Canada relies on colleges to train the workforce of the future, and the Maclean’s Ultimate Guide to Canadian Colleges provides a roadmap for the students of tomorrow.
The Canadian job market is desperate for skilled employees. As the baby boomers exit the workforce, the country is experiencing a historic labour shortage. Government officials are trying to answer the call of business leaders by relying on colleges to train workers of the future.
Many young people enter college straight out of high school, but a significant chunk of college-goers enroll mid-career or after earning university degrees. They’re upskilling in their professions or changing professions altogether. The Maclean’s Ultimate Guide to Canadian Colleges is designed as a primer for anyone interested in a college education, regardless of age. The stories speak to people who know exactly what they want to study, as well as to readers who are just flirting with the idea of a new line of work.
Our army of journalists consulted many experts to identify the hottest programs in the country, the best way to fund a diploma (yes, there are scholarships for college students!) and how to take advantage of some of the coolest aspects of a college education: co-op placements and study-abroad arrangements.
For the guide, I had the pleasure of gathering together the presidents of three colleges—Nova Scotia Community College, Lethbridge College and Humber College—for a roundtable discussion about what makes colleges such an important part of the economy. The modern-day college experience they describe made me want to drop everything and go back to school. This guide is for anyone lucky enough to be embarking on a college journey now.
If you’re in Ontario: please stop by the Maclean’s booth at the Ontario College Fair in Toronto on October 18 and 19 to meet members of the Maclean’s education team and purchase your copy of the guide.
—Sarah Fulford, editor-in-chief
