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B.C. Ombudsperson investigates oversight of Private Career Training Institutions

If you have concerns about your experience at a private career school, you can share your concerns with the Ombudsperson through this online questionnaire. The deadline to provide input is June 20.

Vancouver (16 June 2014) — Did you or someone you know attend a private career training school in British Columbia in the last ten years? Do you have concerns about the quality of the courses or instruction provided?

Complaints about quality of education, misleading advertising continue to dog B.C. private career schools

Ten years ago, the B.C. Liberals made changes to the regulation of private career training institutions that involved handing over their regulation to the schools themselves. Since then, concerns have come forward about the quality of education, misleading advertising and an inadequate complaints process for students.

This month, B.C.'s Ombudsperson Kim Carter announced she is investigating the Private Career Training Institutions Agency (PCTIA), the industry-led body that has overseen private training schools in B.C. for the last decade. She will be looking at issues of governance, quality assurance, student protection, and at complaint processes.

Do you or someone you know have concerns about the courses or instruction provided by a private career school, or with the supervision provided by PCTIA?

If you have concerns about your experience at a private career school, you can share your concerns with the Ombudsperson through this online questionnaire. The deadline to provide input is June 20.

Unsure if your school is a career school?

Private schools that offer career-related training of more than 40 hours, and that charge over $1,000 in tuition fees, are regulated by the Private Career Training Institutions Agency (PCTIA) in B.C. Academy of Learning, Sprott Shaw College and CDI College are a few examples, but there are over 300 of these schools in the province. To see whether your school is included, follow this link.

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