April Turner developed a passion for helping people with disabilities after spending time with her aunt, who uses a wheelchair. Despite the physical limitations, she saw her loved one as no different from anybody else.
“I remember the special times we had together,” said Turner, who attended the grand opening of the City College campus in Newmarket May 1.
"When I saw how happy it made her to have someone accept her for who she was and see past what she had, from that moment on, I always remembered that I wanted to help people feel good about themselves. I want to help people feel better.”
The City College Newmarket student is studying to become a development service worker to help people like her aunt navigate any obstacles in life.
“You’re dealing with the lives of other people, and you want to be prepared to know how to support them,” said Turner. “Not just support them adequately, but support them to the very best of your ability and capability so you can further enhance their quality of life.”
Dignitaries and guests also attended the grand opening of the Newmarket campus at 17310 Yonge St., Unit 11. Newmarket Mayor John Taylor, Deputy Mayor Tom Vegh, Councillor Christina Bisanz, Richmond Hill Mayor David West, and members of the Central York Chamber of Commerce and Aurora Chamber of Commerce were in attendance for a ribbon-cutting ceremony.
“I’m excited about this grand opening here in Newmarket,” said Unna Fletcher, director of operations. “This is a new location for us and a new opportunity.”
City College currently has a campus in Toronto, at 370 Deerhide Cres., North York. The Newmarket campus is an expansion of its current footprint. Fletcher has received inquiries from Barrie and Richmond Hill residents interested in attending the Newmarket-based school.
“We have done extremely well for the last 15 years or so in the Toronto area,” said Fletcher. “We looked at York Region and realized that Number 1, there is no similar college in the area. The population has grown through leaps and bounds within the last couple of years. There is definitely an opportunity to open up a career college here in Newmarket, which is career based. We’re excited about this location and excited that it is close to Barrie, Keswick, Richmond Hill and all other surrounding areas in York.”
The private institution offers a range of programs such as personal support worker (PSW), DSW, data science and artificial intelligence, information technology administrator, web technology specialist, and business administration and accounting. All programs are designed with a hybrid learning approach, online and in person, for clinical lab components and are available in the mornings, evenings, and weekends for convenience.
“Career colleges often focus on delivering industry-related skills and training for specific career paths, offering programs that are designed to quickly prepare students for the workforce in their chosen field,” said Fletcher. “Career colleges tend to be smaller, with smaller class sizes and a more hands-on approach to learning. We provide students with personalized attention and practical experience that are beneficial for those seeking a more direct path to employment.”
The programs include a placement component, which provides students with practical skills and experience to excel in their chosen field of study after graduation.
“City College offers career services,” said Fletcher. “Career services often have strong connections with industry partners and provide robust career services to help students with a job placement. All our programs have a job placement component to it, so students have an opportunity to go out there anywhere from six to eight weeks of job placements.”
The federal government recently announced legislation that will set an intake cap on international student permit applications to stabilize new growth for a period of two years. For 2024, the cap is expected to result in about 360,000 approved study permits, a decrease of 35 per cent from 2023. Individual provincial and territorial caps have been established, weighted by population, which will result in much more significant decreases in provinces where the international student population has seen the most unsustainable growth.
Post-secondary designated learning institutions are now required to confirm every letter of acceptance submitted by an applicant outside Canada directly with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. The enhanced verification process protects prospective students from fraud and ensures that study permits are issued based only on genuine letters of acceptance.
"Our international student numbers were very minimal as it compares to other institutions," said Julia Schulz, business manager. "So the impact won’t be as great.
However, based on our understanding Career Colleges are allowed to accept international students who are already in Canada and hold a student visa."
Financial aid is available for students interested in enroling with City College. For more information about City College, visit www.citycollegenewmarket.com, email [email protected], or contact 905-715-7555 to reach the offices.
