Ontario government gave all public colleges the ability to develop degree programs last week. Photo credit: Mohawk College
In Kitchener last week, the Ontario government announced that public colleges in the province will be able to immediately begin developing new three-year degree programs, and even four-year degree programs in specific sectors.
Degree programs, which are typically reserved for universities, are being extended to colleges on a broader scale for several reasons, which include addressing gaps in the province’s labour needs, according to the government.
Colleges will now be allowed to develop new three-year degree programs that are in an applied area of study and career-oriented. They will remain distinct from university degrees and will be reviewed by the Postsecondary Education Quality Assessment Board (PEQAB) and approved by the minister. It should be noted that there is still a cap on the number of degree programs that colleges can offer.
However, the province is making a slight change to that cap, raising it by five per cent for all publicly assisted colleges. This means degree cap limits will become 20 per cent for Institutes of Technology and Advanced Learning (ITALs) and 10 per cent for all other colleges.
It is hoped that these new degree programs will help support growth in the auto sector and in building critical infrastructure such as hospitals and long-term care homes. The government adds that the move will also provide increased access to education in smaller communities and rural areas by allowing students to earn degrees at local schools instead of having to move away to big city universities.
“Ontario is facing a historic labour shortage, and we need all hands on deck to tackle it,” said Monte McNaughton, Minister of Labour, Training and Skills Development. “That is why our government is taking action to ensure young people are graduating with the skills they need to earn bigger paycheques that are waiting for them. This is how we build back a stronger province and bring good jobs to every corner of Ontario.”
The Ontario Workforce Recovery Advisory Committee, a special group established by the province, has identified a shortage of trained workers in a number of fields, including health care, digital, data, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and process automation sectors.
It is anticipated the new three-year and four-year college degree programs in applied areas of study will be available to students by Fall 2023 since they take time to develop.
President and CEO of Colleges Ontario, Linda Franklin, called the move “a tremendous announcement” and said that it was “a truly historic day for postsecondary education in Ontario” that “will open the door to more career opportunities for graduates and produce a more highly qualified workforce” ensuring that Ontario “remains an economic powerhouse.”
Mohawk College President and CEO Ron McKerlie echoed Franklin’s statements, saying that the announcement is “great news” for the college and for Hamilton’s workforce specifically.
“It will encourage more students to enroll in programs that lead to rewarding careers and will drive economic growth [in Hamilton].”
Based in Hamilton, Ontario, Kevin Geenen reaches hundreds of thousands of people monthly on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter. He is a regular contributor with The Hamilton Independent and has also been published in The Hamilton Spectator, Stoney Creek News, Niagara Independent, and Bay Observer. He has also been a segment host with Cable 14 Hamilton. He is known for Hamilton crime updates and social media news graphics. In 2017, he received the Chancellor Full Tuition Scholarship from the University of Ottawa (BA, 2022). He has also received the Governor General’s Academic Medal from Governor General David Johnston. He formerly worked in a non-partisan role on Parliament Hill in Ottawa. In March 2022, Kevin started working as an Office Administrator at RE/MAX. Kevin’s journalism work continues to be independent of his other jobs.
Based in Hamilton, he reaches hundreds of thousands of people monthly on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter. He has been published in The Hamilton Spectator, Stoney Creek News, and Bay Observer. He has also been a segment host with Cable 14 Hamilton. In 2017, he received the Chancellor Full Tuition Scholarship from the University of Ottawa (BA, 2022). He has also received the Governor General’s Academic Medal. He formerly worked in a non-partisan role on Parliament Hill in Ottawa.
