With the competitive job market, students are struggling to prioritize their academic goals
Have you noticed that it's becoming more difficult to get a job?
Some are fortunate to have an established network of people who help make securing a job easier. However, seeking a job solely on your own which can involve sending out several cold emails, endlessly browsing job boards, and creating a network, often proves to be more difficult than anticipated.
As a co-op student, it felt harder than necessary to secure a job for my first placement. Out of the 70 jobs I applied to, I only received four interviews.
Although this may not be the case for everyone, many students have also experienced this when it comes to job hunting.
The co-op program at McMaster University requires students to secure a job placement before their allotted work term. If a student is unable to get a job their work-term can either be moved to another semester, they may only be required to complete three work terms or they may also be removed from the program if they have not been actively searching for a position.
With limited prospects in the current job market, having to pursue one of the alternatives listed above can significantly impact our academic terms.
For many co-op students, in third year we often have our fall semester as an academic term whereas our winter and spring/summer terms are work placements. We then have a regular term during our fourth fall semester. In the winter of our fourth year, we begin looking for our next placement for the upcoming spring/summer and fall semesters of fifth year. We finally end our undergraduate careers on with one last academic term.
For a student whose work term is moved to another semester, also known as resequencing, they may not get into their required classes. We must enroll for the co-op course instead, while some of our required courses are only available during certain terms. Since students will be on work terms during the spring/summer semesters, it may become more difficult to catch up on missed pre-requisites as they are on a co-op placement during this time.
Although it is possible to begin catching up while on a work placement, co-op students are only allowed to complete one course per semester during a work term with permission from their supervisor. If your course is offered during these semesters, it can be difficult to balance this and full-time work.
If we fall behind, we don't have much room to catch up with courses. Failing to find a co-op placement in part due to the current job market being so limited faces us with dire consequences when it comes to obtaining our degrees. We are disadvantaged from successfully completing our academic requirements. We also may be putting our dreams of a thesis at risk as resequencing causes us to have a work term during our fourth year.
However, this struggle is not only limited to co-op students. The current job market has not been kind to any student. With positions being more difficult to secure, the stress we experience interferes with our academics.
The process of actually finding a job may not be the cause of stress for non-co-op students. The financial aspect of what a job promises can cause students to displace their focus from academics to job seeking. Meanwhile, many students need a part-time job to pay their expenses that OSAP and other financial aid services might not cover cover.
With jobs difficult to secure and the rising cost of living, we are detracted from prioritizing our studies. How can we, if we have to worry about next month's rent with no income to support ourselves?
When we worry about fulfilling our most basic needs like rent, food and tuition, it becomes difficult for us to focus on our education.
When we worry about fulfilling our most basic needs like rent, food and tuition, it becomes difficult for us to focus on our education.
I am not sure if you can relate, but I am more inclined to skip a lecture when I have more urgent matters to attend. Can't get into a course that is crucial for a concurrent certificate? I'm skipping a lecture to talk with an academic advisor. Can't secure a position for co-op with the deadline fast approaching? I'm skipping another lecture to try and find a solution.
Although these are conscious choices that I am making, the external influence of the tight job market becomes detracts greatly from my academics as I worry about the implications of not having a job.
This is something many students face. I hear it frequently when talking to my peers. Many of us are seeking jobs to help supplement what OSAP does not cover, but are struggling to get a job because of the current market. This constant struggle keeps us distracted from our academics, negatively impacting our performance.
It's tough finding a job in the real world.
As undergraduate students, we have access to resources that make the job-hunting process slightly less challenging. Jobs listed under the student-work program and co-op-specific job board are exclusive to McMaster students. Access to these resources limits the size of the applicant pool, increasing students' odds of securing a job.
Nevertheless, the process of job hunting doesn't get easier after we graduate. The co-op job hunting process is not a reflection of real-world competitiveness due to the supports and exclusive job board we are given.
With many companies cutting back their available positions due to a lack of funding, everything has become increasingly competitive. Being thrown into this without support can be challenging.
However, using university resources to your advantage to create a network can help improve your chances of securing a job. By connecting with your professors early on and attending campus events, you are building bridges to help facilitate the connections needed to get you into your field of work.
Using university to your advantage to create a network can help improve your chances of securing a job. By connecting with your professors early on and attending campus events, you are building bridges to help facilitate the connections to get you into your field.
Although job hunting is not easy, my biggest piece of advice is to keep working away at it. Maintaining resilience and working early ahead are the best things you can do to overcome the challenges we all face as students while maintaining your academic performance. By starting the job application process earlier, you will increase your chances of securing a position because the more jobs you apply to, the more likely it is to secure a position - it's a numbers game.
And remember, you aren't alone! Take advantage of the support McMaster has to offer. It may take some time, but you will be able to secure a position.
Recently launched “AI Dialogues” podcast presents information and nuanced discussion about the use of AI in university
A new Spotify podcast titled AI Dialogues recently was launched by McMaster's MacPherson Institute, featuring discussions on the use of generative AI in higher education and at McMaster University.
