Education/training

Recession shines spotlight on career colleges

Career colleges have been around for more than 140 years and produce some 40,000 graduates a year.

LINDA WHITE -- Special to Sun Media
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Insiders describe them as the education sector's best-kept secret, but today's shaky economy just may shed new light on all they have to offer.

"Anecdotally, I get a sense that enrolments at private career colleges are up," says Paul Kitchin, executive director of the Ontario Association of Career Colleges. The non-profit organization represents 230 career colleges -- nearly half of the 500 in the province -- and 70% of total career college enrolment.

Why the renewed interest in something that's been around so long? For starters, career colleges offer a wide range of diploma and certificate programs in such career groups as automotive, business, computer, culinary, electronics, IT, medical, legal, personal care and welding.

Intense training and continuous intake make them especially attractive to people wanting to upgrade their skills in a bid to protect their jobs, as well as victims of the recession who need new skills -- and quick.

1,000 HOURS IN 40 WEEKS



"A student in a typical two-year program at a community college receives 1,000 to 1,200 hours of in-class instruction, including any practicum, which is spread over two academic years," Kitchin says. "At a career college, you could accomplish 1,000 hours in 40 weeks.

"This is particularly important for people who have just been laid off," he says. The average age of a career college student is 28 years. Roughly 30% are over the age of 35 and about 40% have previously attended university or community college.

Most career colleges offer multiple intakes and program start dates throughout the year, including May through August. "Some offer five or six intakes and others offer monthly and even weekly intakes, which is very attractive to somebody who has commitments like a family and needs to move quickly," Kitchin says.

Flexible scheduling is another draw. Career colleges typically offer instructions in blocks, such as 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., 1 to 6 p.m. and even 6 to 11 p.m. "Some of our students may have part-time jobs and others have daycare commitments," Kitchin says. "Flexibility fits their schedules."

linda.white@rogers.com



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