connected John Di Poce South Georgian Bay Campus Connecting The Blue Mountains to the Power of Education

Transcription

1 Georgian College Mission To inspire innovation, transform lives and connect communities through the power of education John Di Poce South Georgian Bay Campus Connecting The Blue Mountains to the Power of Education Addressing regional labour market gaps Expanding access to full-time and part-time studies Increasing retraining programs Attracting and retaining local students Providing an enriched and enhanced learning experience connected

2 Table of Contents 1.0 Overview Georgian s request for a financial investment from The Blue Mountains Background About Georgian College Aligning the strategic priorities of Georgian College and The Blue Mountains About the former Collingwood regional campus Why does South Georgian Bay need a new Georgian College campus? What does the new campus offer to residents of the region? Modern, fully equipped facility with increased student capacity Programming Support for small businesses and entrepreneurs Applied research Workforce for local businesses The economic impact of Georgian College in South Georgian Bay The community value Provide lifelong learning to residents and improve overall education levels A more productive and self-sufficient population Students who study at Georgian stay and work in the area Convenient, affordable post-secondary education is important to residents Georgian College s fundraising plan Examples of municipalities that have supported Georgian In closing 13 Appendix A - Letters of support 14

3 1.0 Overview Georgian College is South Georgian Bay s connection to economic growth The Town of The Blue Mountains has long been a resort community that supports world-class recreation and hospitality, as well as agriculture. The surrounding towns in South Georgian Bay are increasingly making the transition from communities that thrived on manufacturing to four-season tourism destinations and centres for knowledgebased businesses. For the burgeoning global economy to grow and thrive in The Blue Mountains and the entire region, businesses need more workers armed with not only technical skills, but also strong communication, critical thinking and problem-solving skills. There is currently a shortage of knowledge-based workers. The region as a whole lags 13 per cent behind the provincial average for the number of 25 to 34 year-olds who have a high school diploma or less (Town of Collingwood: Post-Secondary Opportunities Analysis, 2009). This is a cause for concern since 90 per cent of the jobs created in Ontario between 1997 and 2006 went to those with a post-secondary education (Colleges Ontario, 2009). The value of post-secondary education has never been greater. Georgian College, The Blue Mountains and the surrounding communities in South Georgian Bay, have long identified the need for a permanent post-secondary institution. For The Blue Mountains, a local college campus will prepare residents to succeed in new employment markets, help with youth retention and provide lifelong learning opportunities to the retiree population. A permanent post-secondary campus will also be a catalyst for retention and growth of existing businesses, as well as a major attraction for new business to the area. Employers will have a local solution to their corporate training needs and access to a large, qualified workforce. In addition, prospective businesses will see the thriving South Georgian Bay region as a desirable place to live, learn, work and play, helping to secure the region s long-term prosperity. It will help to position The Blue Mountains as a leading rural economy. Georgian has been present in South Georgian Bay since 1984, providing post-secondary education to thousands of students, mostly in rented facilities. In 2010 an opportunity presented itself for Georgian to build a permanent campus, thanks to a significant land donation and federal funding. The 20,000-square-foot facility, located at the intersection of Poplar Side Road and Raglan Street in Collingwood, officially opened in October. This building represents Phase One of Georgian s long-term vision for the 10-acre John Di Poce South Georgian Bay Campus. The cost to build the first phase is $8 million. To date, $4.45 million has been secured. Georgian continues to seek support from businesses, alumni, municipal governments and citizens of the region to help complete this facility where students, workers and businesses will come to gain the knowledge and skills they need to be successful and contribute to the economic and social development of the community. 1.1 Georgian s request for a financial investment from The Blue Mountains The Town of The Blue Mountains is a critical part of student success in South Georgian Bay. Georgian College has responded to the region s need for a permanent post-secondary education campus but now needs the support of the community to complete the facility and ensure that it is equipped with the necessary resources to support our students. Your contribution will assist with the cost of infrastructure. The campus operations will continue to be sustainable. We need the support and leadership of The Blue Mountains. We respectfully request that you consider contributing $75,000 a year for four years, for a total investment of $300,000. The enclosed materials provide details about this unique and exciting opportunity. Thank you for taking the time to consider this project that is of vital importance to our region. 3

4 2.0 Background 2.1 About Georgian College Georgian welcomes about 10,000 full-time students per year, which reflects a 68.5 per cent growth rate in fulltime enrolment from 2000 to 2010; 28,000 continuing education course registrations per year; 55,000 alumni; and more than 400 full-time international students. Georgian has a reputation for creating a friendly work and learning environment. Our graduates are well prepared for the workplace or future studies, and we are a valued partner to the thousands of employers who provide co-op and graduate placement opportunities to our students. Georgian is a leader in co-op education with 4,100 placements every year. Georgian is also home to Ontario s only University Partnership Centre, offering numerous full-time degree programs in partnership with seven universities. Georgian is a strong contributor to the economy and quality of life of the communities where we maintain campuses. The Georgian family of campuses Table 1 shows the student enrolment at each of Georgian s seven campuses as of the fall of Campus Full-time students* Barrie 6,112 19,907 Orillia 1,623 3,027 Owen Sound 553 3,375 Midland 92 1,392 Muskoka Collingwood 37 1,008 Orangeville Part-time course registrations Table 1 * Note: Figures are for the fall semester only and do not include intake for the winter and summer semesters. 2.2 Aligning the strategic priorities of Georgian College and The Blue Mountains Georgian College has created this new campus as a result of its new strategic priorities, which complement many of the economic development goals of The Blue Mountains, as outlined in Red Hot and Blue. Georgian s goals The Blue Mountains goals Strengthen community and industry connections Build sustainability through innovation Advance student access and success Table 2 Continue to incubate a knowledge-based economy Design a favourable environment to attract businesses, institutions and industries compatible with our natural setting Nurture an educated community and ensure lifelong learning/ Attract satellite campuses or a centre of excellence to the region 2.3 About the former Collingwood regional campus Georgian College has been present in South Georgian Bay since Thousands of students studied at the Collingwood regional campus and have gone on to be successful and contributing members of the community. Since 2004, the campus served a total of 7,405 full-time, part-time and Academic Upgrading students. 4

5 2.4 Why does South Georgian Bay need a new Georgian College campus? The former campus was out of space Since its inception in 1984, the regional campus in Collingwood continually struggled to find adequate space to grow its programs to address the needs of the area. Over this relatively brief period, the campus relocated 10 times. As a result, Georgian had to deliver splintered education across multiple locations in South Georgian Bay. Despite these space challenges, enrolment at this campus saw modest increases over the past seven years. Georgian College needed a permanent home in South Georgian Bay to allow it to grow its program offerings to meet the local demand for post-secondary education and lifelong learning. Georgian needed permanent space to grow. Our program offerings were limited in the past due to relocating 10 times in 27 years. South Georgian Bay needs a larger skilled workforce There is a severe shortage of skilled and knowledgebased workers in South Georgian Bay. The region lags 13 per cent behind the provincial average for the number of 25 to 34 year-olds who have a high school diploma or less (Town of Collingwood: Post-Secondary Opportunities Analysis, 2009). This is a cause for concern since 90 per cent of jobs created in Ontario between 1997 and 2006 went to those with post-secondary education (Colleges Ontario, 2009). With the addition of a permanent college campus, secondary school students will see many of the barriers of post-secondary education lifted. They will also have a local source of inspiration for the endless possibilities that post-secondary education provides, thus providing an incentive for staying in school and completing Ontario Secondary School Diploma requirements. In addition, Georgian College continues to work hand-in-hand with local employment resources centres, including TRACKS Youth Employment and Resource Centre and the Career Access Centre, to provide at-risk youth and displaced workers with career preparation certificates and employment-ready programs. Georgian Triangle s professional, scientific and technical employers expect 42 per cent growth in the coming years (Mind the Gap: A Georgian Triangle Skills Gap Analysis, 2007). In addition, over the next three years, Collingwood s knowledge-based firms predict: 52 per cent will grow their business; 82 per cent will increase their workforce; and 91 per cent will invest in new product development (Collingwood Business Retention Study, 2008). South Georgian Bay has a shortage of skilled and knowledge-based workers. The new Georgian campus will help address that with convenient, local post-secondary education opportunities. 5

