For many Indigenous students, pursuing an education also means working roughly half the hours of a full-time job. The reasons point to a larger challenge. A 2024 study found that 86% of those working said they did so to cover necessary expenses, 47% to cover educational expenses, and 31% to support their families. Brandon Meawasige, COO of Indspire, argues that rising costs for housing, food, tuition, transportation, technology and childcare are creating additional pressure for students who should be able to focus on learning and preparing for their careers. For Canada, reducing those barriers has implications beyond education. Indigenous youth are an important part of the country’s future talent pipeline, including in fields facing growing demand for skilled workers. Investing in their success means investing in a stronger, more resilient Canadian workforce. Read Meawasige’s perspective on TheFutureEconomy.ca: thefutureeconomy.ca/op-eds/c… #IndigenousYouth #Education #FutureOfWork #WorkforceDevelopment #CanadianEconomy