Youthink PS

YOUTHINK.CA 14 > YOUTHINK PS > SPRING 2018 The College Advantage Why a college education may be your best option I t may seem like colleges have always been around, but in B.C. they're only 50 years old, with Vancouver Community College being the first to open its doors in 1965. Back then, these institutions were viewed only as preparation for university, with college teaching being more personalized than in high school and better focused on students' scholas- tic success. For many people, that's still the case today. "Plus, on a more practical level, many students take their first- and second-year university workload at college because it reduces their tu- ition and allows them to stay at home instead of incurring the expense of living on campus," adds Jim Reed, former president of BC Colleges. But colleges are much more than that in the 21st century. "Increasingly, they're valued as comprehensive learning institutions for techni- cal skills and trades," says Reed. "In fact, we re- ceive as many people from university as we send to them. In other words, university students are flocking to colleges for technical and trade prep." No small wonder, considering that upwards of 90 per cent of college students are employed within six months of graduation in the field of their choosing. Colleges have evolved in direct response to the changing needs of youth, and students today can choose from a wide range of both public and private institutions (over 330 of the latter oper- ate in B.C.). "Overall, more students are en- rolled in public than private colleges, but 50,000 people per year are enrolling in our private colleges even though tuition costs more," says Jeremy Sabell, president of the BC Career Col- leges Association (BCCCA). "We also have over 3,000 different types of programs, so we offer great diversity." Sabell describes the appeal of each type of institution. "In broad terms, public colleges are somewhat like universities in that the intent is to help students become more educated, more well-rounded people," he says. "But private col- leges are singularly focused on career outcomes, and therefore we're consistently engaged in the sectors for which we provide training. Quite frankly, our aim is to process students as quickly and efficiently as possible so they can success- fully enter the work world." Sabell cites two other benefits of the private college experience. "There are no waiting lists, and entry requirements are more flexible." As dynamic as private colleges are, public colleges have increasingly emphasized career outcomes in recent years, perhaps in light of the fact that retiring baby boomers are creat- ing a skills shortage in the trades across Canada. BC Career Colleges' various member public institutions offer over 250 academic, trades, technology and vocational programs, with the advantage being that their tuition is not only less than that of private colleges, but also about 40 per cent less than that for university. Colleges continue to evolve in order to remain on the cutting edge of education and skills delivery. "In one month alone, North Island College partnered with Robert Gordon University in Scotland to offer Vancouver Island students greater international opportuni- ties," says Reed. "During the same month, the College of New Caledonia's Applied Research Department collaborated with a local business, Baldy Hughes Greenhouses, to test and im- prove lighting systems. And Camosun College offered high school students a chance to see if a career in trades is right for them through participation in the Trades Awareness, Skills & Knowledge program." Recent labour market forecasts indicate that the largest percentage of careers in the coming years will require a college education or trades certification. Reed concludes, "Col- leges in general are at the forefront of provid- ing high school graduates with all the tools they need to enter a rapidly changing work world."

• Cover