The MacPherson Institute is McMaster's teaching and learning center and provides instructors and teaching assistants with resources and training. The podcast discusses practical and ethical questions regarding the use of AI in education and aims to present this discussion to both educators and students who may not be familiar with AI technology.
Presently, according to McMaster's provisional guidelines on the use of AI and the final report by the Task Force on Generative Artificial Intelligence in Teaching and Learning, McMaster's current policy on the use of generative AI is that students should assume they do not have permission to use the technology unless otherwise specified by their instructor.
In an interview, Stephanie Verkoeyen, an educational developer at the MacPherson Institute and the host of the podcast, expressed thoughts on many instructors restricting the use of generative AI in the classroom. “A lot of instructors seem to be taking the approach right now of just banning use (of AI),” said Verkoeyen.
Verkoeyen stated that a reason for this approach may be a lack of resources and dedicated opportunities for educators to investigate the positive and negative implications of AI for themselves and their students. Verkoeyen hopes that the podcast will reach these educators and bring them different perspectives on the use of AI in higher education.
Four episodes have been released and have featured discussions with guests who take both supportive and more critical positions on the use of AI in education. For the second episode, MSU President Jovan Popovic was featured as a guest and discussed what he has been hearing from students on the topic.
On the fourth episode, guest Mat Savelli, an associate professor in the Department of Health, Aging and Society at McMaster, shared a more critical perspective of the use of AI. According to Verkoeyen, aspects of this perspective were rooted in concerns that it could undermine the critical thinking skills of students, such as when AI is used to summarize information.
For future episodes, Verkoeyen stated that some planned topics include discussing how educators can be better taught and trained to use and apply generative AI in their teaching, what potential to improve teaching AI possesses and how AI could improve the accessibility of learning in higher education.
Students, educators, and anyone interested in the discussion surrounding the use of AI in higher education can listen to the podcast on Spotify.
By: Kashyap Patel
The safety and wellbeing of the student population should be the top priority of any respectable university. On Jan. 29, McMaster University chose to prioritize profits over the safety of their students.
Despite heavy snowfall and icy conditions, McMaster remained open because “crews [had] spent the night clearing snow and cleaning walkways.” The university simply advised their students to take care when travelling to campus.
Crews have spent the night clearing snow and cleaning walkways. The University will open for classes this morning and all events and activities will take place as scheduled. Please take care travelling to campus.
— McMaster University (@McMasterU) January 29, 2019
McMaster’s Storm Emergency policy states that the university will be closed “when severe weather poses a danger to students, staff and faculty while on campus or if the weather would prevent large numbers of them from coming to campus or returning safely to their homes.”
For students living on-campus, the inclement weather did not pose as serious of a concern. However, for students and staff who live off-campus and commute, this decision put their safety at risk as roads and pathways leading to the campus were not adequately cleared.
In the opinion of many students on social media, the cancellation of classes should have been deemed a necessity. Students used the closure of the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board schools, which are located in the same area as McMaster, to support their views.
Due to the inclement weather, all schools and administrative buildings are closed and transportation is cancelled today, Jan 29. All exams scheduled for today will be written tomorrow, Jan 30.
Enjoy the snow day! ❄️ pic.twitter.com/WpmHYJnFAD
— HWDSB (@HWDSB) January 29, 2019
Many students could not make it to campus due to Go bus cancellations and delays. The university clearly overlooked these legitimate concerns despite the potential negative impacts on students’ academic standings.
This incident begs the question: does McMaster value profits over the safety of its students? Given this instance, I believe the answer is yes. This decision was careless and irresponsible considering that most students attending McMaster either commute or live off-campus. These severe weather conditions also made it impossible for students using accessibility devices to safely reach campus.
Furthermore, many students that braved the conditions and commuted to campus found out that their instructors had cancelled their classes. The lack of coordination between the university and its faculty led to students unnecessarily putting their safety at risk.
Students also pointed out that several walkways on-campus were not cleared even though the university claimed otherwise. McMaster should be more truthful about the statements they disseminate to the public. Students use this information to make decisions about their commute and how they navigate the campus in a safe manner.
https://twitter.com/obeng_lily/status/1090300759802109952
It is difficult to pinpoint what sources of information the university used to inform their decision. The weather forecast predicted a snow storm at approximately 4 p.m. the day prior. The local facilities in Hamilton such as the YMCA and public libraries were also closing for the day. Buses and trains were also delayed or canceled in several locations throughout the southern Ontario area.
McMaster University should take a multi-faceted approach when making weather-related closure decisions. Transportation, safety and the effectiveness of the clearing crew needs to be evaluated before making a decision that can impact the safety of thousands.
Student safety should be of paramount importance to educational institutions. There seems to be a disconnect between McMaster and its students regarding the implementation of the inclement weather policy.
McMaster should re-evaluate the actions it took on Jan. 29 and learn from this incident. Students need to know that their safety is valued and plays a key role in the decision-making processes of their university.
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