Calgary students warn of private career college misinformation, sales tactics

Jacklyn North Peigan wanted to start a new career to help her young family, so she checked out a private career college in Calgary.

She said she was promised a job and funding for the courses.

“He said you will get everything. All you have to do is sign this paperwork. I said ‘It’s not loans or anything?’ And he was like ‘Don’t worry about it. I’ll take care of that,” North Peigan said.

After graduation she was left $20,000 in debt and without a job using her business administration skills.

“I honestly felt tricked and betrayed, because I put so much trust into this person and all of a sudden, when push came to shove and I graduated, I had to be the one to contact them,” North Peigan said.

North Peigan is one of many people who have come forward to share their experiences with private career colleges in Alberta.

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A report released in October by Momentum uncovered misleading advertising practices and high-pressure sales tactics being used at some private career colleges.

Momentum is a non-profit that offers employment and skills training to people experiencing financial barriers

Since the report was published, dozens of former students have come forward with their stories, which are now posted online.

“We’ve heard that students are relieved if they’re living on a low income and they’re all of a sudden given free money. But the dream turns into a nightmare when they realize this is debt and they need to pay it back, and they are not linked to a career-boosting opportunity. So it’s nearly impossible to pay it off if you don’t have a good job that pays a good wage,” said Courtney Mo, Momentum’s director of community impact.

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Mo said some private career colleges are doing good work. People go on become hairstylists, truck drivers, long-term support workers or medical office assistants.

“But it’s well documented that many (colleges) are providing poor-quality learning experiences, and many are providing false and misleading information,” Mo said.

Momentum is calling on the government to increase oversight and regulation, and to improve the auditing and compliance reviews of these private career colleges.

“Our communication with the Alberta (Ministry of) Advanced Education has been really positive to date. We think they are taking this issue seriously,” Mo said.

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The president and CEO of Centre for Newcomers said situations where newcomers are scammed through the “dishonest” and “manipulative” sales techniques of some private career colleges is unfortunately very common.

The former chair of the Alberta Association of Career Colleges said there isn’t enough enforcement of the rules.

“I think every time this happens it’s frustrating for any of us who are working with ethical and compliant colleges,” said Cheryl Harrison, who also serves as COO at MC College.

“I think more could be done. I think the mechanisms are there for managing that kind of thing, but it’s not often as quick as the public would like it to be.

“There’s only so much government resources to go around — I think that might be one of the issues.”

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Harrison said it’s frustrating for the private career colleges that are operating ethically.

“We offer the opportunity to get quick turnaround training that leads to jobs. For many different kinds of people, it can be really important to help change their lives for the better. That’s the thing that gets lost in all of this, and it’s certainly frustrating for those of us who have been doing this well and properly for a long time,” she said.

Alberta Advanced Education is reviewing the recommendations in the report and has put a pause on approving new applications to license programs at private career colleges.

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Provincial rules require career training programs that cost more than $1,000 to be licensed and provide consumer protection to students enrolled in licensed programs.

As for North Peigan, she didn’t let her negative experience keep her down. She ended up going to Mount Royal University and now has a fulfilling job.

“I am so thankful, because it gave me the strength and the courage to say this isn’t the end for me, and there’s something more to this.

“The government needs to do something because a lot of people are tired of dealing this,” North Peigan said.