The economic crisis has forced many people to re-think the stability of their careers.
Last month, 129-thousand Canadians were laid off and economists predict it's only going to get worse, leaving workers who are still employed wondering what the future holds.
Many Calgarians are choosing to go back to school or take on extra work to keep a steady paycheck. On Saturday, hundreds of people lined up for information and applications at the City of Calgary's seasonal job fair.
Among the students and unemployed are full-time workers, like Sean Dore, looking for a second income.
"I think people aren't happy in their jobs right now. The economy is on a downside and it's affecting incomes."
The rush of applicants for even just seasonal work is a strong contrast to two years ago when businesses struggled to lure workers to the city.
Now employers across Canada are downsizing and even workers in the once booming Alberta are struggling to make money.
"I do work in a customer service field," says Toni Ribeiro, "I am a waitress, so it does affect me. People don't want to spend money outside of their home right now and it's harder to bring in income."
Ribeiro plans to solve her financial woes by investing in her education. She's going back to school for a career in health care,
"Health care is a really stable field. It's something you are always going to need. It's recession-proof basically."
Officials at SAIT are seeing a nearly 20 per cent increase in applications. Many Calgarians are choosing to re-train to prepare for a second career.
SAIT's annual open house offers a glimpse into various career options and college programs.
SAIT Vice-President, Gord Nixon, says this year's event is attracting bigger crowds than ever before.
"As the employment situation tightens up a little bit, people are looking for other career opportunities."
Careers in health care and green technology are two expanding sectors. And while the overall job market may be shrinking, the demand for higher education is only expected to grow.
