handler Certification Course
• Canadian Council for Youth Prosperity 
• National Youth Summit (April 23 and 24, 2021)