A majority of Quebecers are concerned that due to the labor shortage, young people are encouraged to go to work rather than finish their studies, reveals a survey conducted on behalf of the Quebec Network for Educational Success (RQRE).
Stories of young people who go to work during school hours, sometimes even with the authorization of their parents, the director general of the RQRE hears.
In this context, Audrey Mckinnon is “reassured” by the results of a survey conducted by the firm Léger, which shows that seven out of ten Quebecers are concerned by the fact that at a time when companies are actively looking for employees, young could be encouraged to work rather than complete their studies.
A similar proportion (68%) say that the work-study balance is a subject that concerns them.
PHOTO SYLVAIN LÉGARÉ, PROVIDED BY THE RQRE
Audrey Mckinnon, Director General of the RQRE
The challenge is the accumulation of commitments: 35 hours of school, 10 hours of work, we have reached 45 hours of commitment, and we spend leisure, study and travel. It’s been a busy week.
Audrey McKinnon, Executive Director of the Quebec Network for Educational Success
The results of this survey appear as Hooked on School Days begin, but also in a context where the Minister of Labour, Jean Boulet, announced his intention to legislate to regulate and limit child labor.
However, “a law will not solve everything, says Audrey Mckinnon. It will take other solutions. We will have to continue to raise awareness. »
The survey conducted by the firm Léger also shows that 29% of Quebecers consider that the greatest advantages of having a part-time job during the school year are to develop a sense of responsibility and autonomy in young people.
A matter of hours
Up to how many hours per week should a secondary school student be able to work?
“Young people don’t all have the same ability. Some young people will manage to reconcile studies and work very well, but for others, it will be very difficult. Generally, studies show that at 3 p.m. [par semaine]it’s difficult, and at 8 p.m., we fall into critical areas for many young people, ”says Audrey Mckinnon.
In the bill that Quebec is preparing, “the hour markers would be welcome,” adds the director general of the RQRE.
About one in five Quebecers (19%) believes that the diploma has lost its importance since the end of the pandemic, and this perception is slightly higher (22%) among respondents who are between 18 and 35 years old.
“The 18-35 year olds are on their way, or at the end of their school career. We are seeing more and more postponements or abandonment of study projects, we know that there is a decrease in registrations in vocational training. Is there a shadow on the board? asks Audrey McKinnon.
The Léger survey was conducted between November 24 and 1er December 2022 with a sample of 1,000 Quebecers aged 18 to 59.
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- 77%
- After five years of high school, graduation rate of the 2016 cohort
SOURCE: Ministry of Education
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- 59%
- Proportion of Quebecers who consider that a diploma is as important as before the pandemic in order to have a good job
SOURCE: Léger survey conducted for the RQRE