In its 40 years of being in the heart of Toronto, George Brown College has become woven into the economic, cultural and social fabric of Toronto. George Brown College is one of Canada’s largest, most diversified and highly respected colleges, serving a broad and vibrant student body with an incredibly rich program mix of apprenticeship training, certificates, diplomas and degrees.

Since its founding in 1967, the College has launched rewarding careers for thousands of people. Drawing from its close relationships with industry, George Brown College creates and continually enhances relevant programs and curriculum to serve the needs of both students and employers by producing workplace-ready graduates who are highly sought after. Comparative research of Ontario’s colleges has revealed that nine out of 10 George Brown graduates get jobs within just six months of graduation.

In addition to its industry connections, George Brown College also nurtures strategic relationships with government agencies, community partners, and educational associations, both within Ontario and beyond. By remaining widely connected to the community in which the College operates, George Brown is better able to provide the programs that will enable our students to achieve their dreams of getting the careers they want.

The College has three main campuses in downtown Toronto at Casa Loma, St. James and Ryerson University, along with 10 training facilities, from which it offers 150 full-time programs, and 1,200 continuing education courses. Students can pursue their career goals choosing from diplomas, degrees and certificates.

History

George Brown College was formed in 1967 to serve the central core of the present City of Toronto area, continuing and quickly adding to the programs of two existing Provincial Trades Institutes originally founded in the 1950s and 60s.

Expanding rapidly, between 1969 and 1990 G.B.C. absorbed 4 former Toronto Board of Education Adult Education Centres, 6 Schools of Nursing, as well as numerous individual programs.

Since its start, the College has operated at over 15 different campus locations in central Toronto, and has maintained specific programs and facilities at a great many additional sites.

For example, G.B.C. has operated Child Care Centers at 9 Toronto facilities, jointly serving the general population and as learning labs for the College’s students.

Major building programs have occurred at the Casa Loma (1973, 2003), and St. James (1976, 1987, 2003) sites, shaping the two present campuses.

In 2002, George Brown began to operate a number of individual and collaborative programs in conjunction with Toronto’s Ryerson University.

The College is named after George Brown (1818-1880), one of Canada’s “Fathers of Confederation”, a Liberal politician and founder of The Globe newspaper in Toronto (now The Globe and Mail).

Enrolment George Brown College is the provincial leader in application and enrolment growth for the 2002/2003 and 2003/2004 academic years. Current Full-time students: 14,000 Continuing Education students: 50,000 International Students: 1,300 from more than 95 countries. Campuses George Brown College has three campuses in downtown Toronto along with 10 other training facilities. $70 million investment in new buildings and facilities in 2003. [George Brown campus locations and maps] George Brown College Programs Bachelor’s degrees: 7 (three bachelor’s degrees are offered in co-operation with Ryerson University and Bemidji State University, Minnesota) Full-time programs: 150* Continuing Education courses: 1,200 *Note: the number of programs may vary throughout the year

Student Success George Brown College students are prepared for careers in the sectors that will shape the city-region’s future. Job-ready graduates achieve a high degree of success meeting career goals after graduation. Employer Satisfaction 90 per cent of employers are very satisfied/satisfied with George Brown graduate job performance. Established George Brown College was established in 1967 by the Government of Ontario to serve the population of the City of Toronto. Financial Performance George Brown College is the Ontario college system leader in financial efficiency, with outstanding operating financial performance. Academic Affiliations and Credentials Member: Association of Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology of Ontario Association of Canadian Community Colleges. Degree programs approved by the Ontario Post-secondary Education Quality Assessment Board.

Centennial College is Ontario’s first community college, established in 1966, primarily serving the eastern portion of the Greater Toronto Area through four campuses and seven satellite locations. It has a record of exemplary teaching, innovative programming and extensive partnership building. Centennial is recognized as one of the most culturally diverse post-secondary institutions in Canada. Almost 100 ethno cultural groups are represented and 80 languages are spoken on campus.

Centennial College offers programs in business, communications, community and health studies, general arts, English language studies, engineering technology, hospitality, tourism and transportation.

As a large and diverse public college with four campuses across Toronto, we have a reputation for exemplary teaching, innovative programming and extensive industry partnerships.

Whether you’re just out of high school, bringing career focus to your university degree or making a career change, Centennial provides you with both the education and the practical skills you need to succeed.

Centennial is committed to both broad public access and successful career education. Offering more than 95 diploma and certificate programs on a full-time and Continuing Education basis in business, communication arts, community and consumer services, engineering technology, health and transportation. These career-oriented programs emphasize practical experience with laboratory learning, industry and agency placements, as well as co-op education. Students also prepare for college and university through the General Arts and Science program, and English language training. Centennial supports enrolments of 12,000 full-time students and 28,000 in Continuing Education.

Mission Statement
To educate students for career success.

We make every decision to support the career and personal development of our learners. Our curriculum, teaching and services demonstrate that we value the diverse profiles of our learners.

Vision Statement
Transforming lives and communities through learning.

Strategic Directions

1. Meet the needs of internal and external communities by:

• providing lifelong education and training that produces graduates with the skills necessary to sustain individual career success within a global economy;
• providing employers and communities with the human resources they will require for economic success and contribution to the community;
• taking a leadership position in influencing education and other related public policies; and,conducting applied research that will create the new products and services necessary for sustaining the economic health of our external communities.

2. Make Centennial College the college of choice in our target market by:

• providing high quality, innovative, and responsive education and training programs, including comprehensive education that lead toward certificates, diplomas and applied degrees;
• advancing new approaches to education, including academic centres of excellence;
• entering into alliances with industry and academic partners to enhance Centennial’s education and applied research thrust;
• promoting the unique character of Centennial’s campuses; and,
• providing an effective, supportive, safe, accessible and affordable learning environment, using state-of-the-art information technologies, where appropriate, to support these directions.

3. Make Centennial College the employer of choice for management, faculty and support staff by:

• promoting a proactive approach to professional development;
• ensuring that our people have the necessary support and tools to fulfill their responsibilities;
• providing an effective, supportive, safe, secure and accessible working environment; and
• nurturing continuous improvement of working relationships at all levels in the college.

4. Value and respect our multicultural diversity by:

• sustaining an operating environment that capitalizes on the unique contributions of our multicultural communities; and
• equipping our students with the skills necessary to respond to the opportunities and challenges associated with ever-changing societal demographics.

5. Ensure that sufficient financial resources are obtained in order to achieve the organization’s strategic objectives.