6 3.0 What does the new campus offer to residents of the region? 3.1 Modern, fully equipped facility with increased student capacity Students from The Blue Mountains, Collingwood, Wasaga Beach, Clearview and beyond now have access to an enriched and enhanced learning experience with up-to-date classrooms, computer labs and simulation laboratories, all in one convenient location. The former campus served approximately 80 full-time and 1,100 part-time students annually. The new 20,000-square-foot facility at the permanent campus has the capacity to triple these enrolment numbers to approximately 250 full-time and 3,000 part-time students. Future phases of campus development will increase these numbers even more. The facility contains nine classrooms, including two computer labs, one e-learning lab, one multi-function health sciences lab and one community classroom. The balance is traditional classrooms, all equipped with full multimedia services and fitted with movable walls for maximum flexibility in terms of space. There is also a student lounge and administrative offices. Most importantly however, this campus is 10 acres and includes space to grow. Please refer to Table 1 on page 4 to see where Phase One (250 full-time post-secondary students at capacity) will fit in Georgian s network of campuses. The new facility has the capacity to triple former enrolment and offer more programs. 3.2 Programming Example of long-term vision for growth for the John Di Poce South Georgian Bay Campus. Learning opportunities consist of diploma and certificate programs, college and career preparation courses, continuing education and for the first time, the opportunity to work toward a university degree through e-learning facilities. Georgian uses data from the Ontario Colleges Application Service, as well as consultations with community partners, to select its program offering priorities. We currently offer two of the top 10 college programs that Ontario students apply for and will introduce a third (General Arts and Science) in In addition, we offer four of the top 10 Second Career training program choices. Full-time Bookkeeping** Business Fundamentals (starting January 2012) Gas Technician ** Office Administration** Personal Support Worker** Pre-Health Sciences* * Top 10 choice for students applying for college programs in Ontario ** Top 10 choice for Employment Ontario Second Career training, as per Colleges Ontario Practical Nursing Police Foundations Early Childhood Education Top 10 programs for college applications in Ontario (Ontario Colleges Application Service, 2010) Social Service Worker General Arts and Science BSc Nursing Pre-Health Sciences Child and Youth Worker Paramedic Business 6

7 Future program development may include the areas of literacy, construction, health care, recreation and leisure, hospitality and tourism, sustainable agriculture and green technology. Part-time/Continuing Education Georgian will continue to offer a variety of courses, about 110 each semester, from every school of study in its Continuing Education portfolio: Business Computers Design and Visual Arts Engineering Technology Health and Wellness Hospitality and Tourism Liberal Arts Lifelong learning (ie; decorating, languages, computers for 50+ market, photography) Apprenticeship Early Childhood Educator* Academic Upgrading and College and Career Preparation This campus of Georgian College is recognized as a benchmark site for College and Career Preparation courses by Employment Ontario. This program changes lives. Each student receives an individualized training plan to reach their goal, whether it be to prepare for the job of their choice, to advance in their current job, or to gain acceptance into a college or skilled trades program. Approximately 300 students complete the program annually, with more than 80 per cent of them going on to employment or other post-secondary education opportunities. Georgian College has a proven track record of preparing residents of South Georgian Bay for the workforce. Distance Learning The new facility allows the College to increase access to online training through a dedicated e-learning lab. It will provide students with the computer resources to connect with colleges and universities from around the world. In addition, through Georgian s University Partnership Centre (UPC), this campus may serve to facilitate the delivery of courses related to degree completions originated at other college campuses through either online delivery, or in cases where student numbers make it possible, onsite delivery. And through the UPC s extensive list of articulation and transfer agreements, numbering more than 400 with 35 institutions around the world, local students will have access to a wide array of undergraduate and graduate degree opportunities. 7

