However, OACC learned late last week from the Chair of the TTC Commission that students attending registered private career colleges in the City of Toronto would not be eligible for the new TTC Post-secondary Student Metropass. OACC believes that this policy is unfair and discriminatory, and voiced that firmly with the Toronto Star, resulting in an article on this inequity being published on August 31.

“Career-college students locked out of TTC post-secondary pass”

OACC is working with the TTC Commission and with City of Toronto Councillors in an effort to change this policy. However, we need support and assistance from all registered private career colleges with campuses located in the Toronto area. We also need support from our students who are being denied access to the post-secondary student passes.

In the following pages we have included steps for students as well as owners and administrators to take to make TTC Commissioners and City Councillors aware of the seriousness and scope of this issue for current and future students.

We have also included talking points to guide members and their students when discussing this unfair and inequitable policy.

Our goal is to have the policy amended to include career college students at the TTC Commission meeting on September 30, 2010 or sooner, if possible.

TTC $99 Post-secondary Student Metropass

Talking Points

• Approximately 15,000 post-secondary students in the City of Toronto make the choice to attend registered private career colleges annually, and over 46,000 students in Ontario make the same choice.

• The Toronto Transit Commission’s new $99 Post-Secondary Student Metropass is not available to post-secondary students at registered private career colleges in the City of Toronto.

• The discount Metropass saves students at public colleges and universities $22 per month, with an annual savings of $264.

• This is unfair and discriminatory

• The Ontario Association of Career Colleges (OACC) firmly believes its members and their students in the City of Toronto should be eligible for this new discounted metropass. All post-secondary students live on tight budgets regardless of where they attend class.

• A student attending a university or college while working full-time taking one or two courses is eligible for the $99 Post-Secondary Student Metropass, however full-time private career college students are not. This is unfair.

• OACC represents over 250 registered private career colleges in the province, about half of which are in the Greater Toronto Area. The number of registered private career colleges is approximately 230 (112 OACC members) in the City of Toronto alone.

• The costs for including the students of registered private career colleges would be small compared to the overall costs associated with the new $99 Post-secondary Student Metropass initiative

• The OACC is willing to work with the TTC in an effort to include students in diploma programs attending registered private career colleges in the coverage areas.

Students

• Students should contact their city councillor and make them aware of the issue and ask for their support.

• Send them an email and call them

• Tell them that this issue is very important to you

• Let them know you attend a registered private career college, which is regulated by the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities (MTCU). Make them aware that your diploma program is also approved by the Ministry.

• Tell them you live in their ward and attend a registered private career college and find the TTC policy grossly unfair.

• Ask your councillor to help get the OACC and the $99 Post-secondary Student Metropass issue on the agenda for the TTC Commission’s September 30th meeting.

• Go to http://app.toronto.ca/wards/findAddressForVotingPlace.do to find your ward and the name of your Toronto City Councillor.

• If contacting the councillor via e-mail, please CC your college so we can see how many students make their voices heard.

• Join our Facebook group Ontario Association of Career Colleges (and our TTC initiative group) and follow us on Twitter for regular updates @ontarioacc.

Owners/Administrators

• Owners and administrators of private career colleges should also contact their Toronto City Councillor and make them aware of the issue affecting your students. Inform them you live in their ward and own or work for a private career college and find the TTC policy for the post-secondary metropass unfair.

• Ask them to write a letter to the TTC Commissioners asking them to include post secondary students attending private career colleges in the Metropass discount program

• Ask your councillor to help get the OACC and the post-secondary metropass issue on the agenda for the TTC Commission’s September 30th meeting.

• Visit http://app.toronto.ca/wards/findAddressForVotingPlace.do to find your ward and the name of your Toronto City Councillor.

• Please let the OACC know about the contact you or your staff and students have with councillors so we may keep track of the effort.

• Join our Facebook group by searching “Ontario Association of Career Colleges” (and our TTC initiative group) and follow us on Twitter for regular updates @ontarioacc.

Links to share

Facebook Group: Include Private Career College Students in TTC Post-Secondary Metropass

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=150753031615197

Go to this link to determine the ward and the name of your City Councillor

http://app.toronto.ca/wards/findAddressForVotingPlace.do

This is the list of City Councillors

http://app.toronto.ca/im/council/councillors.jsp

Statistics Canada recently released its quarterly labour force survey results. This labour force survey showed major growth in five particular sectors: retail and wholesale trade, business and support services, health care and social assistance, personal care business as well as construction. Small class sizes, intensive training and flexible learning at Ontario’s registered private career colleges will allow a greater number of people to train for these sectors, and enter the workforce sooner.

1. Retail and Wholesale Trade

There has been an increase of 69,000 workers in retail and wholesale trade in the past year, with 22,000 more jobs created in June 2010 alone. With opportunities in managerial, finance and administrative jobs within the sector, those trained in areas such as payroll and accounting can benefit from this growth.  Evergreen College in Toronto offers a unique Business Administration in International Trading Program, Kennedy College of Toronto offers fashion design; these are just two examples of programs available at many private career colleges.

