Georgian College is number one in graduate employment among all 22 English-language Ontario colleges for 2015-16.

A total of 87.8 per cent of Georgian graduates found work within six months of graduation. This is well above the average of all Ontario colleges, which is 83.6 per cent. The numbers are contained in survey results released today by the Ontario Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities.

"Preparing graduates for meaningful employment is the most important thing we do," said Georgian College President and CEO MaryLynn West-Moynes. "Graduates leave Georgian with networks, hard skills, work experience and strong resumés that give them an unrivalled advantage in launching their careers."

West-Moynes said Georgian offers more than 125 strong and innovative programs whose faculty members are in close touch with industry leaders. This ensures that program content is always relevant to the changing needs of employers.

Meanwhile, research shows that Georgian is also number one in terms of co-op education among Ontario colleges. A pioneer in co-op programs in the province, Georgian continues as a leader in the field.

Georgian offers the most programs with paid co-op work terms in the Ontario college system (most recent figures from 2013-14). Georgian also has the most students registered in co-op programs and the highest percentage of programs with co-op. Almost 5,300 Georgian students are enrolled in co-op programs.

"In total, 6,200 employers partner with Georgian to offer student work experiences, including co-op, internship, placement and field experience," said West-Moynes. "We work together with employers to provide graduates with the skills and experience to meet their needs. This partnership is reflected in our strong graduate employment rate."

Lake Simcoe Regional Airport has been hiring co-op students and graduates from the Aviation Management program for years. Chris Drumm, operations manager for Lake Simcoe Regional Airport, said Georgian and its Aviation Management program are perfect partners in helping to keep the busy airport running smoothly.

"Since 2010, we have hired 19 co-op students and we currently have five graduates working with us," Drumm said. "We are proud supporters Georgian College co-op students and grads. We value the partnership we have with the college which allows us to recruit qualified candidates for our employment needs."

One hundred per cent of Georgian's full-time programs include hands-on experiences in workplaces, on campus, or in the community. Most offer a formal work-integrated learning opportunity, ranging from paid co-op terms to internships and field placements. The co-op research findings were gathered by the Institutional Research department of Georgian College.

source: media release, Georgian College