In doing so, we’ve started crafting a blueprint for how we can more effectively learn from our audiences and meet their needs for college applications, insightful data reporting, technology solutions, and more. You’ll see evidence of our work throughout this annual report, which focuses on laying a strong foundation so we can build momentum in the coming years.

As always, our work is based on what we’ve learned through conversations with our partners. The OCAS Executive team was lucky enough to visit no less than 10 college campuses in 2023. Often traveling together as a group, we went to Lambton, Durham, Algonquin, La Cité, Fanshawe, Canadore, Boréal, Confederation, Fleming, Mohawk, and Sheridan. As for 2024, we’ve already enjoyed visits with Cambrian and Georgian.

On top of that, OCAS representatives have regularly collaborated with our partners on some of higher education’s most prominent issues, like navigating recent changes to international education, improving graduation rates among Indigenous students, and drawing more learners into the colleges’ skilled trades programs.

In the year ahead, I look forward to sharing more of OCAS’ plans for the future and our collaboration with college partners. Thank you so much for the opportunity to learn more about learners, our industry, and how we can better serve you.

For a significant portion of my three decades at St. Clair, I had administrative oversight of student recruitment, institutional marketing, registration, and admissions. So, I had frequent – and always enlightening – contact with OCAS and its staff. That’s why I jumped at the chance to serve as its board chair when the opportunity arose.

OCAS is, truly, made up of the sort of dedicated, innovative, ‘behind the scenes’ people who make our entire post-secondary system function efficiently and smoothly for hundreds of thousands of education-seekers annually. In addition to helping prospective students take the initial steps of their journey in higher education, OCAS is an essential troubleshooter and advisor for every college when recruitment and registration issues arise.

The single-minded dedication of its staff is evident when one considers that, for nine consecutive years, it has been named a Top Employer in the Kitchener-Waterloo area by MediaCorp Canada. The workplace atmosphere is enjoyable because OCAS’ purpose is, ultimately, so rewarding: providing all the tools that make life-changing education available to all who seek it. Accomplishing that task, day in and day out, rightfully generates a great degree of job satisfaction.

The multi-faceted methodology by which OCAS carry out that admirable mission is described in this annual report, and the OCAS Board of Directors is pleased to present it to the public – and to thank OCAS staff for serving Ontario’s colleges and their students.