8 3.3 Support for small businesses and entrepreneurs Micro enterprises and small businesses often face challenges in recruiting and retaining staff, as well as in training and skills development. Georgian College s new permanent location includes resources to help small businesses in the area grow. 3.4 Applied research Georgian s Centre for Applied Research and Innovation (CARI) connects businesses with faculty and students who can conduct applied research to bring ideas to life in the commercial marketplace. The focus of CARI is innovation through development and testing of products and services that directly address real-world challenges. Georgian continually seeks ways to help Ontario businesses strengthen and improve their capabilities and profitability while providing its students unique and relevant learning experiences. Interested businesses in South Georgian Bay can work with Georgian s Manager of Applied Research to design a project, which would be conducted at the location most appropriate for the project. 3.5 Workforce for local businesses Employer connectivity is one of Georgian s singular strengths. The College is a respected partner with many leaders in their fields across Canada. These relationships are at the heart of Georgian s highly developed co-op work experience, which includes approximately 4,100 co-op placements per year, making Georgian one of the largest co-op colleges in Canada. Georgian works with some 30,000 employers across the country and the world to provide its partners with a source of proven graduates to fill their hiring needs. Georgian has consistently earned one of the highest graduate employment rates among Ontario colleges for more than a decade. Businesses in your community will have increased access to the Georgian College network and services, such as co-op which is run out of the Barrie campus. Some businesses are already benefitting. Some examples of our co-op student and graduate employers in The Blue Mountains are: Blue Mountain Resorts Limited - Hospitality and Tourism/Business Accounting/Business Marketing/Business General students Town of The Blue Mountains - Environmental students Errinrung Residence Nursing Home - Personal Support Worker students Georgian College as a whole provides many opportunities for small business support to help grow and improve operations, including applied research, corporate training and co-op placements. Businesses in The Blue Mountains have increased access to these services at the new campus. As student enrolment and programs grow at the new campus, there will be more opportunities for businesses in The Blue Mountains to find local, skilled workers to fulfill their human resource needs. 8

9 4.0 The economic impact of Georgian College in South Georgian Bay Economic impact The new campus will have a significant economic impact on The Blue Mountains and the South Georgian Bay region through: ongoing expenditures on salaries and operating expenses, student spending, the workforce potential of students, and most importantly, attracting and retaining business investment in the area. Georgian College is one of the leading economic drivers in Simcoe County. Georgian employs a significant number of people and pays them wages and salaries which in turn are spent in the local economy. Georgian purchases materials, supplies, services and embarks on capital projects some of which are from within the local area. It also hosts events and has facilities that bring people into the local area who would otherwise go elsewhere. Mainly, though, it is the spending of the Georgian full-time students, students who would otherwise be attending educational institutions elsewhere, that makes the most significant contribution to the local economy. Fifty per cent of the total economic impact of the main campus of Georgian College is attributable to its students. The new campus will bring these economic spinoffs to The Blue Mountains, as well as intensify the spinoffs the former campus provided. The annual economic impact of each full-time Georgian student in was approximately $23,640 (as determined in the most recent economic impact study Georgian completed under the leadership of economics professor Chris Sarlo from Nipissing University).This accounts for the economic spinoffs of student enrolment at a post-secondary institution employee payroll, benefit return, local purchases, full-time student spending and visitor spending. More full-time students mean more student spending in the local economy. Historically, these dollars have gone elsewhere with youth migration. If this figure is applied to student enrolment at the former campus and the new John Di Poce South Georgian Bay Campus, then the approximate economic impact is: - the previous 80 full-time students -> $1.9 million economic impact - the prospective 250 students in the Phase One facility -> $5.9 million economic impact - the prospective 500 students in Phase Two of the campus ->$11.8 million economic impact Note: Georgian hopes to achieve Phase One capacity student enrolment (250 students) within five years. The total economic impact of the main campus of Georgian College on the regional economy was about $143 million in Its impact on the provincial economy was about $294 million that same year. Georgian College employs approximately 750 full-time and 1,450 part-time staff. The current Collingwood regional campus has two full-time and five part-time employees and 40 part-time faculty. All but two faculty live in South Georgian Bay. Within five years of the new campus being operational, staff growth is projected to be four full-time and six part-time employees and 75 faculty. 9

