As in previous years, we hosted several 'How-to-Apply' presentations. This year, we expanded our presentation to include additional information about our website, such as college profile pages, our newsletter, and how to search for programs. We also helped applicants explore different program types (with a focus on degrees), and we highlighted the OCAS Help Centre, including how users can access it.
The goal: keep things fresh and help everyone in attendance understand more about going to college in Ontario!
Attending OCF enables us to put a spotlight on the importance of college pathways and how they can shape bright futures – and this year’s event was no different.
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Tricks of the Trade
One requirement for exhibiting at the event: your booth must have an interactive element. Our take: an interactive game show called Tricks of the Trade featuring baking, plumbing, and carpentry challenges!
Our primary goals as exhibitors were to draw people in with our enthusiasm for the skilled trades and amplify the value of an Ontario college trades education.
College System Engagement
In 2024, OCAS embarked on a mission to enhance collaboration with key college committees and address the diverse needs of learners and institutions. This strategic focus aimed at fostering innovation and promoting student success underscores our commitment to supporting colleges in the face of a shifting post-secondary environment.
College Committee Engagement
Over the course of the past fiscal year, OCAS significantly enhanced our connection with key college committees that, through their respective areas, help shape and guide the work of the college system as a whole.
This includes connecting with committees like CRALO (Committee of Registrars, Admissions and Liaison Officers), CCVPA (Coordinating Committee of Vice Presidents, Academic), and CCVPS (Coordinating Committee of Vice Presidents, Students).
By connecting with these (and other) groups regularly, we’re able to share OCAS’ ongoing initiatives and identify how partners’ needs can help influence our future work.
OCAS’ College Committee Work
As part of our mission to support Ontario college enrolment efforts, OCAS works closely with many college committees.
Committee of Registrars, Admissions and Liaison Officers (CRALO)
Coordinating Committee of Vice Presidents, Academic (CCVPA)
Coordinating Committee of Vice Presidents, Students (CCVPS)
Coordinating Committee of Vice Presidents, International (CCVPI)
Heads of International (HOI)
Heads of Institutional Research (HOIR)
Heads of Marketing Communications (HoMC)
Ontario College Council of Chief Information Officers (OCCCIO)
Looking Ahead
As we reflect on 2024-25, we remain committed to building on this momentum and exploring new opportunities for collaboration. The partnerships we established and enhanced this year have laid a strong foundation for future initiatives aimed at enhancing the quality of education and supporting student success across Ontario.
The focus moving forward will be on leveraging innovative technology to further streamline processes and provide comprehensive services that address the holistic needs of post-secondary students. By working together, OCAS and our partners are poised to continue making a positive impact on Ontario’s education landscape, ensuring that students are well-equipped to achieve their academic and career goals.
Strategic Enrolment Collaboration Committee
Co-chaired by Shannon Lipskie, OCAS Interim President and CEO, and Janene Christiansen, Registrar & Associate Vice President, Strategic Enrolment, at George Brown College, the Strategic Enrolment Collaboration Committee (SECC) was created in the spring of 2024 to foster collaboration and knowledge-sharing among Ontario college system organizations.
Their focus: create a space for a broad range of groups and individuals from across the college system to come together in supporting learners and increasing domestic enrolment.
Since then, the SECC has sought to include members from key college committees and non-college organizations, with representation from broad geographical areas and both official languages.
Vision
OCAS’ goal for the SECC and its four working groups (listed below): facilitate an open forum to share knowledge and expertise, explore opportunities to collaborate, and uncover ways to advance strategic enrolment together.
Out of this thinking came the vision for SECC, an OCAS- and college-led group with a long-term focus of three to five years and a mission to explore and collaborate on advancing key topics in the strategic enrolment space.
Key Accomplishments of the SECC
Since its formation in March 2024, the SECC and its working groups have made significant strides in establishing a robust framework and achieving several key milestones.
The primary accomplishments include:
The group identified non-direct learner personas, helped improve OCAS’ Applicant Experience Survey, and created a knowledge base for future planning.
The group explored challenges like decision paralysis and information overload, focusing on helping direct learners (or those going to college straight from high school) prepare for the transition to post-secondary education.
This group discussed strategies for connecting with unique applicant groups and addressing barriers that prevent underserved students from applying and enrolling.
The group identified and aligned on focus areas, including application trends, retention predictive modeling, machine learning opportunities, and data empowerment initiatives.
Outlook
In 2025-26, the SECC is focused on continuing to build on the insights and collaborations established so far through its working groups. The next steps include concentrating on promoting college degrees, welcoming new members, and advancing our collective goals on strategic enrolment.
Learner Focused Events
To demonstrate our support for our partners in the college system, OCAS attends several events each year that showcase all that Ontario colleges have to offer. In 2024-25, we had a substantial presence at both the Ontario College Fair and Skills Ontario Competition, events that draw thousands of participants and attendees from across our province.
Ontario College Fair
In October, OCAS took part in the 2024 Ontario College Fair (OCF), the biggest college recruitment event of the year. This annual event – which takes months of preparation – sees roughly 10,000 prospective students, parents, guardians, teachers, and guidance counsellors attend.
At the OCAS booth, we spoke with students and their families, answered their questions about the ontariocolleges.ca website and application process, and equipped them with handouts to help them choose the right college and program.
The 2024 Skills Ontario Competition, held in May 2024, was an electrifying and inspiring event. This event serves as a competition, career showcase, and trade show with exhibitors, attendees, and students spanning three halls of the Toronto Congress Centre. The exhibit area saw tens of thousands of attendees eager to experience what’s new on the show floor.
Our participation in college system events is about engaging and better understanding the unique needs of prospective students. Through direct interactions and hands-on guidance, we can strengthen our presence within the college community and effectively support learners embarking on their college journeys.
