Education/training
Colleges still delivering job-ready skillsColleges have evolved from their trade-school roots to offer hundreds of programs and a wider variety of credentials since their creation 40 years ago. But linking the classroom to the job site and giving students practical, hands-on experience remains their crowning glory. |
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 [ 2007-07-04 ] |
"Most college courses still involve practicuums, co-op placements or internships. That kind of experience brings theory to life," says Ann Buller, president of Centennial College, the first college to open its doors in Ontario.
According to a report released this spring by Colleges Ontario, almost 90% of college students find employment within six months of graduating and 92.6% of surveyed employers expressed satisfaction with graduates hired within the past year.
College programs remain career and occupation focused in such fields as technology, health science, business, creative and applied arts, hospitality and tourism, community and social service, horticulture and forestry. Many prepare students for jobs in today's high-tech industries.
Though colleges have embraced technology, hands-on experience remains fundamental.
"I happen to believe that education should be a contact sport," says Buller. She points to students in Centennial's police foundation course as an example. Through the Toronto Police Service, they mentor youth in at-risk communities.
That practical experience has made many university students stand up and take notice. In a trend that dates back to the mid-1980s, many have enrolled in college programs in a bid to speed their entry into the working world. This year, about 12,000 university grads will go to college.
"More and more people see college as a graduate or finishing school," Buller says. "Colleges started to design programs especially for university or college grads so they weren't competing for seats with Grade 12s."
According to Colleges Ontario, the average age of college applicants is 23. In 2005-06, 44% of the student body was under 21 years of age and 10% was over 30. More than one-third of students have previous post-secondary experience before entering college: 9% had earned a college credential and 7% had a university degree.
Colleges have also been quick to respond to the needs of lifelong learning through part-time studies and the creation of certificates and graduate certificates for those who have already completed a post-secondary diploma or degree. Centennial College's evening, weekend and distance education programs attract 28,000 people a year.
The trend toward part-time studies is expected to continue, says Linda Franklin, president and CEO of Colleges of Ontario. "Partly because of people's interest in laddering their careers, returning to school to upgrade skills is necessary," she says. "Technology is a big pusher of this. Because the pace of technology is so fast, the need for upgrading and certification is going to drive us in that direction. The global workplace will push for a highly-skilled workforce."
QUICK FACTS
Ontario colleges mark their 40th anniversary this year.
According to Colleges Ontario, the advocacy organization for the province's 24 colleges of applied arts and technology, 33% of Ontario's workforce (2.1 million workers) has a college qualification -- the largest component of our workforce. Last year more than 44,000 college graduates joined Ontario's workforce.
-- Visit www.collegesontario.org to learn more.
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