Is the Value of Educational Credentials Changing!

The first year after the great recession of 2010, a prevalent narrative floating around was that the value of college degree was rapidly waning. This was attributed to the massive open online courses (MOOCs) popularity. Business theorist Clayton Christensen forecasted that half of all colleges would be in bankruptcy within 15 years. Others said the degree was “doomed.”

A national survey of employers at the Northeastern University however displayed that Human Resources leaders said that the value of educational credentials in hiring has either increased (48%) or held steady (29%) over the last five years. This ascertains the significance that the traditional degree today is very much relevant in the job market. However, we see that traditional institutions have been partnering with technology firms to delivery learning.

The continuous technological innovation in the delivery of educational credentials has been increasing access to and has created a wide-ranging new option for talent development and corporate training.

In a survey conducted by HBR 64% of employers agreed that the need for continuous lifelong learning will demand higher levels of education and more credentials. In essence, this has prompted a boom in post-under-graduate learning as there is an increased demand of skills in the knowledge economy.

Organizations are aware that professional education can be earned online from an array of the top universities from around the world, but are cognizant that the programs vary significantly. As employers are the key evaluators of value, there is a general understanding that they will come together around clarity and standards.

To this end, the responsiveness of business leaders to new educational credential offerings and delivery methods will be crucial in outlining the future form of the market.

Call today @ +1 416 904 3815 if you want to study in Canada. Visit our website at www.onecanadavisa.com for more information about how we can assist you obtain your Student Permit.

Canada’s New International Education Strategy (2019-2024)

The new International Education Strategy (IES) builds on the attributes that make Canada a powerhouse in international education: strong schools and programs of study in both English and French; peaceful, welcoming and diverse communities; an enviable quality of life; opportunities to work and start careers; and pathways to permanent residency.

The new IES will, in collaboration with the provinces, territories, associations and institutions:

• Encourage Canadian students to gain new skills through study and work abroad opportunities in key global markets, especially Asia;

• Diversify the countries from which international students come to Canada, as well as their fields, levels of study, and location of study within Canada; and

• Increase support for Canadian education sector institutions to help grow their export services and explore new opportunities abroad.

The Minister of International Trade Diversification, James Gordon Carr said in a statement “International education is an essential pillar of Canada’s long-term competitiveness. Canadians who study abroad gain exposure to new cultures and ideas, stimulating innovation and developing important cross-cultural competencies. Students from abroad who study in Canada bring those same benefits to our shores. If they choose to immigrate to Canada, they contribute to Canada’s economic success. Those who choose to return to their countries become life-long ambassadors for Canada and for Canadian values.”

The IES includes a five-year Outbound Student Mobility Pilot program which will help post-secondary students with the costs of study or work abroad. The program also focuses on supporting under-represented students (e.g., Indigenous students, students from less privileged backgrounds, students with disabilities) to develop the skills they need to succeed in an increasingly globalized and changing economy.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) will also improve its online services and forms to better connect to people who seek to visit, study or work in Canada. It plans to expand the Student Direct Stream (SDS) and make it available to prospective students from more countries. The SDS enables students who submit electronic applications and meet additional up-front requirements to benefit from quicker processing times.

Canada has world- famous universities such as McGill, in Montreal, and the University of Toronto, both of which are popular with international students. To make sure that Canada will remain one of the world’s top destination for learning, the new (IES) aims to strengthen Canadian international education competitive advantage to enable students to take what they learn and use it to help create jobs.

It is hoped that IES will increase awareness of what Canada has to offer international students and will contribute to Canada’s reputation as a respected centre of international education.

IRCC launches Agri-Food Immigration Pilot

IRCC is launching a new 3-year economic immigration pilot that will fill labour shortages mainly in meat processing and mushroom production, within the agri-food sector.

The agriculture and agri-food industry are an important contributor to Canada’s economic growth and supports 1 in 8 jobs in Canada.
Meat processing and mushroom production industries have experienced constant difficulty in finding and keeping new employees over the past several years.
This new pilot aims to attract and retain workers by providing them with an opportunity to become permanent residents.
Temporary foreign workers with more than 12 months of Canadian work experience in some occupations be able to apply under this pilot program as of 2020.
The Agri-Food Immigration Pilot complements the Atlantic Immigration Pilot, the Provincial Nominee Program and the recently launched Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot.