Conestoga news

April 26, 2013 9:24 AM

Province-wide survey shows strength of Conestoga programs

According to results from the 2012-13 Key Performance Indicators (KPI) survey, Conestoga continues to excel in preparing students for today’s labour market, providing them with the skills and knowledge that allow graduates to quickly find employment and succeed in the workplace.

The annual KPI survey, conducted since 1998, collects and reports performance data for Ontario colleges in a number of areas. Graduate employment rates, graduate satisfaction and employer satisfaction are the three indicators used by the Ministry of Training, Colleges & Universities to assess and recognize colleges’ achievements in preparing students for the labour market.

According to this year’s results, close to 90 per cent of Conestoga graduates (88.9) found employment within six months of graduation, despite a challenging job market. That exceeds the graduate employment rate of any other college in southwestern Ontario and the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA).

Conestoga also ranked first among this large group of colleges for graduate satisfaction, with 83 per cent of graduates indicating that their college experience was useful in achieving their goals after graduation.

More than 92 per cent of employers who recently hired Conestoga graduates described themselves as satisfied or very satisfied with the graduate’s college preparation. Conestoga’s employer satisfaction rating has exceeded 90 per cent every year since the survey was initiated. Full KPI results are available at www.collegesontario.org

According to President John Tibbits, Conestoga’s continued high rankings in the annual KPI survey result from the college’s strong commitment to career-focused education programs that reflect Ontario’s changing job market.

“Preparing students for successful futures as we support the changing needs of our community is at the heart of Conestoga’s vision,” Tibbits said. “This year’s KPI results show that our efforts to provide the very best in career-focused learning continue to make a difference, even in today’s challenging economic climate.”

“Ontario’s economic future depends on the availability of a well-trained workforce with the appropriate skills to meet current and emerging industry needs,” Tibbits continued. “A stronger emphasis on applied learning, including the introduction of three-year degree programs at colleges, would help address the current skills mismatch and contribute to regional, provincial and national prosperity.”

Conestoga is Ontario’s fastest growing college, serving approximately 11,000 full-time and 35,000 part-time students each year at campuses in Kitchener, Waterloo, Cambridge, Guelph, Ingersoll, Brantford and Stratford.

For more information, visit www.conestogac.on.ca

For media inquiries, contact Brenda Cassidy, 519-748-5220 ext 3336, or bcassidy@conestogac.on.ca