Ontario’s colleges are pushing for the provincial government to work alongside educators and businesses to address the shortage of information regarding the career market to students. (Study Magazine)
By Chelsea Howard
Ontario colleges are pushing the provincial government to work with educators and businesses to help improve youth unemployment.
One of the college sector’s main priorities is to address the shortage of information about career trends in the labour market.
“Knowing more about the labour market gives the students more knowledge so they can enter the work force and feel more confident,” said Career Adviser at Humber College, Christine Colosimo.
Colisimo said that it isn’t just about learning everything within the program, but that the information will give students the opportunity to know what it’s like in the workforce.
“Providing the students with better information will help them plan for what type of post-secondary education they wish to pursue,” said Director of Communications for Colleges Ontario, Rob Savage.
“The students can then approach interviews a lot better, they can polish up their skills,” said Colisimo.
Savage said improving and ensuring that there is an alignment between the types of programs students are enrolling in, and the actual demands in the labour market should certainly be a priority as well.
Strategic Plan
Fuelling Prosperity is the newly released strategic plan for Colleges Ontario, released by Colleges Ontario.
The plan outlines a number of goals to promote educational growth and stronger communities including:
- Improving Ontario’s apprenticeship system to help more students with skills training
- Addresses the need to lift people out of poverty to help them acquire specific career training and credentials
- Helping students obtain necessary post-secondary credentials
Colleges Ontario also reported that there is also a need for more information about the credentials and qualifications needed to pursue university and college careers.
Savage said that it’s important for students as well as their parents to know about the range of careers available that might be of interest for the student.
“It can also help them plan for the types of courses they’re taking in high school to ensure that they’re getting the credentials they’re applying for colleges and universities,” he said.
“The students can then approach interviews a lot better, they can polish up their skills,” Colisimo.
The province working with the school boards, colleges, universities and businesses plays an important part in helping to coordinate this plan, and creates a more visible profile about the information provided, Savage told Humber News.
“We’re headed in the right direction, now the next step is to determine how to best address it,” he said.