Welcome to the monthly newsletter that helps you make sense of how careers actually happen in Canada – cutting through the noise of labour market data, education decisions, and a rapidly changing world of work. Whether you're navigating your own career, supporting someone else through theirs, or thinking about how to build better career development in your school or organization, this is for you.
 

Deep Dive: How do Canada's social systems inhibit career exploration and risk-taking?
Myth of the Month: Is AI causing tech workers to feel negatively about their industry?

The Number That Surprised Me: What's the impact of pay transparency law?

Worth Bookmarking: What does the National Caregiving Survey reveal about caregivers' experience balancing work with caregiving responsibilities, and why does this matter?

 

 

When I started thinking about leaving full-time work to pursue a portfolio career, it felt as realistic as growing a second head. An acquaintance changed that with one question: How much would I need in the bank to take the leap? I felt embarrassed that I didn't have a real number. I rushed home and Googled the recommended runway. 

 

Standard advice says that you should have 6-12 months’ expenses saved before making a major career transition like leaving a full-time job to pivot careers, go back to school, or start a business. Standard advice also says that young people should explore their options before landing on a career direction at all. Taking risks can benefit the economy and a person’s development – but getting there can be costly.

 

Building a non-linear career requires the right mindset and the right resources. Right now, the systems surrounding Canadians at every stage of life are eroding the runway that exploration demands. The idea that someone is stuck in their career due to a lack of vision or courage is incomplete at best and classist at worst.

 

At the early career stage, post-secondary tuition has climbed, and the Ontario student loan system recently lowered the cap on grant funding from 85% to 25%. Now, at least 75% of provincial financial aid will come in the form of repayable loans. This leaves students with financial constraints to enter post-secondary programs with less runway to explore, and graduates to enter the labour market with more debt. This change comes at a time when entry-level jobs are harder to come by, and wages for those who do land jobs are largely stagnant. The consequence is that exploration – which is crucial for building self-awareness, transferable skills, and a strong network – becomes a privilege available only to those with a financial cushion. Given that Ontario has the largest population and the greatest number of post-secondary institutions in the country, this provincial policy has national implications.

 

At the mid-career stage, high costs to both rent and purchase homes limit the savings buffer individuals need to pursue career pivots and educational programs. A 37-year old nurse spending more of their income on rent or commuting further to keep costs down is less likely to be able to become a nurse practitioner or launch their own health tech venture. High housing costs also reduce labour mobility, preventing talent from flowing to regions where their skills are sorely needed. When a bright, experienced worker from Saskatchewan can’t afford to move to Vancouver, the Vancouver-based company that needs their talent suffers, and so does our economy. 

 

Finally, for workers at all career stages, the Employment Insurance (EI) system – which encompasses parental leave pay – is designed to cover people with a stable, full-time job for a single employer. The program requires that workers work a set number of “insurance hours” within a fixed period, effectively leaving behind self-employed people, gig workers, and part-time and contract workers, even as these kinds of flexible work arrangements become more popular. Some of the people most likely to have non-linear careers and unstable incomes are therefore the ones least protected when their transitions go sideways. That gap is a disincentive to people considering a change.

When a long financial runway is a prerequisite for career exploration, non-linear careers become something few can afford to pursue. That matters for a country that’s hungry for more skilled workers and entrepreneurs, and for individuals who feel stuck in roles that aren’t satisfying their personal or financial needs.

If you’re an individual navigating real constraints to a career pivot, here are some things to try:

At the end of the day, though, this is primarily a systemic problem rather than a personal shortcoming. The challenges outlined above are policy choices – and policy choices can change.
 

Myth: AI is causing tech workers to feel negatively about their industry.
 

Reality: AI has split tech workers’ sentiment into two camps. Some feel like AI has destabilized or diminished their professional identity – they feel pessimistic, burnt out, and worried about layoffs. People in this camp would generally not recommend others pursue a career in their role. However, others feel like AI has redefined or even amplified their role. These folks actually feel quite positive about the future of the industry, and are less burnt out or worried about layoffs than their peers. They are much more likely to recommend their career path to others.
 

My take? Workers with the time and money to learn AI tools and absorb uncertainty are better-positioned to land in the “amplified” camp. These results also support the theory that AI is unlikely to replace most workers, but that people who know how to use AI might.

 

 

3.85%: The drop in British Columbia's gender pay gap – from 18.4% to 14.55% – in the three years following the province's implementation of pay transparency legislation. This is one example of a policy lever that can contribute to better outcomes for employees. Ontario, PEI, and Newfoundland have recently followed British Columbia's lead, with discussions also underway in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia.
 

 

Caring in Canada: An analysis of the National Caregiving Survey completed by 2,600+ caregivers and care providers from across Canada. Key findings: 59% of caregivers balance work with their care responsibilities, and 49% of caregivers face financial strain, with 20% having to stop saving entirely. Given Canada’s aging population, the proportion of the workforce engaged in simultaneous care work is likely to increase in the coming years. We need systems that support those people effectively.
 

 

Thanks for reading this month's edition of Pathways & Paycheques.

 

If this sparked a question or shifted your understanding of the world of work, please reply to let me know. I'm an Inbox Zero evangelist, so you can be sure I'll read it!

Sincerely,
Carli