Colleges Ontario

(Toronto, Oct. 3) – First-year enrolment at Ontario’s 24 colleges has increased six per cent per cent this year, with more than 94,000 people enrolling in first-year programs.

Statistics from the Ontario College Application Service (OCAS) show the number of full-time, first-year students climbed to more than 94,000 in 2007, an increase of approximately 5,000 students over last year.

“This record enrolment indicates that more and more people are realizing the benefits of the career-focused education and training provided at Ontario’s 24 colleges,” said Linda Franklin, president and CEO of Colleges Ontario.

Franklin said almost 60 per cent of first-year postsecondary students in Ontario attend college, compared with just over 40 per cent who enter university. Like universities, which are expecting a five per cent enrolment increase this year, colleges are facing tremendous cost pressures as a result of this surge in enrolment.

Ontario’s colleges currently serve 51 per cent more students than in 1989-90, but receive 29 per cent less operating funding per student in constant dollars. “The growing demand for college education is putting huge cost pressures on the system and constraining the ability of colleges to maintain or improve their programs and facilities,” Franklin said.

Franklin added that while the enrolment growth at colleges is a positive sign, Ontario will need to see even more people enrolling in colleges in the years ahead.

“Ontario faces a skills shortage of more than 360,000 people by 2025, due to the wave of retiring baby boomers and slowing population growth,” Franklin said. “Furthermore, global competition and technology-driven changes are placing greater demands on existing employees and driving layoffs in some sectors today. Ontario needs a comprehensive strategy to address these challenges, and colleges will be central to the success of that strategy.”

Franklin said 70 per cent of new jobs require a postsecondary credential, but only half of Ontario high school students go directly to college or university after graduation.

“Ontario’s political leaders and election candidates must support meaningful targets for producing greater numbers of college graduates, and for retraining greater numbers of people in the workforce in order to avert the looming skills shortage,” Franklin said. “Furthermore, Ontario must ensure colleges have the improved funding that is essential to meeting these targets.

-30-

For more information, contact:
Darrell Neufeld
Senior Communications Officer
416 596-0744, ext. 242