2. Business and Support Services

This sector saw 20,000 new workers in June, and 86,000 since the beginning of 2010. This rise comes from the addition of new manager and administrative positions in the private sector. Victoria International College of Business & Technology in Toronto offers Business Administration,  and IBT College offers Business Management and Entrepreneurship diploma, while many career colleges offer diplomas for various business support roles.

3. Health Care and Social Assistance

The health care and social assistance sector added 20,000 workers in June. As the population of Ontario ages, the need for health care rises. With a shortage of health care professionals across Ontario and Canada, students at registered private career colleges benefit from intensive programs. Canadian Career College can train students for Long Term Care administration and Stafford College of Health Care, Business and Technology in Toronto offers a diploma in pharmacy assistant while many of Ontario’s career colleges, including Prestige Nursing Careers Centre, offer personal support worker diplomas.

4. Personal Care Business

The personal care service sector also increased, with 17,000 new jobs added in June. The retiring workforce has opened up doors to those looking for rewarding employment in the personal care service sector. The Salon & Spa Career College , Complections International Academy, and Body Pro Beauty & Aesthetics Academy and many more career colleges in Ontario offer diploma programs in esthetics, make-up for fashion, photography and bridal as well as spa management.

5. Construction

The construction sector has been the fastest growing industry since last July, according to the Statistics Canada labour survey.  There have been 94,000 more workers in that sector since this time last year. This growth requires highly skilled workers, and registered private career colleges such as Pre-Apprenticeship Training Institute, HVAC Training Academy and Stanford International College of Business and Technology can help prepare you for a career in construction. Diploma programs such as Construction and Maintenance Electrician, Construction Technology, Gas Technician, Plumbing and Building services Engineering are offered at some of Ontario’s private career colleges.

The Ontario Association of Career Colleges represents over 250 registered private career colleges in Ontario. To find a career college or program in your area, visit ontariocollegesearch.ca or OACC.ca

No interest after Graduation

Students have six months before interest begins to accrue on their loans – encourage students, who can, to begin paying back loans before the six month period ends.

Ontario Student Opportunity Grant (OSOG)

This grant can limit yearly debt to a maximum of $7000 for two-term year, or $10,500 for three-term year

Interest Relief

Eligible students can suspend monthly loan payments if they cannot afford to make them.

Revision of Repayment Terms

Students can change his or her monthly payment by adjusting his or her loan repayment period.

Debt Reduction in Repayment

This program may help students reduce their debt if they are still having difficulty repaying five years after leaving their program of study.

Repayment Assistance Plan

This plan helps students through reasonable and affordable payments

Visit http://osap.gov.on.ca for more information about any of the above programs

Tools For Career Colleges

Admission Standards

Use admissions testing which not only meets ministry requirements but also those of the program – this will ensure student’s can handle the curriculum.

Entrance Counselling

Remind students during entrance interviews if they are applying for a loan it is their financial responsibility; arm your students with the information to make an informed decision before applying to OSAP.

Mid-program Counselling

Keep an eye on students who are falling behind, a withdrawn student still has to pay back loans and may lose out on grants.

Program quality, industry relevance and placements

Offer high quality programs that provide good value for money invested  in order to ensure that students feel good about their education and are more inclined to repay their loans.

Use program advisory committees for curriculum development and maintenance to ensure that the material being taught meets industry standards, and will lead to employment after graduation.”

Assist students with finding unpaid practicum placements to practice what they have learned, to gain real-world experience and begin networking before graduation, in an effort to increase their likelihood of becoming gainfully employed.

Exit interviews

Conduct exit interviews with students to remind them of their obligation to repay their loans, and the importance of keeping the National Student Loan Service Centre (NSLSC) informed of any address and contact information changes

Encourage graduates to read all correspondence received from NSLSC in a timely manner and offer to provide clarification about such correspondence, as needed.

Follow-up

Once the program of study has been completed, remind students of the responsibilities associated with OSAP, and the potential consequences of nonpayment such as garnishment of income tax refunds, and poor credit ratings that could negatively affect their ability to get car loans or mortgages in the future.

Student follow-up is an important step in reducing defaults.

Contact students after graduation to remind them of their obligation to repay their loans, through the use of a series of letters, emails and calls.

Contact OACC if you have any questions about helping your students keep their loans in good standing.

Assistant Deputy Minister of the Postsecondary Education Division of the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities, Nancy Naylor, was treated to a whirlwind tour of some of  Ontario’s Private Career Colleges on June 28.  A diverse range of private career colleges were visited to give ADM Naylor a look into the private career college sector.

Assistant Deputy Minister Nancy Naylor (front, left) speaks with staff at Canadian Business College during her tour of the Bloor Street West campus.

The tour featured stops at a variety of private career colleges including Canadian Business College, Pre-Apprenticeship Training Institute, Liaison College, Metalworks Institute, triOS College as well as The Canadian Academy of Dental Hygiene. ADM Naylor was shown just how varied the registered Private Career College industry is in Ontario.

At Canadian Business  College, students and staff were just getting started as ADM Naylor saw the college. The 22^nd floor campus in downtown Toronto offers a variety of programs and a testing centre. The main level dental hygiene facility gave ADM Naylor a firsthand look at the unique classroom for dental hygiene students.

