McGuinty Government Investing In State-of-the-art College Equipment
Students at Conestoga College are benefiting from the latest technologies and equipment as they train for tomorrow’s high-skills jobs.
Ontario is helping the province’s 24 colleges modernize their equipment to ensure students graduate with the skills employers will need.
At Conestoga College, Ontario’s investment is helping to upgrade equipment such as the SIM training dummy for the Paramedic program; Audiovisual Projectors for the Computer Engineering Technology Program; various woodworking equipment; new computers for various programs and student labs, including Mechanical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Architecture, Journalism, Welding, and Broadcasting. The McGuinty government’s Open Ontario plan is helping to build the most skilled and educated workforce in the world, giving Ontario the competitive edge in securing a strong economy for the future.
"Together with our partners at Conestoga College, we’re working to ensure students graduate with the skills employers demand. We want Waterloo Region to have a workforce that can adapt to needs and challenges of the new economy." - Leeanna Pendergast, MPP for Kitchener-Conestoga
"Investing in our postsecondary students is the key to Ontario’s future. If we want Ontario to remain competitive, we must train our students with the latest and most up- to-date equipment, and give them with the knowledge and skills they need to be part of the new innovation economy." - John Milloy, Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities
"The commitment of this government through the College Equipment Renewal Fund is very important for Ontario's colleges. Our mandate is to provide skills education related to economic development. Colleges need up-to-date equipment and facilities in order to offer lasting value to students and employers. Initiatives such as this fund go a long way towards making that possible," - Dr. John Tibbits, President of Conestoga
"This Open Ontario Plan funding will be instrumental in helping our students achieve their full potential. It will ensure that Ontario students will graduate with the skills they need to succeed in the workforce." - Liz Sandals, MPP for Guelph
Quick Facts
- This year, Ontario is providing Conestoga College with $382,000 through the College Equipment and Renewal Fund (CERF), for a total investment of $2,286,020 over three years.
- The province’s 24 colleges will receive $10 million this year to update resources and equipment as part of a three-year $60 million investment from CERF.
- The government’s Open Ontario plan will raise the number of Ontarians with a postsecondary education and training credential to 70 per cent.
To learn more about Ontario’s colleges:
Contact InformationOffice of LeeannaPendergast, MPP Kitchener-Conestoga
Ph: (519) 571-3276 Email: lpendergast.mpp.co@liberal.ola.org www.leeannapendergast.com
Official Press Release from the office of LeeannaPendergast on September 24, 2010