It is a strange time to be in graduate school. Between inflation, trade disputes, and the rise of artificial intelligence (AI), the world feels like it is shifting faster than any of us can keep up. Many young adults are also facing one of the toughest job markets seen in decades. Statistics Canada reports that youth unemployment rate has reached its highest point since the mid-1990s, excluding the pandemic years. People in industry talk about hiring freezes, rescinded offers, and the growing number of temporary or contract positions.
And yet, being a PhD student might be one of the few relatively stable positions right now. Our stipends are not extravagant, but they are consistent. We are not competing for unstable entry-level jobs or participating in the corporate restructuring roulette. Instead, we have something precious: time. Time to learn, to think deeply, and to prepare for whatever this evolving economy becomes next.
Financial Realism Without the Doom
Let’s be honest. The current high cost of living is brutal. Cost of groceries, rent, and transit all seem to rise faster than our income. But financial stability begins with awareness, not despair. Track your spending carefully. Pay off high-interest debt before it snowballs. Build an emergency fund that covers at least three to six months of expenses. These small, consistent habits create independence.
Many graduate students also find creative ways to supplement their income. Teaching assistantships, tutoring, or freelancing in writing, editing, or data analysis can help. The goal is not to chase every dollar but to build flexibility and confidence. A PhD demonstrates that we can think independently, learn quickly, and create new solutions from scratch. Those abilities are not niche skills. They are exactly what the modern economy values most.
AI: The Friend, the Foe, and the Future Labmate
Nothing dominates the current conversation more than AI. Some people see it as the end of research. They imagine postdoctoral work being automated and the already narrow academic ladder collapsing completely. It is true that the traditional academic model is under strain. The path from PhD to tenure has become much narrower and more uncertain.
However, AI might not be replacing us scientists. It might be freeing us. Imagine a future where algorithms handle data processing and literature searches, while human researchers focus on creativity, interpretation, and discovery. Calculators did not make mathematics obsolete. They changed how we approach it. In the same way, AI will reshape how we conduct science without eliminating the need for human curiosity and judgment.
If you are genuinely passionate about your field, do not let the headlines discourage you. Keep following the questions that excite you most. The world will still need researchers who can ask meaningful questions and interpret complex results in context. Those skills cannot be automated.
The Bigger Picture
Economist Armine Yalnizyan recently argued that Canada has all the ingredients to become one of the best economies in the world, if public policy supports investment in healthcare, infrastructure, and science. That is not an abstract idea. It is a call to action.
For researchers, this means more than survival. It means participation. Whether through science communication, policy engagement, or mentoring, we can help shape what comes next. A PhD is more than a degree. It is a mindset. We are trained to face uncertainty with curiosity and to turn confusion into discovery. In an unpredictable economy, that ability is not a weakness. It is our greatest strength.
References
- https://globalnews.ca/news/11287608/young-canadians-afforability/
- https://www.reddit.com/r/OpenAI/comments/1hm61a2/phd_in_the_era_of_ai/
- https://www.reddit.com/r/AskAcademia/comments/1lw5yvj/flexible_jobs_alongside_phd/
Tianning Yu