Come to Learn, Stay to Thrive

Nova Scotia is known for its high-quality colleges and universities, and it’s also a preferred spot for our grads to prosper.

A recent follow-up study of the Class of 2003, conducted by the Maritime Provinces Higher Education Commission, found that 89 per cent of the graduates from Nova Scotia's universities, regardless of their province of origin, stayed in the province. This is the highest retention rate in the Maritimes and includes about one in four grads from outside Nova Scotia who stayed here after they earned their degree. ( http://www.mphec.ca/ )

The Nova Scotia Community College’s graduate follow-ups are even stronger. They show that 93 per cent of their grads are employed in the province.

“Clearly, our graduates know they have a promising future in Nova Scotia,” said Education Minister Karen Casey. “For several years, this government has been working hard to attract employers who can offer higher-paying and satisfying careers to our graduates and those efforts are paying off.”

Prospective employers in Nova Scotia include:
• high-tech firms — RIM, Crape Geomatics, Keane, xwave, CGI and IBM; Nova Scotia is a rapidly growing IT centre
• financial firms — Butterfield Fund Services, Meridian Fund Services and Citco Fund Services; the Halifax Chronicle Herald recently noted that, proportionately, Halifax has the highest concentration of financial sector workers in Canada, managing billions in assets
• life sciences organizations — Brain Repair Centre, MedMira, Ocean Nutrition and Acadian Seaplants
• public sector — Halifax has significant municipal, provincial and federal employment, including a naval base and drydock for the Atlantic fleet. The Coast Guard has a large presence in the municipality and has operations elsewhere in the province, including the Coast Guard college in Sydney

For more information about Nova Scotia’s universities and schools, check out our education links at www.novascotialife.com/node/48