[Coach]

Originally Posted by Bleeding Red

I'm a product of camp York with an almost useless degree in humanities.

I have 2 kids in the post-secondary system - 1 at U of T in a specialized program (Forensics) and 1 at Ryerson (after 3 years at Seneca College).

A friend of mine who is an admissions consultant (helps you get into medical/dental school) has often said that B.A. means Begin Again. I have often felt that a B.A. today is the equivalent of a high school diploma in 1950. You need one just to get your foot in the door of most jobs.

I think there are a couple of ways to improve the post secondary system:

1. Make schools specialize. Why does every University have to offer a liberal arts program? Or a business program? For example, McMaster is known for it's medical school. Let it focus on science programs that lead to health care jobs and ditch the medieval-french-poetry program. Let U of C focus on becoming the preeminent Poli-sci/Law school in Western Canada and let U of A focus on Medical/Sciences programs. A whole school focus would open up spaces and cut a ton of dead weight.

I would agree, but you would also either A) have a spread of each type of school in the larger centres (IE each city would need 3-4 institutions specialized in those streams, or B) make them accessible to people across the nation (IE, if you want to be a nurse, but the nurse school is in Edmonton and you live in Lethbridge and can't afford the move, that needs to be made accessible in lieu of getting to pursue that elsewhere closer). And then those institutions recognized as properly accredited, which isn't something that just happens overnight, particularly if your talking about wanting an education that can travel.

2. Have every student spend 2 years in college as a path to University. I think QC does something like this and I think it is valuable. It gives kids time to try things out, take a variety of courses, see what is on offer in the world from real world advisors (not high in the tower academics.) Many may think that high school does this, but clearly it is not.

I agree in principal, but I think the way to execute this is to re-vamp the primary and secondary education streams. I'd like to see kids at 16 going into what you're describing as the 2-year college.

4. Increase tuition in certain programs. Want a BA in some SJW program, pay more for it. Want a diploma in non-profit charity organization management, pay less. Looking for a degree in literature, pay more. joining a health care/geriatric program, pay less.

5. Partner with companies/departments that have job openings. Like an apprenticeship program. Sign manufactures need people, partner with a small university (U of Lethbridge) for a degree in design and marketing and get a job.

I'd like to see these combined so that as we (Canada) need more of X it becomes more accessible to become X.


I do wish there was more appetite for total overhaul of these types of long-standing institutions.