During the course of the tour, ADM Naylor spoke with students and staff alike to gain some perspective on higher education and PCCs. Tom Bozic spoke about his former job being moved off shore. He decided to attend Pre-Apprenticeship Training Institute in order to get a jump start on his career, and already has a job interview with one of Canada’s largest telecommunications companies.

At Liaison college, a light lunch was followed up with a tour and a brief stop to speak with one of the students. Monica Osei-Bonsu felt going back to college was a challenge being around fellow students who are much younger, but after some encouragement from her faculty, she has stayed the course and helped serve up a delicious three-course meal to ADM Naylor.

The tour made its way to Metalworks Institute, a one-of-a-kind college where the students learn the tools of the music trade. The college is next to Metalworks Studios where big names in Canadian music, such as Drake, Rush and Anne Murray, have recorded albums.

triOS Mississauga Campus welcomed ADM Naylor with a tour the newly renovated facility and learned about the college’s unique features.

ADM Naylor was very interested in the facilities she visited along the tour, stopping often to snap photos to bring back to the Ministry offices.

Here’s a behind the scenes look at the tour!

ADM Naylor (left) speaks with students at Pre-Apprenticeship Training Institute about why they chose to continue their education at one of Ontario’s many registered Private Career Colleges

At The Canadian Academy of Dental Hygiene ADM Naylor spoke with staff about their new facility and the dental hygiene industry.

triOS CEO Frank Gerencser (centre) speaks with ADM Naylor about one of the many programs triOS offers.

Chef David Bakker (left) helps one of his students “plate” the lunch for ADM Naylor at Liaison College Lakeshore Campus.

ADM Naylor (left) poses with Metalworks Institute owner Gil Moore, OACC Board member Frank Gerencser and PCC sector consultant Carol Bruni inside one of the school’s many recording studios.

Winning Poster: Your Future, Your Choice by Sarah Alty of Herzing College

Winning Video – Olunama Presents OACC, by Oscar Luna Martinez, Graduate of RCC Institute of Technology

Learning is Ultimately a Personal Journey, By Kim Morrison of triOS College

To Do List, by Katherine Ker of Herzing College

I Can, by Steve Valentim of Herzing College

The Future Is In Your Hands, By Amethea Cyr of Everest College

Why a Career College by Laura Adlard of Robetech Institute

Be Ahead, by Anna Kazakevitch

Choose the Best, By Diane Brisson of CTS Canadian Career College

VIDEOS

Though it has been in the works for several months, the Ontario Association of Career Colleges is happy to share our latest newsletter with members. The 411: A Guide to Career Colleges in Ontario is designed specifically for high school students and guidance counsellors.

OACC sent out the first edition of the 411 today via email to almost 1,000 guidance counsellors across the province. The information-packed newsletter will be issued on a quarterly basis. It is intended to inform students and counsellors about the career college sector. The May 2010 edition contains facts about career colleges in Ontario and a guideline on how to choose a career college. Click here to read the 411.

The above video was the first one to be entered. It was done by Nicole Vansconcelos, a student at Medix School. Other entries have been submitted by Guino Anderson of Trebas Institute and two classes at triOS College. Click here to view all the videos and VOTE on your favourite! The most-voted on entries will be the finalists. One video will win $500!!!

Learn more about the Career College Challenge by clicking here. The Challenge encourages students and graduates to submit a poster or a video expressing the benefits of career education. The contest runs until Friday, June 4 – so get your entries in by submitting them online (posters at this site and videos here.) One poster and one video will be chosen by an OACC committee to win $500. Happy creating!

triOS College Business Technology Healthcare Inc. is a top rated Private Career College with eight (8) locations throughout Southwestern Ontario & GTA. We have an immediate opportunity for a Financial Aid Officer (FAO) to join our Oshawa campus team.

The primary responsibility of this position is to provide financial counselling to students enabling them to obtain educational funding resources. In addition, you will also collect tuition and courseware fees as well as maintain student records. A strong background in customer service and sales is essential to success in this position. Collections experience would be an asset.

To be successful you will have 2 – 3 years of related work experience that includes working with OSAP. Preference will be given to candidates that have experience working in a Private Career College. A strong background in customer service and sales is essential.  Collections experience would be an asset. You will be proficient with MS Office, primarily Word and Excel.

triOS offers a competitive salary and excellent benefits package to attract and retain qualified candidates.

To join the triOS team, please submit your resume by email to oshawahr@trios.com or by fax to (905) 814-7212 stating the position you are applying. The successful applicant will be required to complete a criminal background check.

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NOTE: OACC acts as a conduit in sharing information and does not endorse any particular entities that appear on this blog. If you have a job posting, property listing, equipment for sale or anything else you would like to circulate, please email laurabailey@oacc.on.ca .

Career colleges were featured in the Toronto Sun’s jobboom section yesterday. After years of working in business, Dianne Day needed a change. She graduated from the Salon + Spa Career College in Toronto and opened her own business in esthetics.  Day is not alone – according to a recent Statistics Canada report, more than 100,000 people joined the ranks of the self employed between October 2008 and October 2009. To read more, check out the article by clicking here.