Consumer Tips

Private Post-Secondary Institutions (Choosing)

Private Post-Secondary Education is training or instruction for people 17 years of age and over. It covers a wide range of employment training in secretarial, computer and business, income tax preparation, hair styling, the arts (animation, film making), medical support services careers, modelling, truck driving, and academic upgrading to name just a few. Courses are taught in theory and practice, in classrooms, on site, through work experience, by correspondence or by any combination. Institutions may be privately owned and operated as a business, or operated as a not for profit society.

Private career training institutions in British Columbia are governed by the Private Career Training Institutions Agency Act and are required to be registered with the Private Career Training Institutions Agency of B.C. at telephone number 604-569-0033, website http://pctia.bc.ca, or email info@pctia.bc.ca.

Private career training institutions also have the option of becoming accredited by the Agency. Through accreditation, registered institutions and their programs will be evaluated and on their ability to provide and maintain program quality.

HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT INSTITUTION FOR YOU:

As a potential consumer, it is your responsibility to make sure that the course or program is right for you.

Spend as much time, care and consideration choosing the institution as you would choosing a career. The following suggestions may help you spend your time and money wisely and ensure that you will receive the training or instruction you will need to find a job in that field when you graduate.

Check out future job markets in your field of interest and contact potential employers - ask what training they require.

Look in the yellow pages of local phone books under `school', and the specific category, such as `business and secretarial'.

Seriously investigate and compare all institutions which offer the training or instruction that interests you. Consider making appointments and visiting these schools.

PCTIA has a search tool to find an institution or program in your local area or interested field of study. Included in this tool is information about a school's history, incuding suspensions or cancellations.Go to the PCTIA search tool:
http://www.pctia.bc.ca/listings

PCTIA has a guide to choosing a school which can be foud on their website at: http://www.pctia.bc.ca/students/how-to-choose-a-school

For more information about Being an Informed Student visit the Minstry of Advanced Education website:
http://www.aved.gov.bc.ca/informedstudent/welcome.htm

VISITING INSTITUTIONS:

At the time of your visit, check for a valid PCTIA registration certificate or accreditation certificate if the institute claims to be accredited. Do not enroll at any private career training institution not registered by the Private Career Training Institutions Agency of B.C. During your visit check the following:

ADMISSION:

What are the prerequisites - high school diploma? certain skills? abilities? licenses? record checks? Is there an admissions test? A personal interview? How are these scored?

TRAINING OR INSTRUCTION:

How long does it take to complete the program? What skills will be taught? How much training or instruction is classroom lecture, how much is practical experience? Is there an opportunity to get work experience?

FACILITIES AND EQUIPMENT:

With permission, tour the institution - how many students are there in a class? What is the student/teacher ratio? Are classrooms crowded? What equipment is used? Is it similar to what is used currently by the industry? Is the equipment shared?

INSTITUTION RULES:

What are the institution's rules for behavior? Is smoking allowed? Is there a dress code? Are there attendance rules? Do students have to maintain a minimum grade? What is the institution's mechanism for student appeals?

COST:

Do some comparison shopping - institutions usually charge similar tuition for similar training. If the cost is substantially higher at one institution, ask why. There may be a good reason.

Are tools and books on loan or do you have to buy them? If you fail a subject, can you repeat it without paying again? Does the institution provide tutors and is there a charge for tutoring? What is included in the tuition and what are the extra costs? What is the institution' refund policy?

Make a checklist for easy camparison: books, materials/kits, lab fees, uniforms, and other fees. Please note, the Private Career Training Institutions Agency does not control or regulate tuition fees charged by individual schools.

INSTRUCTOR QUALIFICATIONS:

What is the minimum level of education or training of the instructors? How much practical experience have they had in their field? Are they properly licensed in the field of training they are teaching?

JOB PLACEMENT ASSISTANCE:

Is job placement assistance available? What does the placement service include? Are job search techniques taught? Are interview referrals made?

JOB OPPORTUNITIES:

What kind of job can you expect to get once you finish training? In what position? At what salary level? Ask the school for a list of companies that have hired recent graduates. How many students graduate? How many get jobs? How are these numbers arrived at? Is part time counted? Are only training related jobs counted in these numbers?

MAKING A CHOICE:

Institutions offer many types of courses and programs in various academic and occupational areas. These may vary widely in terms of subject matter, course content, curricula, length and cost. Review the course outline to see if it will provide you with what you need.

When you have made your choice, call the Better Business Bureau and ask if they have any information on the institution.

THE DOTTED LINE:

Once you have been accepted by the institution, you must be asked to sign an enrollment contract which should contain, among other details, the following items:

1) name and address of the institution and the name of the course or program

2) start and end date of the course and the duration and cost of the course

3) date the contract is entered into, the name, mailing address and signature of the student or guardian and the signature of an institution official

4) costs for the course and a payment schedule if you are paying by installments

It must also state that the institution operates in conformity with the Private Career Training Institutions Agency Education Act, the Private Career Training Institutions Agency Regulations and Bylaws of the Agency.

It may also contain the rules and regulations for the institution. Carefully review them and make sure that you can abide by them before you sign the contract.

Once you have signed the contract, the institution should give you a copy. Please keep it in a safe place.