calgary,
I have seen you post a few times on this site and it seems to me that you are quite concerned with respect to finding a job after you graduate from Mount Royal. And rightly so.
I can tell you what I have experienced in the short time I have been in the aviation industry, and from what I have seen and heard from acquaintances in the industry. (Please remember that this is only my opinion and should be taken cautiously as with any advice)
You probably already know that finding that first flying job is next to impossible but what you should also know is that finding that second, third, and even fourth job can be equally tough, especially in Canada. I know of several people that have 1500 hours with ATPL and still can't find a job outside of what they are currently doing. For example, one individual has almost 2000 hrs of instructing time (some multi-IFR instruction) and can't find a right seat in any charter outfit no matter how hard he tries. Another individual has over 2000 hours on floats (single) yet he still can't find work in the winter months.
Some people say that because Air Canada is hiring that things are picking up. What they seem to forget is that there are still hundreds of pilots still unemployed from the demise of Canada 3000 (I know one of them -- Airbus type rated -- still unemployed). The fact remains that airlines are becoming leaner, more streamlined operations which means less pilots for the time being. Although Air Canada is hiring once again the hiring is limited and you must remember that they are still bleeding a ton of money indicating that they could very well turn around after their next shareholders meeting and start cutting once again. As for the charter and bush guys, I have heard they are toughing it out and lay-offs are probably equal to new hires.
This all menas that there are hundreds of qualified pilots out there for each available job (so don't believe the gov.ca website --see below).
With that said, I still believe that if you really want to pursue a career in aviation, it can be done. Your dedication and commitment must be unrelenting. You must live, eat and sleep aviation. Patience will be more than a virtue. Imagine the hardest thing you've ever done to this point in your life and multiply it by 100. Don't believe the sales people (ie: CFI's) who say that the job will come right after you do this or that rating. If your not prepared, this industry will suck you in, chew you up and spit you back out.
As for your first job, networking is key. Treat everyone you meet with the utmost respect and never turn down an offer even if its to build a hangar for someone. It is that someone who will get you into a plane. Oppurtunities reveal themselves in the oddest places and circumstances, when you are least expecting it. Forget about sending out resumes from home, show up in person ready to work.
I'm sorry if I sound like the rest of the nay-sayers on this site. I don't mean to. I just want you to be prepared for the difficult journey that lies ahead of you. You can succeed if you work at it like you've never worked at anything before.
With regards to the job outlook from the government -- ask yourself how many times the government has ever gotten anything right? Nobody, and I mean nobody can predict the future.
If you're wondering about me, I got lucky once (yes it does happen) outside of Canada, but lost the dream job before I even started (9/11). I am now working outside of the industry for financial reasons and because I'm really not sure if I have the kind of dedication, commitment, and will to start over again.
Hope this helps a bit
Aviatter