Employers give high marks to Sault College grads

NEWS RELEASE

SAULT COLLEGE

************************* Employers give Sault College graduates high marks

SAULT STE. MARIE (April 11, 2007) – For the second year in a row, Sault College employer satisfaction rates rank number one in the province, with 95.4 per cent of employers expressing satisfaction with Sault College graduates hired within the past year.

The provincial average was 92.6 per cent.

"The data underscores that Sault College is doing a good job of preparing people for the workforce," says Max S. Liedke, acting president, Sault College. "Colleges are providing the skills training and education that are vital to Ontario's future. Our graduates are making a huge contribution to the economy and will be even more essential in the years ahead."

The employer satisfaction rates are part of the KPI results released annually.

The KPIs, which measure the success rates and satisfaction levels for students and graduates, are collected by an independent research firm for the colleges and for the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities.

In recent years, the KPIs have found high approval ratings among students, graduates and employers, and that trend continued in this data, which was collected from March 2006 to February 2007.

Most recent results for Sault College:

• 95.4 per cent of employers were satisfied with the quality of the educational preparation of college graduates.

• 90.9 per cent of college graduates found employment within six months of graduation.

• 83 per cent of graduates were satisfied with the usefulness of their college education in achieving their goals after graduation.

• 76.8 per cent of students were satisfied with the overall quality of services, programming and resources available to them.

"We are pleased to remain number one in the province in employer satisfaction as well as also seeing both our graduate employment and graduate satisfaction rates increase," says Liedke.

While the local student satisfaction rate also increased over last year's rate, staff hope to continue moving that rate higher.

"With major renovations happening this spring and summer, we are looking to increase our student satisfaction rate and anticipate that students will respond favourably in future KPIs," says Liedke.

Plans are underway for the Brookfield Power Energy Training Centre, multimedia centre, cafeteria improvements and other service area renovations.

At the same time, colleges continue to work with the federal and provincial governments to address the ongoing need for improved funding.

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