10 A local post-secondary institution is a catalyst for retention and growth of existing businesses. Employers will have a local solution to their corporate training needs. Since most businesses in the South Georgian Bay area are small to medium in size, it is critical that they have the option for part-time training so that working while training is possible. A local post-secondary institution is a major attraction for new business to the area. It helps position the area as a place to live, learn, work and play. Businesses and entrepreneurs are more likely to invest in areas where they and residents can find all the services they need and want in one location. These potential investors will not only have access to the John Di Poce South Georgian Bay Campus but also to the expertise in the entire Georgian College network, one of the fastest growing colleges in Canada. A local post-secondary institution is a catalyst for retention and growth of existing businesses and a major attraction for new business to the area. Gaps in the regional labour market will be addressed. It is important that local residents be prepared for the emerging knowledge-based services sector (finance, insurance, professional, technical and business services). Georgian College will continue to work with industry partners to design and deliver college and career preparation, corporate training and certificate and diploma programs to meet the needs of employers and to help individuals succeed in new employment markets. Georgian will support the growth of the agricultural sector by working with local agricultural committees. Georgian will research continuing education opportunities for local farm operators wanting to pursue lifelong learning. This may assist with reducing youth out-migration in the area and in particular, in the agricultural sector. The Manager of Campus Services and Community Relations has an established working relationship with the Economic Development Officer of The Blue Mountains. The manager participated in the development of the Town s Sustainable Path document, as well as helped deliver an Essential Skills for Hospitality program and a Youth Hospitality Day. With the expanded list of services the new campus will provide, there will be opportunities to support future economic development initiatives by the Town. 5.0 The community value 5.1 Provide lifelong learning to residents and improve overall education levels Your residents will have access to a larger variety of continuing education opportunities. The new campus provides a much needed local source of academic stimulation, as well as possible teaching and mentoring opportunities for residents. In addition, the campus serves to improve the region s overall educational attainment, which lags 13 per cent behind the provincial average for the number of 25 to 34 year-olds who have a high school diploma or less. If there is a local post-secondary education institution, then many barriers to higher learning will be lifted for example, student accommodation, cost of commuting, time away from home for mature students with family responsibilities, etc. If post-secondary education is an attainable option, more high school students will be motivated to complete their high school diplomas and more workers will pursue continuing education to increase access to well-paying jobs. Georgian is already committed to working with local high schools, including Jean Vanier Catholic High School, Collingwood Collegiate Institute and Stayner Collegiate Institute to deliver a dual credit program through the School/ College/Work Initiative funded by the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities. 10

11 This includes Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program (OYAP) students attending our Early Childhood Educator apprenticeship program. While we do not currently offer a dual credit program at Georgian Bay Secondary School, we are working with the Bluewater District School Board to expand our dual credit and OYAP programs. With increased space at the new campus, there is potential to grow these programs to assist even more high schools students in completing their education and preparing them for successful careers. 5.2 A more productive and self-sufficient population The permanent campus will help residents reach higher educational levels and selfsufficiency. Currently, the region lags 13 per cent behind the provincial average for the number of 25 to 34 year-olds with a high school diploma or less. The best social program is education. Education is one of the largest contributors to sustainable development. Employees with post-secondary education are found to have greater productivity within the workforce, possess increased consumer spending dollars, generate increased tax revenues at all levels and show a decreased dependence on government support. 5.3 Students who study at Georgian stay and work in the area Research shows that the majority of students end up living and working in the city where they graduate. More than 90 per cent of students at the former campus had a home address in South Georgian Bay. Historically, the South Georgian Bay area has experienced troubling youth migration as students relocate to college communities. This results in jobs not being filled and contributes to the aging of the workforce. At the former campus most students stayed and worked in long-term care facilities, small businesses and in the hospitality and tourism sector. Top employers include Errinrung, Creedon Valley and Stayner nursing homes, Osler Bluff Ski Club, Waterside Retirement Lodge, Georgian Bay Signworks, YMCA Child Care, e3 Community Services and Sunset Manor & Village. 5.4 Convenient, affordable post-secondary education is important to local residents Student testimonial: Frankey Sisty My name is Frankey Sisty, and I am now a Certified Human Resources Professional (CHRP) candidate. This designation is a result of completing the Human Resource Studies certificate program with Georgian College. I attended classes in Owen Sound, Collingwood and online. This flexibility allowed me to acquire my nine required courses in less than two years. Most of my Georgian instructors held the CHRP designation. They were experienced in their field, credible and focused the course instruction toward the content necessary to be successful in writing the National Knowledge Exam. Having smaller class sizes provided a caring, intimate atmosphere conducive to my learning style. I was able to meet some wonderful classmates while attending classes in Collingwood. Post-course, we formed a study group and supported one another in the quest to pass our certification exam. My positive Georgian experience contributed to my personal success and I would recommend anyone who is interested in pursuing education in Human Resource Studies to consider Georgian as your college. Frankey Sisty Resident of The Blue Mountains 11

