OCASA/APACO

Colleges may face some difficult decisions in the coming year, Linda Franklin told the OCASA Board of Directors, but are generally in a sound condition to meet those challenges.

Ms Franklin, CEO of Colleges Ontario, said that colleges are seen by the public as problem-solvers, and are seen increasingly by politicians as solutions to political, economic and labour force challenges in the province.

In an update to the Board of Directors on Nov. 9, she said the biggest challenge for colleges will be financial — that is, meeting the needs of increasing student enrolment at a time of financial restraint. She said that colleges, like other areas of the public sector, can expect the effects of the recession to linger.

Other challenges include issues around tuition review, part-time staff unionization, apprenticeship and trades training, and adjusting to the green economy agenda. However, projects such as the sector-wide Real Time Operating System (which helps monitor and regulate power usage) demonstrate that colleges can be pivotal to helping the province with its green agenda.

She said that the Ontario government has expressed its intention to continue its focus on education. For colleges, that means improving student retention, and adjusting to policies concerning Second Career, and unfolding of the government’s continuation of Reaching Higher.

Colleges can be key in meeting the growing skills shortage since the hands-on experience provided at colleges meets the needs of employers experiencing skills shortages, she said. She pointed out that the United States (and other countries) are making major investments in community colleges. Internationally, she said, 70% of the students now in post-secondary education are in developing nations.