As graduation nears, mother faces uncertain job prospects

For the last three years, Celine has been hard at work completing her degree in design and virtual presentation. She has been singularly focused on finishing school for a long time and the finish line is almost in sight: she'll be done next May.

She's excited to finally enter the job market after struggling as a full-time student, but she's also worried about the POST-COVID job landscape. She'd love to do design in theatre or television, but both industries have been hit hard by the pandemic and the opportunities may not be there.

“The timing isn't what I expected,” Celine said. “But it's been a passion of mine and I always wanted to do this.”

Because she didn't have a degree previously, she required a lot of extra credits to catch up with her peers. It meant long nights studying and usually only one day off a week. She also has a five-year-old who just started kindergarten, and although it's a new experience for the child, the specific rules about pickups and drop-offs with social distancing have added an unexpected layer of preparation to Celine's day. Her studies, on the other hand, moved online.

When she graduates next spring, Celine will start looking for work in her chosen field. She's hoping to find an entry level job at a workshop in the city, but if she's not able to find anything, she has previous office experience and is willing to work anywhere that's hiring.

“Balancing being a full-time student with a child, I was still able to get good marks,” Celine said. “I'm a hard worker and I want to show what I can do.”

This year, Celine will be one of the thousands of Montrealers in need to receive a $125 cheque from the Montreal Gazette Christmas Fund. The fund helps make the holidays a little easier for those in tough situations.