One of the key questions here is just what is the right balance between a high school diploma, college diploma, trade school diploma, an undergraduate degree and a masters and doctorate.
Let's not be pumping out people with undergraduate and post graduate degrees when employment prospects are minimal and people end up in jobs for which they are significantly overqualified for, from an education perspective. In the meantime we have trades where there are massive shortages and thousands that plan to retire in the next 5 - 10 years. Want to build thousands of homes? You might need carpenters, plumbers, electricians to actually do the work. Need a mechanic to repair your computer on 4 wheels? You may be SOL as there is already a shortage of mechanics and, in particular, those trained to work on the advanced electronics that are standard now in virtually all cars and light trucks.
Ontario needs a comprehensive plan to attract people to enroll in programs that are geared to meeting the needs of the economy. Using trades as an example work with industry to define the need for people, current enrollment, expansion of class and apprenticeships spaces and then discount tuition and student loans to enable and entice people to enroll. This is a long term plan, not one geared to 4 year election cycles.
This is complicated stuff to do properly, vs. the simpleton approach of freezing tuition for 8 years to appeal to voters. A huge percentage of the immigration issues we face in Ontario are a direct result of DoFo's tuition freeze and then education budget cuts. The motivation to hugely expand foreign student enrollment is a direct result of this naive tactic Ford used to buy votes.
m.economictimes.com
