Short-Term Training, Long-Term Rewards: What the Data Shows

In a changing labour market, many adults just like you want training that pays off quickly. 

They’re asking questions like: If I invest months of my life—not years—will I get results? 

The short answer: Yes. 

In Ontario, data shows that well-designed, short-term diploma and certificate programs deliver meaningful outcomes, for employment, earnings, and job satisfaction.

CTS Canadian Career College specialises in these kinds of programs, and here’s what the numbers say.

1. Ontario’s Career Colleges Deliver Strong Completion + Employment Rates

An Ontario Impact Study published by Higher Education Strategy Associates, in collaboration with Career Colleges Ontario, found that around 58% of students who enrolled in Ontario private career colleges both complete their program and are employed six months after graduation. 

This is especially meaningful when compared to public colleges, where a slightly lower total percentage (including those who complete and find employment) of people get into the job market that quickly.

2. Program Lengths That Work for Adults

Private career colleges tend to offer shorter diploma and certificate programs. 

Many programs are 52 weeks or less, often even shorter. These compressed timelines typically allow adults to re-enter the workforce sooner without sacrificing quality of training. 

When program durations are shorter, the risk of financial, time, or personal burnout decreases, and students see a faster return on their investment.

3. Outcomes You Can Count On

Here are some key metrics that matter:

• Employment six months after graduation for students in the labour force: around 80% in Ontario’s career colleges.
• Proportion of those with jobs related to their training: approximately 58% among these graduates.
• Completion/graduation (program completion) rates are high: roughly 70-75% (varies by field, college, and program length).

4. Why Short-Term Pays Off Long-Term

Short-term programs give more than speed—they often deliver:

• Lower overall cost (less tuition, fewer semesters, lower opportunity cost)
• Less time away from income-earning or family obligations
• Faster access to skills and credentials that are in demand right now
• Greater flexibility (online/hybrid options, multiple start dates)

CTS’s diploma programs are built to balance rigor with practicality, giving graduates tools employers need now.

5. What This Means for Prospective Students

If you’re considering going back to school or shifting careers, here’s what the data suggests you look for:

• Most pPrograms under or around 1 year in duration
• Clear outcome statistics: graduation rates + employment rates
• Hands-on and applied training (labs, placements, real work tasks)
• Flexible delivery to accommodate work/family life

CTS offers many such programs that are fast, focused, and outcomes-oriented, all of which supports students to succeed.

Looking Ahead: Your Future Is More Attainable Than You Think

With Ontario’s labour shortages in healthcare, business services, mental health, and administration, graduates from short, focused training are filling real gaps. 

Choosing a program that is well aligned with the market, with data to back it, means you’ll not only train faster, you’ll build long-term stability.

Want to learn more? 

Contact CTS Canadian Career College today to see program KPIs, upcoming start dates, costs, and funding. Whatever your goal, short-term training can lead to long-term rewards.