Alberta has a relatively young population compared to the rest of Canada. The number of students that attend early childhood services through Grade 12 in all Alberta schools in the 2015–2016 school year rose by 2.3% from the previous year. This was an increase from 676,332 to 691,648 students.
Following the 2015 economic downturn, the number of students attending post-secondary schools was expected to climb in 2016 as Albertans upgraded their skills. To that end, there was a 22% rise in provincial government student loans, 7.0% more scholarships, and 16% more grants in 2016.The Government of Alberta also announced a $1,000 Apprentice Training Award in 2016 to help unemployed apprentices continue their technical training. The 2017 provincial budget also extended the tuition freeze at post-secondary institutions for a third year.