June17,2025
RED FM News Desk
Students in British Columbia looking for summer work are encountering the most challenging job market in years, according to business experts. Ken Charko, owner of Vancouver’s Dunbar Theatre, explained that in the past, he would hire students during the summer to cover for full-time employees taking vacations. However, that’s changed this year. “Normally, we bring in students to fill those gaps,” Charko told Global News. “But now, full-time staff aren’t taking time off. Because of concerns about the economy, they’re asking for more hours, more days.” As a result, for the first time in nearly 25 years, Charko isn’t hiring additional summer staff.
Charko said he’s noticing two major trends in today’s job market:
- More people are looking for jobs.
- Those who have jobs are reluctant to leave them, fearing better opportunities aren’t out there.
“Employers are holding onto their current workers and not expanding hiring, because they’re uncertain about what the summer will bring,” he added.
According to the Business Council of British Columbia, the province’s youth unemployment rate has jumped from 10.5% to 16.6% over the past year—the largest increase in the country. The Council attributes this partly to a shrinking private sector, while the public sector has grown by more than 30% over the last eight years.
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