Fleming College

Ontario colleges were pleased to see the provincial government’s throne speech stress the need to improve postsecondary participation rates, Fleming President Dr. Tony Tilly said today. “The speech clearly identified that greater numbers of young people need to pursue further education and training after high school,” Dr. Tilly said. “There is recognition that college education and training helps people to fulfil their potential and make a meaningful contribution to the workforce. “We will be looking to work with the government on strategies to increase college enrolment and produce greater numbers of college graduates,” Dr. Tilly added. The need for “a better educated, more highly skilled Ontario” was one of the central themes in the speech from the throne, delivered Thursday by Lt.-Gov. David Onley. “When we improve the quality of public education, when we provide our young people in particular with the skills they need to succeed, we get the best workers, who land the best jobs, who in turn build the strongest economy, which funds everything we want to do together,” Onley said. The throne speech reiterated the McGuinty government’s campaign commitments to deliver a new textbook grant for university and college students and to introduce a special distance grant for students from the North and remote areas who must commute long distances. The speech also emphasized Ontario needs a plan for the economy, and that providing opportunities for everyone will be a key part of the government’s strategy to tackle poverty. Ontario colleges will play a central part in these initiatives. Colleges continue to be accessible to people in lower-income families. In 2007, almost 50 per cent of college applicants reported having household incomes of under $30,000.Colleges will also be central to the province’s overall economic plan. A number of sectors are already struggling to find skilled workers, and the skills shortage will soon escalate. Even with strong immigration levels, Ontario is expected to be short more than 360,000 skilled employees by 2025, and more than 560,000 skilled employees by 2030.Providing greater numbers of people with college education and training will help Ontario to produce the skilled workforce that is essential to our prosperity, Dr. Tilly said. “The government is right when it says that all people must have the opportunity to make a meaningful contribution,” Dr. Tilly said. “We look forward to working with government to ensure this happens.”