Quick Info from BCIT Info Day

As you know, I was at BCIT for its high school counsellor's conference last Friday. There were some news, and some important information, about BCIT that you should know. Without going into great lengths in explaining each point, I will just list them in point form below; if you have any questions, please come to see me, or write down all your questions, and ask the BCIT representative on post-secondary day on October 31:

• BCIT currently has about 1000 students who enrolled into its program straightly after high school graduation. 
• Two important stats of BCIT's success that should be noteworthy to you: 91% of BCIT's degree programs' graduates are employed in the field of their studies. This is substantially higher than the 79% provincial average. 
• 95% of students who completed an apprenticeship programs at BCIT are employed within 2 months in their chosen trades. 
• BCIT offers programs in different lengths: 1-year certificate programs, 2-year diploma programs, and 4-year degree programs.
• Many programs allow students to complete a diploma in two years; you can then decide whether you wish to continue to complete the degree in the same area, or choose to leave with a diploma to go to another program or enter the work force (which is very different from most universities, where if you leave after two years, you will be leaving without a degree or any sort of certification of the work you have completed)
• Many programs have excellent job prospects; students who complete a program at BCIT can often find a job with very competitive wages 
• Program admission requirements vary: because of the variety of programs offered, it is very important for you to check your pre-requisites when applying

One impression I want to share with you from my visit to BCIT is that people often are not aware of the jobs that a BCIT program can train you for. BCIT focuses on hands-on, application skills training, and graduates from BCIT often are hired based on the skills they have obtained from a highly intense program. Students who have met a program's optimal admission averages are expected to be offered admission very quickly. This is a big plus that is not seen in other schools.

Because of its highly hands-on nature, it would be highly beneficial for you to explore for yourself what each program has to offer. BCIT offers several services to help you learn about the school. They include:

• BCIT tours - take a tour around BCIT's Burnaby campus to learn about its program (Go to bcit.ca/tours to sign up - click here)
• BCIT Big Info Day - all programs, all in one place for your to learn about (Go here to register for the October 24 or February 27 info day)
• BCIT Spend-a-Day - become a BCIT student for a day! Faculty would pair you up with a BCIT student currently enrolled in the program of your interest to take you through a day of classes. (Sign up here)