Career Colleges Ontario (CCO) is a non-profit organization fighting for the equitable treatment of career college students and a level playing field for its member institutions.
The association aims to help governments, key decision makers, and the public understand the critical role of its members and their students in supporting Ontario’s post-secondary education system and improving the province’s economic well-being.
CCO currently has a membership of more than 280 career college campuses across the province.
CCO members contribute to Ontario’s economy by providing highly qualified graduates in hundreds of essential, skilled fields such as Applied Arts, Business, Healthcare, Human Services, Information Technology, Services and Trades.
CCO has distinguished itself as an association by offering a Financial Aid Office that operates in conjunction with the Ministry of Colleges, Universities, Research Excellence and Security’ Student Financial Assistance Branch. In addition, the association provides a student transcript storage service approved by the Ministry of Colleges, Universities, Research Excellence and Security for career colleges to use.
Strong Support. Strong Voice. Quality Education. Student Success.
The Sector
- The career college sector in Ontario has approximately 45,000 students. Annually, it produces more than 33,000 graduates at a minimal cost to taxpayers because the sector receives no direct operating funds from the government.
- The sector is efficient, productive, flexible, innovative, and accountable. It can shape and expand its programming to quickly adjust to market forces, thereby complementing the educational offerings of the other pillars of the post-secondary education system.
- Like all post-secondary students, career college students must be assured of continued access to high-quality programs of excellence, to credit transfers and post-secondary mobility, credential recognition, equal access to funding opportunities, flexibility in learning modalities, and meaningful performance measurements.
- CCO believes that in order to ensure that Ontario has a globally competitive post-secondary education system, the government must take a leadership role in fostering equity, collaboration, respect, and recognition among all four pillars of post-secondary education: career colleges, community colleges, universities, and apprenticeship programs.
Board of Directors
CCO is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors, which consists of up to 16 elected private career college owners and managers.
The composition of the board reflects the diversity in the sector, with owners and managers coming from varied backgrounds and college sizes.
The collective experience and diversity of the board serve to ensure that the needs of the membership are met and each individual college’s voice is heard.
Executive Committee
Adrian Sharma
Board Chair
Cestar College of Business, Health and Technology
Craig McDonald
Vice Board Chair
Metalworks Institute
Don Thibert
Treasurer
Anderson College of Health, Business & Technology
Frank Gerencser
Executive Committee Member
triOS College Business Technology Healthcare
Directors
Carlos Carvalho
Director
CTS Canadian Career College
John DeFranco
Director
ILAC Education Group
Craig Donaldson
Director
triOS College Business Technology Healthcare
Lydia Giammartino
Director
Bryan College
George Hood
Director
Herzing College
Andrew Jones
Director
Trillium College
Vinnie Nobre
Director
Greystone College
Angela Paoletta
Director
Protege School
Ehsan Safdari
Director
Toronto School of Management
Carmen Valero
Director
Canadian College of Educators
Heather Yang
Director
Anderson College of Health, Business & Technology
