Niagara College was recently featured in The Hamilton Spectator and the three Niagara dailies (Niagara Falls Review, St. Catharines Standard and Welland Tribune) regarding the temporary suspension of three out of four hospitality programs at the College. The article highlights how recent federal policy changes affecting international student enrolment and postgraduate work permits have led to significant program impacts across the country, with NC’s hospitality and culinary areas among them.
In the article, Craig Youdale, NC’s Dean of Culinary, Tourism and Beverage Studies, spoke to the challenges the College is facing, and the impact on students, staff, and Niagara’s hospitality industry.
“It’s been a big challenge to make those decisions … and they’re not taken lightly,” said Youdale. “It’s a pretty big decision for a college to suspend a program…It’s horrible because it affects people, it affects students. We’ve been lucky so far, but it can potentially affect staff and we’re doing our best to try to maintain our staff and support our team — that’s not the case everywhere.”
Youdale also raised concern about the ripple effect fewer students will have on Niagara’s hospitality and culinary industries, with fewer graduates entering the workforce.
“There are students currently working now, but their work permits will run out and … there’s not enough domestic students to fill those jobs,” he said. “It’s why immigration is important and so we are very worried for our industry partners and friends because we know that this is going to be a huge effect on them.”
Read the May 1 article here.
