THUNDER BAY -- Confederation College is relying more and more on open houses to attract Thunder Bay dwindling high school population through its doors.
Cheryl-Lyn Lamers said it’s a problem they’re well aware of and trying to combat, whether it’s making concerted efforts to draw a larger percentage of local students through their doors or focusing on southern Ontario high schools outside the Greater Toronto Area and encouraging them to make the trek north.
Lamers, the manager of strategic enrolment management at the College, on Wednesday said hosting open houses can be a tipping point for students pondering their academic futures.
“We know that the demographics in Thunder Bay are declining for our youth. Open house is a really good opportunity to get students in. From past years we know that somewhere between 75 per cent or 80 per cent of the students who visit open house today will end up coming to the college,” Lamers said.
“It’s really important that we get the students in to see the programs and the areas they could potentially be studying in.”
The idea is to give potential students a look beyond the classroom, to see the support services available. The other big thing is parceling together programs in the proper clusters, to try to pique the interest of students who might know the general field they want to pursue, but not the specific program.
“Someone who might be interested in engineering can come and look at all the engineering-related programs. We have them going in health, media arts, hospitality and skilled trades.”
Recognizing the smaller population base in Thunder Bay, the Lamers said college officials realize they have to look elsewhere to keep their enrolment numbers up.
While students in the GTA have in large part decided to remain closer to home, Lamers said students in surrounding communities have shown a willingness to relocate north for school.
“Over the last five years we’ve been able to get some additional funding to try to go throughout southern Ontario. Over the last two years we’ve really been able to look at the data,” Lamers said. “So we know normally students in the GTA area are not necessarily the ones who are going to move to Thunder Bay.
“But in areas like Burlington, Oshawa and Hamilton, they’re very interested in coming up and settling here.”
Those numbers are on the increase, she said.
It’s both the programs and the lifestyle that are the big attractions. Students are drawn to the aviation program, with only three colleges in Ontario offering a flight program. Would-be paramedics and practical nursing students also consider Thunder Bay from afar.
It’s starting to expand, Lamers added, noting engineering programs are also starting to see an increase in interest from out-of-town students.
Lamers said the school hosts virtual tours of the school online and also invite prospective students from elsewhere to visit the campus in person during March Break.
