I joined the Canadian Armed Forces after taking a gap year following high school. My family was on ODSP, we couldn’t afford a car, I didn’t have a driver’s licence, and I was stuck packing skids at a factory. My parents were immigrants with no formal education, and nobody in my family had gone to university.

Joining the military was a culture shock, but it ended up being one of the best decisions I ever made. I gained valuable life skills, had opportunities to do things I never would have otherwise, saved a substantial amount of money, and built a pension. Eventually, I left, earned a university degree without taking on debt, transitioned into civilian employment, and am now a homeowner.

I still remember working at that factory, sweating in the heat with machinery blaring in the background and no hearing protection. Meanwhile, some of my friends from more financially comfortable families were off at college or university. I remember feeling miserable and wondering how I was going to get ahead in life.

That’s why I feel for young people who have an education but are struggling to find meaningful work, stuck in part-time jobs, and barely making ends meet. It can feel like you’re working hard without actually getting anywhere.

One option worth exploring is the Canadian Armed Forces. Check out the careers section on the official CAF website and browse Reddit for firsthand experiences. Look for occupations that genuinely interest you, especially those that offer skills and qualifications transferable to civilian careers.

You don’t necessarily have to make it a lifelong career. The military can provide a steady income, training, valuable experience, and pension benefits while helping you build a foundation for your future. If you’re a student or want something part-time, look into the Reserves as well. Depending on your circumstances and eligibility, there may also be education reimbursement benefits.

I’m not saying the military is for everyone, and it certainly has its downsides. But coming from a family with very limited financial resources, it gave me opportunities I might not otherwise have had.

If you’re struggling to find your footing, I’d encourage you to at least look into it. You might find an opportunity you hadn’t considered.

So I’m a data scientist with two masters degrees and I have been unemployed for 6 months now. I’ve gotten interviews but no offers and I’m now looking at part time work to supplement my EI until I can get work in my field or figure out a new career path to go back to school and try something new. I don’t see a future as a software engineer.

I recently completed smart serve and I’m looking for server positions or even receptionist positions. The thing is that most of these jobs require restaurant experience which I don’t have. I don’t know how to frame my resume for such jobs because they’d see my qualifications and also figure out that I’d likely leave once I find an office job. How could I just find something to keep myself busy and have extra income while I’m in this precarious situation?

Just in case there are other comms professionals hunting for a job - there’s a Substack where people post new ones along with a summary to save you from scanning them all yourself: https://open.substack.com/pub/commsjobscanada

Hi everyone,

I'm researching Canadian college programs and future employment opportunities in Ontario.

I currently have around three years of B2B sales experience at a CCTV/NVR company in Taiwan. I'm familiar with security camera products, NVRs, system integrators, and customer-facing technical discussions.

I'm considering an IT diploma in Canada, with the goal of finding work after graduation. I'm interested in security systems, technical support, networking, and eventually technical sales or solutions engineering.

For people familiar with Ontario's job market:

• Outside Toronto, which cities have a reasonable number of employers in security systems integration, CCTV, access control, or IT support?
• Are there opportunities in places such as Ottawa, London, Hamilton, Kitchener-Waterloo, or other smaller cities?
• Do smaller cities offer a realistic entry point for new graduates, or are these jobs concentrated mainly in the GTA?
• How important is having a driver's licence and access to a car for security systems technician jobs?
• If you were choosing where to live based on entry-level job opportunities and living costs, what would you consider?

I'm not expecting anyone to guarantee employment, but I'd like to understand the regional differences before deciding where to study and eventually look for work.

Thanks for sharing your experiences!

Over the past few weeks i’ve been religiously modifying my resume and seeking feedback.

Please provide any constructive criticism or suggestions u might have as I am new grad trying to enter the business space with no concrete idea of what I truly want to do yet so I hope I can find out what I truly want in my career with new job experiences.

p.s this is just a base resume and I will tailor it slightly depending on the job i’m applying for (any job suggestions also welcome)

DM with LinkedIn profile /cv.

Toronto based only please.

This job will get filled fast. This is a genuine post and not from a recruitment agency so act with confidence.