Ever wonder what former post-secondary students are doing a couple of years after graduating?

Are they employed? Did they go back to school? Were they satisfied with their education?

Whether considering a degree, diploma or certificate, students can now easily take into consideration regional employment data and what former students said about programs before deciding what institution or program to apply to attend.

Students visiting the BC Student Outcomes Dashboard have access to graphical snapshots of demographic and employment data, as well as evaluation of post-secondary programs by former students.

Improvements have been made to the dashboard, including:

• Easy to understand graphics and plainly worded titles.
• Availability of results by survey year.
• Availability of multi-year results.
• Improved printing functionality.

The dashboard has been updated with new 2015 data from the Diploma, Associate Degree and Certificate Student Outcomes Survey and the Apprenticeship Student Outcomes Survey. The latest data available from the Baccalaureate Graduate Survey is from 2014. Data for the dashboard comes from surveys of former students of 20 British Columbia public post-secondary institutions. These former students are asked a series of questions related to their educational experiences, subsequent employment and further education.

The BC Student Outcomes Dashboard is a partnership between the Ministry of Advanced Education, participating post-secondary institutions, and a number of post-secondary related organizations, including the Industry Training Authority, the BC Registrars’ Association and the BC Council on Admissions and Transfer.

Students have access to additional free online tools to help them choose the right institution, including Education Planner and the BC Transfer Guide.

Education Planner is a free post-secondary planning resource available to the public. Its main purpose is to provide clear, reliable and detailed information about post-secondary programs available in British Columbia.

At BC Transfer Guide, students can learn about the BC Transfer System, how to successfully transfer, the different types of transfer credit and how to move from another university or province.

Education Planner and the BC Transfer Guide are both managed by the BC Council on Admissions and Transfer. These online resources are endorsed by the post-secondary institutions of British Columbia and funded by the Ministry of Advanced Education.

Why It Matters:

Students have many post-secondary options in British Columbia, and they should have the best information available to make decisions about their education.

Quotes:

Andrew Wilkinson, Minister of Advanced Education –

“Post-secondary education or training can open the door to a whole new world of opportunities but it is important to fully appreciate the undertaking it requires. Ongoing improvements and additional resources built into the BC Student Outcomes Dashboard will help students make informed decisions.”

Kathy Kinloch, BCIT president and Trades Training BC chair –

“The BC Student Outcomes Dashboard is yet another tool that will help set students up for success when making important decisions about their futures. Detailed information on graduate employment rates, program satisfaction, and median wages empowers students to choose the post-secondary journey that is right for them.”

Kari, Grade 12 French Immersion student, Cowichan Secondary school –

“I’ve been talking to people who have interesting careers and looking through various institutional websites, but I was really pleasantly surprised by what I found in the dashboard. It contained first-hand opinions that came directly from students, which is something you can’t get from program descriptions in college and university materials.”

Learn More:

BC Student Outcomes Dashboard: http://ow.ly/WeK8R

BC Student Outcomes: http://ow.ly/WeKdv

Education Planner: www.EducationPlanner.ca

BC Transfer Guide: www.BCTransferGuide.ca