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With the global economy teetering on the edge of recession, job prospects for university students are looking a little undefined, distant. For some, there is a familiar, time-honoured retreat: more school.
 
Education is the perfect haven in which to ride out economic turmoil - for those with the resources. Increasingly, however, a new destination is being charted by some university graduates looking for some relevant education to augment their theory-based knowledge. It's community college.
 
Long considered university's under-appreciated sibling, community colleges across the country have been working hard to earn new respect. By offering a surfeit of post-diploma programs designed specifically for college and university graduates, the colleges are gaining favour with those who have had a difficult time breaking into careers.
 
"I'd say 50 to 60 percent of my university colleagues are still working on finding an application for their studies," says Rob Taharally, who graduated from McMaster University in Hamilton. With two undergrad degrees in sociology and religious studies, Rob was diploma rich but career poor.
 
Rob sought counselling at the university. Having expressed an interest in the health and social aspects of religion, his counsellor suggested 'wellness' as a career field. "Wellness focuses on the complete well-being of individuals and groups within a community context, such as the workplace," explains Rob. Upon his counsellor's advice, Rob enrolled in a one-year wellness program at Centennial College in Toronto.
 
The program allowed him to combine his resourcefulness and knack for assimilating information with some pretty intensive studies involving group and field work. It also allowed him to refine his social skills. "College allows you to develop the social aspects of your personality. At university I was an introvert. I only knew two or three people at McMaster. When I started the wellness program at Centennial I started to come out of my shell. In addition to course material, they teach you how to communicate and relate to people."
 
To say Rob has a thirst for knowledge is an understatement. After graduating from college he taught CPR lifesaving techniques for a year but still felt unfulfilled. So he came back to Centennial to pursue massage therapy.
 
Rob was undaunted by the challenges of starting yet another college program. "Financially, it's easier than university; the work experience offers you the opportunity to make some money; and you can get a lot of course credits for your university studies. You can't lose."
 
Rob is one of a growing legion of university students who see community college as a natural progression from university. "In the past, the flow has always been college to university; now we know students are migrating in both directions," says Lisa Mark, liaison and student recruitment manager at Centennial. "We tend to view a college diploma as an extension to a university graduate's education, adding practical experience to their theoretical knowledge. The college curriculum always has an aspect of practical application, whether it's paid co-op, internship or experience in campus labs."
 
Lisa says her team makes numerous presentations to university students every school year and the message is always the same: college is about jobs and the application of their knowledge. "Universities and colleges are finally growing closer and it seems to be a welcome development by the university cohort."
 
Some of the biggest proponents of college education are employers. They want to see university grads with demonstrable skills as well as knowledge. "In some industries, a college-university combination may become the benchmark," suggests Lisa. "The financial services and investment field used to be the domain of the university graduate. Now, with college students receiving their CSC designation right out of college, along with some financial services co-op experience, employers are sitting up and taking notice."
 
With employers expecting more from an entry-level position these days, Lisa says a quick, intensive and affordable post-diploma college program could be the right prescription for university grads who may be stuck in a holding pattern. "We like to think of college as a kind of finishing school for them," she says. Now more than ever, graduates need to hit the ground running when they enter the world of work. Practical experience is a must! Get some, in one of the countless post-grad education facilities across Canada. jp