Belleville, Ontario, October 8, 2014 – Loyalist College is once again helping local high school students picture their future. On October 8, students at Centennial Secondary School took part in an event called Picture Your Future, which uses green-screen technology to take students’ photos in various career settings such as firefighting, broadcasting, game development, nursing, and much more. The event promotes the many career opportunities available to young people through a college education.
“This is an excellent initiative to get students thinking about college and the rewarding careers available to them as college graduates,” said Maureen Piercy, President and CEO of Loyalist. “Today, career preparation for students is more realistic than ever before with hands-on training in our ultra-modern Applied Sciences labs, Digital Media Centre newsroom, upgraded human simulation lab and Skills Centre workshops. Colleges are training the next generation of workers to succeed in the new world of work, a faster and more technologically advanced environment than ever before.”
The Picture Your Future tour is run by Colleges Ontario, the advocacy organization for the province’s 24 public colleges. This is the second time the tour has run in Ontario, following a successful run in fall 2013. The 2014 tour runs from September to November and will visit all regions of the province. It is part of the Ontario colleges’ long-term marketing effort to encourage students to learn about the full range of post-secondary programs available today and to help them choose the path that best suits their strengths and career goals.
“Having Colleges Ontario here is wonderful for the students who are excited to dress up like various occupations in the workforce,” said Dayna Scaletta, Vice Principal, Centennial Secondary School. “It gets them thinking about their future. They are really excited about the photos, posting them all over their lockers and bringing them to us to have in the office. It’s also been wonderful having Loyalist College in the school, working one-on-one with students.”
Students will receive information about the more than 600 programs available at Ontario colleges and can download their picture to a mobile device for sharing through Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest. Students who participate in the event also learn key facts about colleges, including recent data that show more than 83 percent of college graduates find work within six months of graduation.
About Loyalist College
Located on more than 200 acres in the beautiful Bay of Quinte region, Loyalist College is a close-knit community where students and their success come first. Internationally renowned for its enriched student learning and living experiences, Loyalist provides personalized attention in small classes, rewarding field placements and superior success services. To prepare students for in-demand careers, Loyalist offers 65 full-time programs; apprenticeships; and more than 500 online, distance and in-class courses, as well as opportunities for continuing education through more than 70 university transfer agreements. The College’s wide selection of advanced diplomas, diplomas and certificates aligns with market-driven disciplines including applied sciences, biosciences, building sciences, business and management studies, health sciences, human studies, justice studies, media, arts and design, and skills and technology. In Ontario, the College’s new Digital Media Centre and the LEED® Silver certified Sustainable Skills, Technology and Life Sciences Centre are training centres of choice for students, as well as College business and industry partners. For more information on the College’s Belleville and Bancroft campuses, visit loyalistcollege.com.
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Media Contact: Kerry Lorimer, Director, Marketing and Communications,
Loyalist College, klorimer@loyalistc.on.ca, 613-969-1913 ext. 2536