Where Do Students Go? A Review of Educational Pathways for Students and Graduates in a Four-Year Degree Program in an Ontario College

Ontario colleges were established in 1967 to offer technical and vocational programs that would lead to certificates and diplomas for students in preparation for employment and to provide greater access to postsecondary education. Since 2000, Ontario colleges have been given degree-granting opportunities through the Post-Secondary Education Choice and Excellence Act 2000. Under the Ontario Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology Act 2002, five colleges were renamed Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning (ITAL), and have been allowed to offer up to 15% of their programming at the degree level, compared to the 5% other colleges are permitted (Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities MTCU, 2018). The Honours Bachelor of Early Childhood Leadership (HBECL) program was developed in consortium by three colleges in Ontario. Students can enter the four-year degree program in Year One, or in Year Three (if they have an Early Childhood Education Diploma and successfully complete the bridging program). As students often move through various programs to obtain different credentials for their educational, professional and career needs, it is important to examine the educational pathways available for students in Ontario colleges. This case study will review the HBECL program offered at an Ontario college and examine the data from student enrollment as well as the employment and educational data (such as Ontario’s key performance indicators (KPI)) for graduates over the last five years. The results will help understand the uniqueness of the college degree programs in response to the different educational and career needs of students who choose to study in Ontario colleges. The unique role that Ontario colleges play in the educational pathways for students and graduates will also be discussed.https://source.sheridancollege.ca/fahcs_books/1012/thumbnail.jp