Niagara College has completed the “Drive for Five.”
For the fifth straight year, Niagara College is ranked number one in student satisfaction among all Ontario Colleges according to the results of the provincially-mandated Key Performance Indicator survey, released today.
“This outstanding result is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our staff and faculty, and their unwavering focus on the success of our students,” said Niagara College President Dan Patterson. “This success has translated into unprecedented growth – we’re the fastest-growing college in Ontario and we’re bursting at the seams. We’ve launched a $48 million campus redevelopment to accommodate this growth and expand our capacity. This ambitious project will position us well for future success and growth for years to come.”
In all, 85.2 percent of students said they are satisfied with the education they’re receiving at Niagara College according to the results of this year’s KPI survey. The survey was administered at all 24 Ontario colleges this past February by an independent research firm for the Ontario Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities (MTCU).
The results mark the ninth year in a row that Niagara College has been at or near the top in student satisfaction.
The survey results also show that students aren’t the only ones satisfied with the College. More than 94 percent of employers indicated they are satisfied with the graduates they’ve hired, and more than 80 percent of graduates said they’re satisfied with the education they received. The survey results also show that 88.9 percent of the College’s 2008 graduates were employed within six months of graduation.
“These results are particularly significant in light of our current economic conditions,” said Patterson. “Niagara College is a leader in terms of helping our region adjust to a new economic reality, and these results show that college graduates have the specialized skills and knowledge they need to find careers, and help our key local industries meet the challenges of a marketplace that has become more and more competitive.”
The student satisfaction survey measures satisfaction in four key areas of college life. Niagara College’s results show:
• 90.7 percent of students said they are satisfied that their program is providing the knowledge and skills that will be useful in their future careers (third overall);
• 87.5 percent said they are satisfied with the overall quality of the learning experiences in their program (second overall);
• 81 percent said they are satisfied with the quality of facilities and resources at the College (first overall);
• 81.4 percent said they are satisfied with the overall quality of the services at Niagara College (first overall).
Results are available online at www.niagaracollege.ca/kpi.
With 7,500 full-time students, Niagara College offers more than 90 diploma and advanced level programs at campuses in Welland, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Niagara Falls and St. Catharines. Areas of specialization include hospitality and tourism, technology and community safety. The College is also home to the globally recognized Niagara Culinary Institute and to Canada’s first commercial teaching winery.
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For more information, contact:
Gordon Hunchak
Director, Marketing & Communications
905-735-2211, ext. 7567 (office)
905-650-7820 (cell)
ghunchak@niagaracollege.ca
