Saskatchewan students like Memphis Hartman, an 18-year-old Arts student at the U of R, face significant challenges in both finding and maintaining part-time and full-time employment amid the countries current economic uncertainty. 

“Trying to find a part-time job is like a job in itself,” said Memphis.

“I applied to most likely over 50 places and out of all of those places, I heard back from about three to four people.”

For almost a year and a half, Hartman spent hours every day handing out resumes and online applications to various places on Albert Street to only hear back from a few of those employers. 

This is the unfortunate reality for most students. 

“I was super limited, because I don’t have a vehicle of my own so I can’t work outside of my community,” said Hartman.“I can’t get a job because I don’t have a car. And why don’t I have a car? Because I don’t have a job. That’s that loop of anxieties that makes me question, am I ever gonna find a position?” 

Statistics from the Government of Canada stated, “Employment opportunities for workers age 15-24 in Saskatchewan were significantly hampered by the pandemic…the unemployment rate shot up from 11.5% in 2019 to 17.6% in 2020, before falling back to 11.5% in 2021.” 

With the current economic struggle in 2025, having to find the funds to pay tuitions, pay for costly rent, gas, groceries and basic necessities, students are feeling frustrated with the lack of job opportunities, and are simply not getting a response back from employers.  

“For me, having a job is about cushioning myself for that reality and just being as prepared as I can for the sort of economic distress that we’re all going to be facing with the tariffs and inflation,” said Hartman. 

Unemployment during youth and early adulthood is proven to lead to lower earnings, higher probability of future unemployment and overall lower health and job satisfaction and nowadays it is ever so crucial. 

“Succeeding at finding work is crucial not only to their independence and financial security, but their ability to build networks that will support their long-term economic, social and professional success,” said Senior Economists Suzanne Spiteri and Laura Adkins-Hackett.

Students are realizing that the job market is becoming so oversaturated with people. The population is growing exponentially, but the working positions aren’t.

Local business’s around Regina such as Cathedral’s local 13th Ave Coffee House and Regina’s Pet Depot share that they are both not hiring either part-time or full-time positions at the moment. 

The hours are currently being fulfilled and the remaining positions are already in demand by the current employees.

“All our positions are filled however I take a resume probably once every week, we get a lot in especially from a lot of young students, university students and grade 11 and 12 students, “ said Kira Dureault, an 18-year-old student and barista at 13th Avenue Coffee House. “Within the past two months I’ve taken in around 5 or 6 resumes.” 

The job market is quite bleak at the moment.“It feels like I’m applying to like 5 or 7 jobs without knowing if you’re even going to hear back,” Kira shares.  

“Draining, anxiety inducing and honestly embarrassing,” students describe this unfortunate universal experience.