“OMG – my college just tweeted me.”

And so begins a trend piece that was in the Toronto Star this weekend about post secondary institutions using social media. A Toronto student, frustrated with being placed on hold, complained via Twitter. Within minutes, a “How can I help?” reply came from a college rep.

Social media and its use for career colleges was the subject of a blog post I wrote a few months ago. Is it something your college is exploring? What have your experiences been?

A related item in the headlines: smart phone applications and their use in academic settings. Most recently, the University of Western Ontario’s Richard Ivey School of Business launched an app for the iPhone and Blackberry called “Ivey MBA.” It will allow students to connect to the School’s social media channels, news feeds and blogs posted by admissions staff and current MBA students. Students can also use the app to register for upcoming events.

Interesting. Do you think this is the future of recruitment?

Social media for career colleges will be the subject of a workshop on April 23 at Blue Mountain 2010, OACC’s 37th annual conference. Find out more by clicking here.

With the threat of a strike looming at Ontario’s 24 community colleges, it’s important to remember the other option.

Talks with Ontario’s 9,000 community college instructors broke down in December. The Ontario Public Service Employees Union is holding a strike vote on January 13.

It’s business as usual at the province’s more than 600 private career colleges. Career colleges may be a better fit for individuals who want to begin a diploma program without the risk of a labour dispute, or those in the Second Career program application process. Most career colleges have frequent start dates throughout the year and may enroll students as often as once per month.

“Ontario’s career colleges offer the necessary tools to kick start your future with diverse options for postsecondary education,” said Paul Kitchin, Executive Director of the Ontario Association of Career Colleges.

Students have already spoken out. A recent Canadian Press article summed up the fears of many Second Career program students at public colleges.  A strike was compared to “another layoff” by one mature student.

Meanwhile, a Toronto Star article indicated the online backlash from community college students. The Facebook group “Ontario College Students Against a Strike” boasts over 17,000 members and a petition signed by over 3,000.

While both sides hope to negotiate a deal, it’s important to note that career college students can earn a diploma or certificate in about 12 months in many exciting fields, including: business, law, the arts, information technology, the trades, esthetics, health care, social services and electronics.

There are over 600 registered private career colleges in more than 70 communities across Ontario.

Private career colleges provide a full range of support services for students, including career planning, interview preparation and job-finding skills, from day one until graduation.

To find a private career college near you, visit www.ontariocollegesearch.ca. For more information on the Ontario Association of Career Colleges, visit www.oacc.ca.

Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Delicious, Tumblr, LinkedIn, blogs and wikis – the list goes on, but you get the idea. There have never been more ways to connect with others. The online explosion of user-generated content begs the question – how do you, as a business, harness its power?

It’s a concept that many organizations have been toying with. The Ontario Association of Career Colleges waded into the world of web 2.0 a month ago, with a new blog and accounts on Twitter and Facebook. So far, the experience has been positive. Our small base of followers is slowly growing.

Many organizations have jumped to include social media in their communications strategy. A recent survey done by Sage North America found that 88 percent of U.S. and Canadian nonprofits are using some form of social media, although less than half of this number have been using the channel for more than a year.

According to a 2008 survey done by agency Com.motion and Pollara, two-thirds of Canadians (65 per cent) who use social media say social media tools are important for learning about products, services, organizations and brands, up from 59 per cent in 2007. Nearly four in five Canadians (79 per cent) say they have used social media tools. That’s up from 71 per cent in 2007.

This all spells potential for savvy marketers. For private career colleges, the most obvious benefits could be in student recruitment – it could be a direct channel to people considering going to school.

So tell us – what has your experience been with social media, professionally or personally? Does your business have a blog? A Twitter account? A Facebook page? What are the challenges with using social media? How can private career colleges use it effectively?

Social media has emerged as a topic of interest to OACC members. Several respondents requested a speaker or workshop dealing with online marketing and social networking for OACC’s conference in April. What would you like to learn? Could you suggest a speaker?

Let’s start a discussion…