New perspectives and deep insights in education will provide a competitive edge for Filipinos students who wish to seek employment abroad, particularly Canada, a foreign educator said on Tuesday, Nov 7.

Dr. Craig Stephenson, president and chief executive officer of the Centennial College said Canada has an extremely high employment rate for graduates since the country is known for its collaboration with the government and businesses.

He added that Canada, for instance, provides support to graduates who desire to work in the state.

This is the reason, according to Stephenson, why they opened the Centennial College in the Philippines, explaining that they target targets Filipino students along with other international students to bring new perspectives and insights in different subjects and add to the value of the learning experience.

"We have a long-standing relationship with the Philippines, and we have always been interested in welcoming Filipino students to study in Canada," he said.

Centennial College will be fully operational next month. It is located in the RCBC Plaza, above the Embassy of Canada. 

It offers courses like Information Technology, Business Management, Engineering, Hospitality, Tourism and Culinary Arts, Early Childhood Education, Community and Health Sciences, as well as a host of other programs from Avionics to Digital Communications and Design.

Stephenson said the school’s new office marks a significant expansion of the College's interests in the Philippines and recognition that Manila is a hub for transnational education in the ASEAN region.

The Manila office is the most recent expansion of Centennial's global network of 11 locations in China, Vietnam, South Korea, India, Mexico, and Panama.

Stephenson said over 6,000 Filipino students are currently studying across its programs at Centennial College, and a total of 40,000 population of the college throughout the year, with most particularly interested in the healthcare, tourism and culinary arts, business management, engineering, early childhood education, transportation areas, and hospitality sectors.

In terms of cost, he claims that education in Canada is more appropriate than in other countries. The average program costs about $16,000 for colleges and $25,000 for universities.

"Students can choose from an array of two-year and three-year education choices in Canada. The annual living expenses come to about $15, 000," he said.

"Investing in the future is never cheap, however, in comparison, we do a lot better. Thus, from a financial perspective, Canada is a fantastic destination to study. Its population is diversified and it's a safe environment to learn," he added.

Stephenson stated that they plan to attract students who want to study in Canada and give them the option to stay for an extended period.

In 2023, over 2,400 new Filipino students decided to come to Centennial to study. (Trixee Rosel)