Getting a job after graduation and then making enough money to live on are top of mind for today’s Canadian students, according to the results of an RBC survey released August 12.
These findings run contrary to a common belief that younger Canadians are motivated by having fun, being frivolous and having a fear of missing out, said RBC director of student banking Mandy Mail.
This is such a common misconception, in fact, that when the parents of these students were surveyed, happiness was cited as their children’s top priorities. This is not the case, according to the numbers.
“They’re recognizing the job market’s not what it used to be, it’s not as easy to get a job and school’s costing more and more every year so they’re not necessarily going to get a job that’s going to help them pay off their debt right away,” Mail said.
“They are concerned about these realities and making sure they can move into being independent adults, so it goes far beyond just wanting to be happy.”
The poll found 45% of students are worried about getting a job after they finish school, and 38% are anxious about being able to support themselves.
“The economy continues to change,” Mail said. “Yes, they want to enjoy their lives, but they are getting a very good sense of how difficult life is.”
As well, more than half of all students surveyed – 58% – said they are worried about how long they will have to live with their parents after they graduate. On the other hand, only 35% of parents shared this concern.
That’s not to say happiness didn’t feature at all on the students’ lists of concerns. Happiness came in third place, at 36%.
