First-year enrolment up at Cambrian

Cambrian College's first-year enrolment rose four per cent in the fall of 2012, according to numbers from Colleges Ontario.

January intake numbers are also expected to be strong, with some programs already waitlisted, a press release from the college said.

First-year student enrolment accounts for the strongest growth at Cambrian, but overall enrolment is also higher than projected. The college has roughly 4,000 full-time students.

“This is excellent news for Cambrian and for Northern Ontario,” said Cambrian president Sylvia Barnard.

“We’re seeing tremendous demand for many of our programs across the disciplines; from engineering, health sciences, and community services to the skilled trades, business, and the arts. We’re also seeing more students enrol in our part-time programs and take advantage of our online delivery options.”

Many of Cambrian’s full-time programs showed significant growth, and future graduates of those programs will help meet growing employer and economic demand in a number of sectors.

The college's mining engineering technician program grew by 100 per cent, graphic design by 83 per cent, public relations by 80 per cent, welding by 70 per cent, business by 50 per cent and computer systems technology by 40 per cent.

All of the programs within the School of Community and Justice Services showed increased enrolment, the press release said.

Many of Cambrian’s health sciences programs are operating at maximum capacity. Enrolment in apprenticeship programs is also up 70 per cent, and enrolment in part-time day programs has also increased significantly.

“In addition to program selection, we know that students choose Cambrian based on the campus environment and the services that they’ll have access to,” said France Quirion, associate vice-president, student services.

“We offer a diverse mix of services for students of all ages, and that’s another reason why we welcome students from all over the north, and the world, to study here.”

January is an important time for students planning to enrol in college for fall 2013, because the deadline to apply for competitive entry programs is Feb. 1, the press release said.

Anyone with questions about programs or applying to Cambrian can email [email protected] or call 1-800-461-7145.