What this means for students: past, present, and future
The 2016 census has produced some staggering statistics, with major implications for current and future post-secondary students. According to Statistics Canada, a majority of Canadians have now completed a post-secondary education.
According to the most recent release of census data, over 54 per cent of Canadians between the ages of 25 and 64 have completed a post-secondary education, up from 48.3 per cent in 2006. This means that just over half of Canadians now have some sort of post-secondary education, the highest level among industrialized nations, the CBC reports.
Although there has been a leap in individuals pursuing post-secondary education and training in general, there are notable differences between Canadian men and women. The census data found that there was a significant increase in the number of young women who have a bachelor’s degree, up 8 per cent from the past decade. Statistics Canada also reported that not only do more women than men have a bachelor’s degree, but women are also more likely to have a doctorate.
Among young men, it was found that the highest growth rate came from those who had achieved an apprenticeship certificate, increasing to 7.8 per cent from 4.9 per cent. However, women with an apprenticeship certificate remained relatively stable over the past decade, according to the CBC. “Young men have responded to the employment opportunities and earnings incentives in the trades,” says John Zhao of Statistics Canada, “The fastest growth in earnings has been for men in these sectors.”
Another interesting point of contention regarding results from the 2016 census includes earnings among individuals in different fields of study. Men in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields earned 23.9 per cent more than those with a degree in business, humanities, health, arts, social sciences, or education, according to the CBC. The census also found that graduates in the nursing, engineering, education, and information technology fields were more likely to work in their fields of study, while those with an arts, humanities, or social sciences degree were more likely to work in jobs for which they were overqualified.
The numbers also show that a majority of new immigrants have a bachelor’s degree in Canada, while just under a third of refugees increase their education levels after arriving in Canada.
It is clear that postsecondary education rates are growing at a steady pace, but what do these numbers mean for U of G students?
Applied human nutrition student, Mark Emode, said that higher education among Canadians has become so common that students are worried about finding jobs after school. “Becoming successful nowadays has to do with people who are more creative, well-rounded, and take the opportunity of the many resources we are exposed to in life,” Emode said in an interview with The Ontarion. U of G student Maddalena Cittadini said that there are too many people going for the same end goal, which makes everything more competitive.
“Most of my peers want to go to law or med school. Everyone’s applying for these higher education opportunities, but not everyone can have that reality,” said Cittadini.
Although a majority of Canadians have chosen to improve their job prospects by getting a post-secondary education, they are not under the impression that finding a job will be a walk in the park.
Photo by Alora Griffiths/The Ontarion