Alberta organizations are turning to a job-matching service as unemployment remains above the national rate and young people face particular challenges entering the workforce. The province’s WorkFirst Alberta Talent Exchange now includes a matchmaking concierge, which uses technology to connect applicants’ skills and experience with employers’ needs.

In August 2026, Alberta’s economic dashboard put the provincial unemployment rate at 6.8 per cent, compared with a national rate of 6.4 per cent reported by Statistics Canada. The latest provincial figures show unemployment among people aged 15 to 24 is more than twice Alberta’s 6.8 per cent rate for the general population.

Students attending a University of Alberta job fair on Wednesday described the market as “less than ideal.” One student told CTV News Edmonton, “It’s pretty cooked.” The event featured employers seeking new hires in construction, mining, oil and gas, and social services.

The provincial government says WorkFirst helps employers, industry experts and community organizations review applicants’ qualifications without ruling people out based on how they present on paper. The Talent Exchange first launched in 2025, but did not then include the matchmaking concierge component. A provincial media release said the service would help employers fill urgent positions and identify a broader range of qualified candidates whose abilities might not be apparent on conventional résumés.

Independent management consultant Ian Treasure said the approach can help people facing multiple barriers to employment, including people experiencing homelessness, dealing with drug or alcohol addiction, recovering from mental illness, escaping domestic violence or rebuilding their lives after prison. “We can help anybody find work and find that connection and sense of purpose that we all crave,” Treasure said.

The new service was discussed at a Wednesday summit of industry participants, which organizers said was convened to address a “challenging moment worldwide” for the economy. Short-term labour market forecasts from the Government of Alberta predicted “mild to notable shortages” in 2026 in technical trades, health care and health-care aide roles, and operations fields.

Blessie Mathew, assistant dean at the University of Alberta, said students may benefit from explaining their capabilities in terms of skills and experience rather than relying on their degree alone. “What we want students to think about is not so much their degree, but the skill, experience, competencies that they’re graduating with that they can package and articulate to an employer,” she said Wednesday.

Mathew said there may also be a gap between employers’ current needs and what post-secondary graduates bring to the job market. “Some of what we’re hearing is that there is a mismatch between what the demands in industry might be right now and what students from post-secondary are graduating with.” She encouraged students to speak directly with employers before forming impressions based on an organization’s name or industry. “No organization is going to thrive with only one type of employee. We want students not to just look at the employer name or an industry and make assumptions about who they’re hiring, but to really go have those conversations so they can demystify what they’re looking for.”

Based on reporting by CTV News Edmonton.