05/27/2026
OCUFA President Rob Kristofferson wrote a letter to the The Toronto Star about how a strong economy depends on a diversity of talent. Graduates in STEM, health care, trades, education, arts, and humanities all bring essential skills that drive innovation, strengthen communities, and support a well-rounded workforce. OCUFA research shows that university bachelor programs of all kinds prepare graduates for well-paid opportunities across the entire economy.
Full text below and on the Star website:
In order to help students “future-proof” their careers, Ontario must “future-proof” our universities through long-term, stable investment.
University bachelor programs of all kinds prepare graduates for well-paid opportunities across the entire economy. And graduates of Ontario university humanities programs have the same median earnings as STEM graduates and the same employment rate after three years, in part because the skills learned at can be applied across so many fields.
This is why it’s so important for Ontario to properly fund its post-secondary education system. Ontario is currently in last place in per-student domestic funding in the country, about $7,000 below the national average. A fully funded university system would provide university students, faculty, and staff with the tools they need to set students up for success despite shocks to the labour market.
A university education can be “future-proof” because it equips students with the resiliency required to withstand an uncertain economic landscape. It’s time for universities to be funded adequately so they can be “future-proof” as well.
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