Student survey gives Yukon College top marks

WHITEHORSE - When asked what he thinks of Yukon College, Culinary Arts student George Rivard says, “I love it. I have a hands-on program that challenges me every day and leaves lots of room for creativity and teamwork. My instructors’ doors are always open so I feel supported and inspired here.”

Rivard is not alone. Many Yukon College students share his feelings. The College recently surveyed 272 of the students in credit programs during the fall 2013 term and found that 97 per cent would agree with the phrase “Yukon College is a good learning environment.”

“Instructors are still the most important factor in creating good learning environments. We are fortunate to have many highly dedicated teaching staff who are passionate about their subjects.   Being a smaller institution, our students have much more interaction with these inspiring instructors and this is reflected in the survey results,” said Dr. Deb Bartlette, Vice President Academic and Student Services.

The survey explored a wide range of attitudes and beliefs of students currently attending the College. The survey results, released today by the College, are overwhelmingly positive (see Highlights, below).

Nine out of ten students surveyed said they are satisfied or very satisfied with quality of instruction and course content at the College. The same number of students also said the College encourages creativity and innovation, and that they feel inspired to achieve

The survey also turned up some interesting information about where Yukon College students are coming from and where they are heading. It revealed that one third of students completed all of their K-12 schooling outside of the territory, showing that newcomers to Yukon are seeking ways to continue their education, while remaining in the North.

Half of students at the College have no previous further education beyond high school. 30 per cent are already in possession of a post-secondary certificate, diploma, degree or journeyperson trades certificate, and the remaining 19 per cent have some post-secondary education but no credential.

Most students with previous post-secondary credentials were found to be pursuing a completely different field of study, rather than building on a previous program. Rivard is himself one of these students, having started in a Liberal Arts program and returning to pursue his passion – Culinary Arts.

“Yukon College is a great learning environment. It’s small, so I get to spend time with friends studying different subjects, and welcoming, there are no artificial lines between students from different programs or students and faculty.  I would 100 per cent recommend it to others thinking about coming here,” said Rivard.

“People today have many careers and as a result, need to be life-long learners. Yukon College offers that opportunity close to home and in areas of study geared to the North.  We are a small, affordable and supportive environment and continue to improve what we do to better support the mature, part-time and returning-to-studies learner,” added Dr. Bartlette.

The survey was a classroom-based, targeted sample of all program areas at the College, designed to be as representative as possible. While statistical accuracy cannot be determined for this type of non-random sampling, College researchers say they feel it represents a fair snapshot of student attitudes at the time the information was collected.

The full survey report can be found at www.yukoncollege.yk.ca/about/pages/fast_facts/.

Other Survey Highlights

• Half of students have a definite career plan: About half of students (48%) said that they have a career plan. Another two-fifths (42%) said that “it’s still evolving,” leaving 7% who do not have a career plan at all. Many students see their Yukon College education as leading more or less directly into employment, while many others see further education as the next step.
• Money issues are challenging for many students: Students were asked, “What are the biggest challenges that you have faced in pursuing your education?” Issues relating to finances, funding and money issues were very prominent in their responses.
• Family and friends are a major source of support for students: Students were asked, “What supports do you have that are helping you to succeed in your education?” Family and friends were cited in a great many of their responses; they provide encouragement, emotional support, financial support, patience and understanding, and practical assistance such as rides to school.
• Nine out of ten students (92%) “agree” or “strongly agree” with the statement, “Yukon College provides an environment of cultural sensitivity for all.”