12 6.0 Georgian College s fundraising plan While the provincial government does provide a specific level of funding per student, it is not enough to cover the expense of creating new programs, building new facilities or upgrading technologies. Also, tuition fees are primarily used to sustain operations, not grow them. The cost of this new facility is $8 million. Georgian has secured $4.45 million to date, including $4 million in federal funding, $450,000 from community donors and a gift of land. Now, Georgian needs the support of the communities of South Georgian Bay to raise the remaining funds to finish paying for the building so the College can work on implementing Phase Two for the campus sooner, for the benefit of local students. Georgian College is raising the funds through its Power of Education campaign. This campaign supports College priorities including the Centre for Health and Wellness (Barrie campus), the Centre for Sustainable Technologies (Barrie campus), awards and scholarships and now, the John Di Poce South Georgian Bay Campus. Our campaign supporters to date include industry partners, community groups, individuals, College staff, students and alumni and every level of government. Our donors recognize that their contributions will have a positive ripple effect throughout the community and economy and in return, we recognize our donors for their leadership. Our donors are true partners of the College and many participate in academic advisory committees, co-op programs, student recruitment and more. 6.1 Examples of municipalities that have supported Georgian Municipal support for the John Di Poce South Georgian Bay Campus would not be unprecedented. There has been a growing number of municipal investments in college and university campuses, including: The City of Barrie s $5-million contribution, over five years, to Georgian College s Centre for Health and Wellness at the Barrie campus. This represented 0.59 per cent of the city s operating budget. The Town of Bracebridge s $570,000 contribution to Georgian College s Muskoka campus, including a gift of land and a one-year pledge for financial support for the new campus building. This represented 3.2 per cent of the town s operating budget. Other examples from across the province: Georgian needs the support of the community to give students the resources they need to succeed. The City of Brantford s $17-million contribution (since 1999) to Mohawk College and Wilfred Laurier University. Its operating budget as of 2009 was $110 million. The City of Cambridge s $6.2-million contribution to the University of Waterloo. Its operating budget as of 2009 was $59 million. 12

13 7.0 In closing It is important that we have well-educated, skilled people to strengthen the economic and social prosperity of the South Georgian Bay region. Georgian College is dedicated to working in partnership with community stakeholders to ensure its new campus meets the needs of the area identified by those who have an intimate connection to it. The John Di Poce South Georgian Bay Campus is the newest priority in Georgian s Power of Education campaign and we hope you will partner with us to make this the best facility it can be to benefit your family, your neighbours, your constituents and your future. Georgian College thanks The Blue Mountains for considering this proposal and for taking time to continue to explore the many opportunities that exist in the South Georgian Bay region. Contact Information John Donald Vice President, Community and Business Development One Georgian Drive, Barrie, Ontario, L4M 3X , ext.1220 johndonald@georgianc.on.ca 13

14 Appendix A - Letters of support Scandinave Spa Blue Mountain Resort Shaw Woodworks/Patrick Coulter Stayner Nursing Home Travel Time 14

15 15

16 16

17 17

18 18

19 19