It is only fitting that any consideration of innovative practices toward improving student success in Canada’s private career colleges begin with a discussion on academic excellence. Private career colleges are a critical part of the country’s post-secondary education system. In the past, however, the private career college sector has been criticized for not providing the highest quality education to students. This perception is changing and the unique contribution of the private career college sector is increasingly being recognized.

There is a growing awareness among private career colleges of the need to provide high quality, world class education to students. College operators, administrators and faculty continue to demonstrate an exceptional commitment to achieving this goal. Qualified faculty, coupled with a high commitment to ensuring that students have every opportunity to succeed in their chosen field of study, are the key pillars of the first innovative practice: Academic Excellence. Two important criteria are commonly used to qualify teaching staff: 1) field experience in the subject matter being taught; and, 2) teaching training and skill. The goal of faculty is to ensure that every student be given every reasonable opportunity to succeed. Consequently, administration and teaching staff in colleges that focus on academic excellence often speak of a readiness to spend extra time, both inside and outside of class, to help students who are struggling.

The use of student peer mentoring can be an effective means of enhancing student learning experiences in some colleges. Peer triads, one-to-one peer mentoring and group discussions are often used to address student learning needs and to overcome possible barriers to learning. Private career colleges using these approaches have discovered that both peer mentors, and the students receiving the help, benefit from the experience