Conestoga has received its allocation for international students for 2024, and we remain committed to working collaboratively with all government partners to ensure we continue supporting a workforce that is equipped with the skills and knowledge to succeed in key sectors.
As the predominant source of skilled workers in the eight cities we serve, Conestoga College Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning is proud of the contribution our graduates make to the province:
- There are more than 165,000 Conestoga graduates living in Ontario who add more than $6.2 billion annually to the province’s economy.
- The employment rate of Conestoga’s international graduates is almost identical to that of its domestic graduates.
- According to the latest Key Performance Indicator results, 90 per cent of Conestoga graduates obtained employment within six months of graduation, compared to the provincial average of 85.8 per cent.
In addition, over the last five years, Conestoga has used its surplus to invest:
- More than $500 million back into the communities we serve to build state-of-the-art facilities in key sectors like health care and the trades.
- $130 million in the first phase of the Conestoga Skilled Trades Campus in Cambridge. Another $150 million is earmarked for phase two, which is now underway. When this second phase is complete, it will be the largest, most modern trades training facility in Canada.
- $50 million in cutting-edge facilities and laboratories equipped with the latest instruments, tools, and infrastructure for expanded programming in health sciences, biomedical studies, expanded Personal Support Worker training, and our new stand-alone Bachelor of Nursing degree.
- In eight properties to expand existing student housing for our students.
We will continue with our capital commitments currently underway in Waterloo ($41 million), Guelph ($110 million), and Kitchener ($70 million).
Our allocation was set at less than 50 per cent of our current international enrolment. With this news, we will assess the enrolment and operational impacts and communicate more as details become available.
We remain committed to our students, employees, and the communities we serve to deliver in-demand career and skills training to help local businesses grow and thrive, and to contribute to the economy for generations to come.