Students are either already out looking for jobs or they soon will be.

It might not be that easy.

Richard Truscott, the Vice-President of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business for Alberta and B.C., says times are still pretty tough.

"On balance business owners by their very nature are resilient,  small businesses will endure, but unlike previous recessions we did see layoffs in the recent downturn, in fact a third of our members are still saying they're expecting to cutback staff, only eight per cent say they're looking to hire," Truscott says.

He says business confidence has risen a bit and there may be some members of the CFIB who are more confident about the future and that bodes well for young people looking for a job.

Truscott says the looming carbon tax and the Alberta government's plan for a $15 an hour minimum wage are hampering hiring plans.