Ontario Association of Career Colleges

The Ontario Association of Career Colleges is a non-profit organization with more than 250 members. OACC's members are private career colleges - post secondary schools that provide career-specific, outcome based programs. Graduates of private career colleges earn a diploma or a certificate. Private career colleges offer a wide range of programs, in fields like business, health services, human services, applied arts, information technology, electronics, services and the trades. Private career colleges often work with small groups of people and offer flexible learning schedules, enrollment at many different times during the year and compressed programs that deliver training over a shorter period of time.

Private career colleges in Ontario must be registered with the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities. The legislation that governs the sector is called the Private Career Colleges Act 2005. There are over 580 registered private career colleges in more than 70 Ontario communities, according to the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities.

AbOUT 38,000 people graduate from private career colleges every year in Ontario in hundreds of skilled, essential fields, according to OACC statistics. OACC provides advocacy, support and services to members. OACC offers a Financial Aid Office that operates in partnership with the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities' OSAP office. OACC is also authorized by the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities 1 to act as a provider of transcript maintenance and issuance services. The association has more than 50,000 transcripts of former career college students stored.