New TV ad emphasizes colleges' focus on graduates' career success

TORONTO, Feb. 8, 2016 /CNW/ - A new TV ad campaign by Ontario's colleges emphasizes the leading role that colleges play in preparing students for rewarding careers.

"More than ever, parents and students are looking at post-secondary education to provide students with the professional qualifications and skills that lead to successful careers," said Linda Franklin, the president and CEO of Colleges Ontario. "It's essential that we raise awareness of how college education opens doors to a wide range of career opportunities."

The TV ad, called Higher Education for a New World, has started airing provincewide this week in both English and French. The ad will run for one month and will run again in the fall. The ad depicts how graduates are entering diverse fields such as business, health care and digital animation.

The ad responds to the increasing interest in career-specific programs at colleges.

Full-time enrolment at Ontario's colleges is at an all-time high, with more than 235,000 students enrolled in college programs this year. Full-time enrolment in first-year programs increased four per cent over the previous year.

As well, the number of university graduates enrolled in Ontario college programs has increased more than 50 per cent over the past five years.

However, parents and students aren't necessarily aware of the full range of programs offered by colleges. Currently, Ontario's colleges offer about 900 programs in everything from IT, paramedicine, aviation, advertising and the skilled trades to game development, biotechnology and 3D manufacturing. The new ad seeks to broaden awareness of how college graduates are achieving success in every sector of the economy.

"College education is the perfect fit for many students with different strengths and career goals," Franklin said. "In this new economy, parents and youth are encouraged to learn more about everything that is offered at today's colleges."

The ad can be viewed on YouTube in English and French.

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SOURCE Colleges Ontario

Amy Dickson, Manager, Media Relations and Communications, Colleges Ontario, 647-258-7686, [email protected]