1. How do I choose a post-secondary institution?
2. What is accreditation?
3. What is a private training institution?
4. What is the Private Training Institutions Act?
5. How do I register a private training institution?
6. How do I know if a private training institution is registered?
7. How do I know if the instructor in a private training institution is qualified?
8. What financial assistance is available to me?
9. Is my certificate/diploma for this private training institution recognized?
10. How do I file a complaint against a private training institution?
11. Who is responsible to set policies for private training institutions?
12. If a private training institution closes, what do I do about my transcript or diploma?

As a potential consumer, it is your responsibility to make sure the program and institution is right for you. Spend as much time and consideration choosing the post-secondary institution as you would a career.

• Check out Industry
  Check out future job markets in your field of interest and contact potential employers. Ask what training they look for in employees. Seriously investigate and compare all institutions offering the training that interests you.
   
  The fact that individuals have completed a training program in a college, private training institution or a university does not guarantee employment. However, a good program should provide graduates with the skills required to meet the minimum employment standards of a particular occupation.
       
• Visit the Institution  
  Make appointments to visit these institutions and ask for a program outline indicating entrance requirements, prerequisites, length of the program, what skills will be taught, how much of the training will be classroom lectures and how much will be in practical experience, and whether the program offers on-the-job experience. View the facility and ask about student/teacher ratios. Check out the equipment used to determine if it meets industry standards and/or is up to date and whether there is sufficient equipment for the number of students enrolled.
   
  Compare tuition and book costs with other institutions. Are there additional costs? If there is a substantial difference in tuition, ask why. Are there bursaries and scholarships available?
   
  If it is a private training institution, look for a current registration certificate indicating that the institution is registered with the Department of Education.
   
  Request a list of employers who have hired graduates, statistics on number of graduates, number of graduates working full time/part time, and how many are working in their chosen field of study. Ask if job placement assistance is available through the institution and exactly what that means. Discuss what type of position and salary level you can expect upon completion.

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There are two processes of national accreditation currently established in Canada. One is institutional accreditation, the other is program accreditation:

• Institutional accreditation is a formal organizational review process for accrediting private post-secondary schools and colleges for their overall program quality assurance, educational accomplishments, business and financial responsibilities. Institutional accreditation does not focus on specific program-content areas and related occupational standards. Currently, the Canadian Education and Training Accreditation Commission (CETAC) is responsible for the institutional accreditation for private educational agencies.
   

• Program accreditation is a formal content-review process for the assessment of programs against a specific set of standards. It provides a professional assessment of the quality of the educational programs offered by the training agencies. Program accreditation also encourages improvements to meet the rapid changes in industry. A major objective is the identification of programs that meet skill standards, stimulate curriculum improvements, encourage program quality assurance and offer up-to-date training facilities.

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A private training institution is a private business which offers instruction or training in a vocation and a course of study whether by correspondence or home study course. These institutions are privately owned and operate as a business.

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The Private Training Institutions Act is the legislation which regulates private training institutions in Newfoundland and Labrador. The act and the regulations provide the requirements that must be met to register a private training institution and the operational guidelines that have to be in place to maintain registration.

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On August 10, 1998, the Minister of Education announced a moratorium on establishing new private training institutions. This moratorium remains in effect. However, registration can be considered provided that the applicant can demonstrate that the program meets an unmet need and is not offered by other private or public institutions in the province.

You can contact the Manager of Private Training Institutions by telephone at 1-709-729-3100 or by e-mail at gerardronayne@gov.nl.ca to request an application to register a private training institution. The Private Training Institutions Act and Regulations and an operational manual containing all the necessary forms which will help you through the process will be forwarded to you.

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The Department of Education maintains a list of registered private training institutions. 

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Instructors are required to meet specific requirements as set out in the regulations and are approved by the Department of Education. You can contact a program consultant, private training section, in the Institutional and Industrial Division to determine if an instructor is registered.

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Public institutions and many private training institutions are designated for Canada/Newfoundland and Labrador student loans. Students can apply for a loan by contacting the student aid office at 729-4244 (local), or toll free 1-888-657-0800, or by visiting www.edu.gov.nl.ca/studentaid.

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The private training institution is registered under the Private Training Institutions Act and Regulations and the institution must, therefore, meet specific requirements to be registered. We encourage students to check with prospective employers to determine if the training they plan to take will prepare them for employment opportunities. Industry is the best source of information on whether a training program is preparing you for employment. Recognition of your certificate/diploma is employer specific.

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In the initial stage, all reasonable attempts should be made with the private training institution contact (perhaps an instructor, or a school counsellor) to resolve the issue. If that is not possible, the complainant may call the department to register a concern. The student will be advised that, if appropriate, the first course of action the student must take is to address their complaint, in writing, to the administration of the private training institution. The response of the private training institution to the complainant must be in writing to eliminate any misunderstanding. If the issue remains unresolved, the complainant may then communicate the concern to the department, in writing, and attach a copy of the letter of response from the private training institution.

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Each private training institution sets their own policies on such things as attendance, dress codes, completion requirements, etc. These are not regulated by the department. Prospective students will receive a copy of the private training institution’s policies before they sign the student contract.

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Under the regulations that govern private training, institutions are required to retain students’ academic and financial records for 50 years. Sometimes a private training institution goes out of business. When this happens, all student records are required to be submitted to the Department of Education. A student may contact the department and request a copy of his/her academic transcript and/or diploma. If the students are trained out by another institution, the transcript or diploma may be issued by the train-out institution.

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