Cost of Living

Graduates in 2020 see internships, jobs disappear amid COVID-19 downturn

Class of 2020 graduates have a grim outlook as they head into Canada's workforce during a pandemic and an economic downturn. What lies in store for young graduates who are seeing jobs and internships disappear day after day?

Young Canadians entering the workforce during the pandemic worry careers will suffer without opportunities

Class of 2020 graduates are heading into an uncertain job market, faced with the double-whammy of COVID-19 and an economic downturn. (Izzet Ugutmen/Shutterstock)

A whole cohort of young Canadians are entering the workforce at a time when the economy is shedding more jobs by the minute, and internships are disappearing due to physical distancing.

What challenges lie ahead for these very, very unlucky college and university graduates?

  • CBC Radio's business and economics show, Cost of Living, is in a new time slot on CBC Radio One due to the coronavirus pandemic. Catch it Friday May 15 at 1:30 p.m. (2 p.m. NT) or Saturday May 16 at 6:30 p.m.

Paul Haavardsrud speaks with two young job seekers — one in the Northwest Territories and the other in Toronto.

He also connects with RBC senior economist Andrew Agoposowicz to learn more about the prospects of starting a career in an unprecedented downturn.


Click 'Listen' at the top of this page to hear the whole episode or download the CBC Listen app.