2004 News releases

Durham College participates in new ACE program

September 21, 2004

Oshawa, Ont. - Adult learners now have an ACE up their sleeve in their search for a fast-track to high school equivalency thanks to a program that is specifically geared to prepare them for success in today's competitive work and educational environments.

The newly approved ACE program (Academic and Career Entrance) replaces what had been known for years in Ontario as the BTSD program (Basic Training for Skills Development) and is being offered through Durham College.

The revised program offers more specific options to better prepare adult learners for success in their career preparation for college or apprenticeship programs. It also meets the needs of employers who increasingly require all personnel to have a minimum of a high school diploma.

The development of the current curriculum for ACE included a review of the new secondary school curriculum, the curricula delivered by colleges across the province to prepare students for post-secondary education, as well as Human Resources Skills Development Canada's (HRSD) Essential Skills resources. The program is an initiative of the College Sector Committee for Adult Upgrading under the Association of Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology of Ontario.

"The revisions made to the curriculum in designing the new ACE program allow colleges to meet the needs of a much wider range of adults who have not finished high school or do not have the subjects necessary for admission to post-secondary education," says Jeanette Barrett, Durham College's dean of Academic & Career Preparation. "Whatever direction they are heading, they will get there more quickly and with a better chance of success under the new ACE program because it can be customized to their needs."

More than ever, completion of high school is a necessity for a good career and comfortable lifestyle in Canada, she says. According to the Government of Canada's Innovation Strategy document, published by HRSD in 2002, it is predicted that by 2004, more than 70 per cent of all new jobs created in Canada will require some form of post-secondary education and only six per cent of the new jobs will be held by those who have not yet finished high school.

"For adult learners, ACE delivers a customized upgrading program resulting in a certificate through Ontario's community college system that not only prepares students for success, but is seen by industry, employers, and colleges as a recognized standard of achievement," says Barrett.

Durham College operates on a continuous intake for the ACE program. New students are accepted each week so seats are always available.

About Durham College
For 37 years, Durham College has been committed to providing job-focused programs, accomplished professors, quality-driven innovation, student success and superior accountability. Almost 6,000 full-time students and 23,000 part-time students are enrolled at Durham College. For more information, visit our website at www.durhamcollege.ca, or call 905.721.2000.

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For more information, please contact:
Cheryl Hurst
School of Academic & Career Preparation
905.721.3111 ext. 2516
cheryl.hurst@durhamc.on.ca

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