Colleges in Ontario and throughout the country have been working with small and medium-sized businesses on applied research projects to help businesses grow and innovate, as well as create new jobs. Applied research that Ontario's colleges conduct in partnership with business and industry will be central to our success when competing with international markets.
The Ontario government is to be applauded for emphasizing the importance of apprenticeship programs, particularly as the province strives to produce a more qualified and highly trained workforce for the skilled trades and other sectors. Ontario has committed funding towards new equipment and technology upgrades to ensure apprentices get training that is aligned with innovations in the workplace; while new funding has been announced to encourage greater numbers of Aboriginal Peoples, at-risk youth, women and newcomers to Canada to pursue skills training.
Ensuring our campuses provide a safe and welcoming environment to all students is a priority for everyone at Ontario's public colleges. In cases where sexual assaults do occur, we want to ensure that immediate and effective help is available to victims.
In other words, the student won't have to repeat any of those first-year courses. Similarly, a student who transfers at the end of the second year will have the student's first two years of credits fully recognized. This will eliminate duplication and cut costs for business students who transfer to another college within Ontario.