SLC scores high graduate success rating

St. Lawrence College continues to enjoy high marks in the areas of student success and graduate satisfaction, according to the latest KPI results.

PHOTO CREDIT - St. Lawrence College

Cornwall - Apr. 25, 2011 - St. Lawrence College continues to enjoy high marks in the areas of student success and graduate satisfaction, according to the latest KPI results.

Based on the latest data, 88.5 per cent of recent SLC graduates have found work within six months of graduation, a figure which is ahead of the provincial rate of 83 per cent.

As well, the college - which has campuses in Kingston, Cornwall and Brockville - is ranked number one in the province for its Graduate Satisfaction Rate of 85.1 per cent.

"College education and training continues to prepare people for success," said college president and CEO Chris Whitaker in a news release.

"In the new economy, it is more important than ever that people entering the workforce have some level of higher education and training. The employment and satisfaction data for our graduates confirm this."

Since 1998, the provincial KPI data has been gathered annually by two independent research firms for the colleges and for the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities. The most recent data was collected from June 2010 to February 2011.

Whitaker said the employment rate confirms that postsecondary education is important for people entering the workforce. The most recent data from Statistics Canada shows the employment rate for people without postsecondary education is only 74.9 per cent.

The KPI data also found that 95.5 per cent of employers were satisfied or very satisfied with the quality of the SLC graduates they hired.

"College graduates enter the workforce with an excellent combination of academic education and skills training," Whitaker said. "Graduates have the problem-solving abilities and the up-to-date skills to succeed in their careers."

Other key findings for SLC in the KPI data included:
· 85.1 per cent of graduates were satisfied with the usefulness of their college education in achieving their goals after graduation.
· 88.5 per cent of our graduates found work within six months of graduating.
· 95.5 per cent of employers were satisfied with the quality of the educational preparation of college graduates.
· 78.5 per cent of students were satisfied with the overall quality skills acquired, services, programming and resources available to them.