Top Ten

April 11, 2007

Ontario Colleges release KPI results

90% of employers surveyed are satisfied with Ontario college graduates hired in the last year. The survey was part of an annual KPI measure collected by an independent research firm. 90.1% of college grads were employed within 6 months of finishing their programs. 82% were satisfied with the "usefulness" of their college education. Students also reported that they would like to see improvements to programs and services. Complete KPI results are available on the Colleges Ontario website. Colleges Ontario | The Toronto Star

Earn a Rotman MBA before breakfast

The latest flavour in MBA recruitment is Rotman's new morning program that will allow student-professionals to attend class in the hours before the workday. The "Morning MBA" is meant for those that want a full MBA curriculum without cost to their professional or personal schedules, and the bulk of its classes are between 7:00 and 8:59am on Tuesday and Thursday mornings. According to the school, this is a global scheduling first. The 3-year program will accommodate 65 students, with another 65 in an evening stream, starting in September 2007. Rotman News Release

CPRN urges better labour pathways for youth

A new report from the Canadian Policy Research Networks (CPRN) looking at BC, Alberta, Ontario and Newfoundland & Labrador concludes that governments could be doing more to set young people on a pathway to satisfactory employment. Young people require a structured pathway from school to work -- one that offers guidance, a strong safety net, and opportunities to work while still in school. High school apprenticeship programs are in place in 3 of the 4 provinces studied, but with low and gendered participation. There is a lack of data on student outcomes and very few students have been engaged by off-campus career-related training, despite a commitment by provinces to programs of this sort. Pathways for Youth to the Labour Market

Newfoundland offers medical coverage to international students

International and new Canadian students are being targeted by Newfoundland and Labrador as a way to boost an aging population and the lowest birth rate in Canada. $6 million is being pumped into the new immigration strategy "Diversity -- Opportunity and Growth," including an expansion of the province's Medical Care Plan which will cover international students starting in Fall 2007. Health coverage is being offered to lower the cost of pursuing studies in the province, and as a motivation for students to remain in Canada after completing their programs. The Muse (Student Newspaper) | The Muse (Student Newspaper)

uGuelph students flex ethical muscle

On the heels of approving more costly, but also more chicken-friendly free-range eggs, and voting to end their exclusive beverage contract with Coca-Cola, uGuelph students have now approved a $10 levee that will fund lighting and water efficiency initiatives across the campus. Over the 12 year period, $4.3 million will be raised and then matched by the university for a total of $8.6 million. Ontario's Chief Energy Conservation Officer will present UG's students with a Certificate of Recognition for conservation initiatives today at 11am. Guelph Mercury | Ontario Power Authority News Release

Canada's med schools continue producing US doctors

According to yesterday's Canadian Medical Association Journal, 1 in 9 Canadian-trained doctors goes on to practice medicine south of the border. Excluding US-born doctors who study here internationally, the rate is improved to 1 in 12, but fully one-quarter of McGill med grads end up in the US. In 2006 there were more than 8,000 graduates from Canadian medical schools practicing in the US. Re-recruiting physicians back to Canada could put a positive dent in the current doctor shortage. CBC

UWO expands classes to Sarnia

The University of Western Ontario's outreach program in Goderich, Ontario has met with success, and the university has decided to continue expand its regional program to Sarnia in September. Sarnians will have local access to first-year English, Philosophy and Sociology courses. UWO Distance Studies offers many courses online, but like many distance ed providers, has found that setting up a local bricks and mortar classroom benefits both the school and the community, by letting new and first-generation university students "get their feet wet" in a university classroom. Bruce County is on the table as the next regional outreach target. Western News

Physiotherapists in short supply in BC

According to the head of BC's Physiotherapy Association, organizations have stopped posting ads for physiotherapists because there are so few available that there is almost no chance of filling the positions. Demand has long exceeded supply in this field, creating a health crisis in the province and a need for government intervention, says the association's CEO. There are 200 positions waiting to be filled in BC right now, and only 40 spots per year in UBC's physical rehabilitation program (the only of its kind in the province). Alberta has a single program available, producing 80 grads per year. Ontario yields 265 physiotherapists per year, Quebec 170 and Manitoba 50. The Vancouver Sun

Risk-averse, clean-cutGeneration Y

Raised with friend-parents rather than hard-nosed authority, they are not used to confrontation and are quite content to do what they are told. They go off to school because it is the tried and tested path to their parents' lifestyle -- and with more than 30% reporting sleep problems and depression in 2004, Gen Y is competitive and stressed out because of it. Like a champion protecting his title, they are hesitant to take risks: smoking among 20-somethings is the lowest it has ever been, "get-drunk-quick" alcohol sales have bottomed, and wine is the new "party." Less than 9% of college and university students report using hard drugs (coke, acid, speed), although 30% smoke pot. Though more than 85,000 work hours away from retirement, 62% of 18-24 year olds have already started making RRSP contributions. The Toronto Star

US Freshmen have money and marks

UCLA's Higher Education Research Institute has released a report that looks at trends in the last 40 classes of US freshmen (1966-2006). The class of 2010 is the most financially well-off in the last 35 years, with a median income 60% above the national average. The top priority of last September's new recruits was raising a family, followed by being financially successful and helping others. More freshmen are indicating interest in community involvement, with more than a third considering it vital to be seen as a community leader. Religious affiliation is decreasing, as is the perceived importance of promoting racial understanding -- even though 2/3 of students socialize across racial lines in high school. Academic confidence and grade inflation are both on the rise, as is tardiness and applying to more than 3 colleges. The Chronicle of Higher Education (Subscription Required) | Inside Higher Ed | The Boston Globe

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