Research & Insights

The Brainstorm Report

The annual Brainstorm Report is a comprehensive research study analyzing the experiences, career interests, and work preferences of today’s university and college students. It offers actionable data to enhance student support, and inform campus recruitment strategies.

With over 350,000 college and university students participating in the past 20 years, it stands as the largest longitudinal study of its kind in Canada.

The Brainstorm Student Interests Report for Schools

Designed for leaders in enrolment management, student services, and career development, the custom school reports provide a deeper understanding of:

• Students’ motivations for pursuing post-secondary education and choosing their school or major
• Confidence in their academic decisions and likelihood of graduating
• Key sources of stress, financial supports, and perceptions of institutional priorities
• Skills development and use of AI in academics and career planning
• Career aspirations, job-market readiness, and industry interests
• Engagement with career, co-op, and work-integrated learning services

Each report includes national comparisons to help you benchmark your students’ experiences and guide strategy across the full student journey.

https://brainstorm.ca/brainstorm-school-report/

The Brainstorm Reports for Employers

No other research in Canada provides such in-depth analysis of university and college students’ career interests, experiences, job search processes, challenges, values, expectations, and work preferences. Last year alone, 24,700 students participated in the survey.

The Brainstorm Reports for Employers highlight key attributes and differentiators relevant to hiring organizations, while suggesting critical questions to help employers develop effective campus recruitment strategies and attract top talent.

Customized reports are available based on the unique attributes of students in specific majors or diversity groups, such as:

• Recruiting Business Students
• Recruiting Computer Science Students
• Recruiting Engineering Students
• Recruiting Women in STEM

Contact us to purchase your customized report: info@brainstorm.ca.

Canada's Future Workforce Top Employers

The Brainstorm survey is also the source of Canada's Future Workforce Top Employers - a ranking of the employers students would most like to work for in the following categories: Overall, Arts & Science, Business, Computer Science, Engineering, and Health & Medicine.

Visit the Future Workforce Top Employers to view this year’s rankings.

Canadian Campus Recruitment Outlook Report

Based on Brainstorm’s annual survey of Canadian employers, the Outlook Report delivers a clear picture of the current state of campus and early-talent recruiting — and a forecast of what’s ahead.

With over 35 pages of analysis and 30+ charts and graphs, the report explores:

• Hiring statistics and employer forecasts
• Recruitment methods, campus activities, and engagement trends
• Diversity priorities and most-valued student skills
• Key challenges and goals shaping early-talent programs

For employers, it’s an essential resource to build informed, effective recruitment strategies.

For post-secondary institutions, it offers insight into employer practices and priorities to help strengthen campus partnerships and student outcomes.

Learn more about the latest Canadian Campus Recruitment Outlook Report.