Some employers in Peterborough, Ont., say they’ll feel the impact of the decision by Fleming College to cut 29 programs this fall.
In late April, the college announced 29 programs would be suspended mainly due to funding shortfalls including a new federal cap on international students and the end of some private partnerships.
Nearly 30 per cent of Fleming’s student population is from outside of Canada, attending Fleming’s campuses in Peterborough, Lindsay and Haliburton.
Businesses in the area that rely on Fleming graduates say they’ll feel the impact, too. Among them is Jamie Molloy, president and owner of Iron Equipment, a heavy equipment company.
He said he’s “at a loss” on the college’s decision, which will also impact electrical power generation and heavy equipment techniques courses.
Molloy said the decision will further strain an industry that is need of more trades workers.
“It’s local people who want to stay and work locally who we end up hiring on,” he said. “To not have that group of people to pick from, we’re going to have to look a lot further.”
Dave Warda, president of the Peterborough District Labour Council, said the program suspensions will add another barrier to those attempting to enter the workforce.
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“My understanding is that some of the skills they can get at the college they won’t be able to get and so it will be harder to fill positions,” he said.
Warda said he expected some program cuts when the federal government announced its cap on international students. However, that it would be 29 programs caught him by surprise.
“We need those people who are living in our community, who want to be plumbers, electricians and so forth, to get training right here in our community to meet our community needs,” he said.
Molloy said that with similar trades programs more than an hour away, he’s uncertain how the local industry will fill future roles.
“The industry is already under a tremendous impact from a lack of technicians, a lack of skilled trades,” he said. “To just have another whack at the whole thing, you just don’t know where it’s going to go.”
Fleming College has denied multiple interviews since making the announcement. College president Maureen Adamson has stated current students enrolled won’t be impacted and that the college will ensure they are able to complete their programs.
On Monday, Fleming declined another interview but released a brief statement regarding consultations with faculty unions. Ontario Public Service Employees Union Locals 351 and 352 have heavily criticized the college’s cuts.
“We are currently engaging our unions in a confidential process under our collective agreements, whose intent is stability of employment for our staff and faculty,” stated Chris Jardine, Fleming’s acting associate vice-president of marketing and advancement.
“The college intends to respect the confidential nature of the process and is unable to offer further comment at this time.”
On Tuesday, students at Fleming’s Frost campus in nearby Lindsay are scheduled to make a presentation to City of Kawartha Lakes council. They will outline how the program changes will impact the community. Up to 50 per cent of the campus’s programs are expected to be suspended.
These 29 programs at Fleming will be suspended, the college reports:
- Business – Accounting
- Business – HR
- Conservation and Environmental Law Enforcement
- Ecological Restoration
- Ecosystem Management Technology
- Electrical Power Generation
- Emergency Management
- Environmental Technician
- Environmental Technology
- Environmental Visual Communication
- Fish & Wildlife Technology
- GAS Environmental and Natural Resource Studies
- General Arts and Science University Transfer
- GIS Applications and GIS Applications Online
- GIS Cartographic
- Global Business
- Health, Safety and Environmental Compliance
- Heavy Equipment Techniques
- International Business Management
- Law Clerk
- Marketing Management
- Mechatronics
- Project Management
- Recreation & Leisure Services
- Supply Chain
- Therapeutic Recreation
- Urban Forestry
- Urban Forestry Technician
- Waste Resource Management
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