OSHAWA, Ont. - Shouldn't your Education Be Worth More? According to the latest Ontario enrolment data, students at Durham College are recognizing the value of their post-secondary education. This fall, enrolment at the college grew by 2.83 per cent over last year. According to the latest Ontario College Application Service figures, Durham College now ranks second in the province.
This is great news for Durham, however; the Ontario College system is facing an enrolment decline of 1.8 per cent this fall. To help boost enrolment, the Association of Applied Arts and Technology of Ontario launched Ontario College Week with a campaign entitled Education That's Worth More, which runs from November 7 to 11.
"The fact that we've experienced tremendous growth in a year when the Ontario system is facing a decline speaks volumes about the quality of our programs and services," says Bev Balenko, chief operating officer of Durham College.
Much of the enrolment growth can be attributed to three-year programs introduced in the 2003-04 academic year, in which students are now entering their third year of study. These programs include Animation - Computer Arts, Biotechnology, and Sport Management. Enrolment among third-year students jumped by 18 per cent to 612 students up from 517 students last year.
"More students are recognizing the benefits of having three years of post-secondary education," says Balenko. "The additional time spent acquiring academic knowledge and practical skills will provide students with greater career opportunities when they're ready to enter the workforce."
Communications, design, health and engineering are popular areas of study among first-year students this fall, resulting in a one per cent enrolment increase at the college. A major expansion of the college's dental labs allowed faculty to nearly double the intake in the Dental Hygiene program from 26 to 48 students.
About Durham College
For 38 years, Durham College has been committed to providing job-focused programs, accomplished professors, quality-driven innovation, student success and superior accountability. Our college has ranked first in provincial indicators for student satisfaction in the GTA for six years running, and at an 89.7 per cent grad employment rate, we have the highest ranking of the six GTA colleges. We've got over 5,800 full-time and 23,000 part-time students enrolled in just under 100 programs, as well as about 2,000 apprentices. For more information, visit our website at www.durhamcollege.ca, or call 905.721.2000.
For more information, please contact:
Heather Middleton
Communications and Marketing
905.721.3111 ext. 2197
heather.middleton@dc-uoit.ca
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