Colleges Ontario

TORONTO, Oct. 5, 2004 - Ontario's 24 colleges of applied arts and technology are ready, willing and able to assist the federal government in key areas identified in today's Speech from the Throne.

"The throne speech outlined a number of areas of college expertise that can be accessed readily," says Pierre Richard, Chair of the Executive Committee of the Association of Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology of Ontario (ACAATO). "Providing support for a new Workplace Skills Strategy, assisting in the credentialling of internationally-trained workers, providing necessary foundation and higher education in Northern and Aboriginal communities, and a growing role in applied research are key elements of the colleges' mission."

Across the province, Ontario's colleges have developed programs that support all of these areas, and have done so for many years.

"Colleges have been providing skills training and re-training to Ontario's workforce since the colleges were created 38 years ago," Richard says. "Most of Ontario's apprentices are trained through the colleges. We've helped internationally-trained nurses get the credentials they need to work in Ontario. Many of our colleges work with Aboriginal communities and industry to provide skills upgrading and training for specific industry. And, the colleges' contributions in the areas of applied research and commercialization continue to grow."

"Our message to the federal government today is: 'This is what we do. We can help you achieve these important goals'," Richard says. "Ontario's colleges urge the federal government to act quickly to expand on these areas to achieve Canada's economic potential."

ACAATO is an association of college presidents and board members who are committed to enhancing the quality of college education. Ontario's 21 colleges of applied arts and technology and three college institutes of technology and advanced learning serve 200 communities, employ about 30,000 people, serve about 150,000 full-time and 350,000 part-time students annually and have more than one million graduates.