Income Inequality Worsening with Higher Tuition Fees
Huffington Post: Business stated that the high tuition fees in Canadian universities are making economic inequality worse within the country. This is also adding to a mismatch between the economy and post-secondary education.
Economists Benjamin Tal and Royce Mendes described the vulnerabilities potentially exposed in the following economic downturn. As well, they noted that the mismatch in the economy and education is exemplifying the disappointment in youth employment.
This disappointment is leading to more Canadians have below average household incomes. That means more wealthy, but also far more poor, Canadian citizens. Young Canadians have begun to adapt by applying for educational streams that are high-demand and high-paying, e.g. the science, technical, engineering, and mathematics disciplines, but these are disciplines where tuition is rising the fastest.
Indeed Released a Listing of Jobs not Requiring a University Education
“While a university degree can be helpful in landing the ideal job, a recent report by job search site, Indeed, offers a reminder that it’s not the only route available,” Global News: Money reported.
Indeed released a list of jobs that pay well in Canada that do not need a university education. The listing included information on the number of openings in every field per one million job postings between May and July of this year.
“Many trades and tech-related roles are in high demand,” Jodi Kasten, Managing Director of Indeed Canada, said, “Employers are facing skills shortages meaning these roles can offer good career prospects or even self-employment opportunities.”
International High School Student Numbers Rising
CTV News reported on the increasing numbers of international students in Canadian high schools. Canada is working to build “valuable relationships and in some cases boost revenue.” The increase has been a bump in recent years.
Even though only a small number of the high school students in Ontario and British Columbia are comprised of international students, school boards have reported a doubling of the international high school student numbers.
For an example of the growth rate, the Toronto District School Board has seen an increase of 5-10% per year. The Thames Valley District School Board noted that they have experienced a 100% increase since the launch of its international program only three years ago.
“School boards say they are making concerted efforts to draw more international students to their halls, participating in recruiting events around the globe,” CTV News said, “partnering with education agents and working to identify emerging markets.”
“Knowledge is a Critical Key to Reconciliation”
The Winnipeg Sun said, “Knowledge is a critical key to reconciliation. That’s the belief of the new education lead for the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation (NCTR), whose role was announced Wednesday. The University of Manitoba-based centre named Kevin Lamoureux to the job, who will guide the development of education programs and partnerships.”
Lamoureux described how the history of Indigenous peoples in Canada has been lacking in education in the past. He has been the Association Vice-President for Indigenous Affairs at the University of Winnipeg. He is taking a year leave from the U of W position to be the education lead for the NCTR.
Lamoureux reported on the missing history in Canadians’ lives, and the desire for reconciliation. The U of W, as well as the Canadian Museum for Human Rights, Dalhousie University, The University of Alberta, and The University of British Columbia, are education partners.
Student Mental Health a Priority, Says P.E.I. Education Minister
Canada needs tech workers, according to Huffington Post: Business. Statistics Canada is showing a significant need for these kinds of workers. Scientific, technical, engineering and mathematics fields grew the most in the past year, with over 39,500 new positions.
There were 4.6% more jobs in these fields in June, 2017, than in June of 2016. The job market as a whole only grew 1.8% in comparison. In short, Canada isn’t graduating enough tech students in parallel to the growth of the positions.
Only 29,500 tech students graduated in 2015. The report from Wednesday also said that between 2016 and 2020 Canada will create 218,000 tech jobs. CIBC has called for a redo on the Canadian education system to help the economy more. Economists Benjamin Tal and Royce Mendes have described the shift in students reaching for more tech jobs now.
Scott Douglas Jacobsen is AUSUs VPFA. He works with various organizations, and runs In-Sight: Independent Interview-Based Journal, and In-Sight Publishing.
