workingwomenworkingpoor_letter_web

PHOTOGRAPH: JOHN MACLENNANIn this research we spoke with young women between the ages of 20-30. The youngwomen were full-time students, studying and working part-time and full-time. Theircomments below reflect their apprehension of the new reality of high unemploymentamongst young people.DEQA ABDURAHMAN, UNIVERSITY STUDENT“I know that it is difficult to find a job, cause I have some friends who graduated lastyear, they were hoping to find jobs in the field, and they’re still struggling and they’restill unemployed and they’re still sitting at home, looking online and stuff. It is reallyhard finding a job in your degree. And it is true, sometimes an undergraduate degreeisn’t enough, they want you to have a Master’s degree or years of experience in aprofessional field or something before. I just feel it is very difficult to find a job in myfield, or my friend’s field. We are all kinda doing the same thing. They’re struggling,that’s why I’m kinda worried when I graduate what am I going to do?”ALDELI ALBÁN REYNA, NON-UNION, BROADER PUBLIC SECTOR“I went to U of T for Women and Gender Studies and languages. I was working likethree jobs at the same time, and it just was not good. I was working full-time andtaking a fourth year course, it was pretty hard to do. Luckily, I got a good grade init. It was really hard for me to find a job in my field. I didn’t get it until after 2years of graduation. And in that time I was working to pay the bills, I was workingas a receptionist somewhere and doing other stuff on the side.”LEAH THI, COLLEGE STUDENT & PART-TIME SERVICE SECTOR WORKER“I agree that it so hard to find a job, because in my opinion there are unqualified peoplewho are working in positions. Not because they are qualified, but because they knowsomeone within the company. It makes it harder for people who go to school and tryand find their career jobs in their field. And it’s hard because they want the experience.But where am I going to start when you demand all this experience right, then there’sWORKING WOMEN, WORKING POOR 27