With so many students vying for limited spaces in the fall of 2003, there will be many disappointed young men and women who will be receiving letters of rejection in the spring of 2003 as they are turned away because of a lack of space and a high entry level with respect to marks. What will become of them?  Will their dreams die?

Many will return to secondary school for another year in an attempt to boost their marks in order to achieve the rising entrance marks the following year. In fact, estimates indicate that as many as 40% of the Grade 12 and OAC graduates of 2003 will head back to class in the fall of 2004 for additional credits or to improve their marks.

Some will take on low-paying jobs to earn money and try next year.

Most, if not all, will try to apply for entrance to a university or college again the following year. This will create another strain, albeit not as great a strain on the educational institutions.  Can they handle another surge in enrolment so soon after the double cohort hits?

It is my opinion that The Greater Sudbury Area stands to benefit from the development and execution of an aggressive marketing campaign which must be in place as early as March or April 2003. This campaign should be designed to increase the awareness levels of secondary school students across the southern portion of Ontario, since that is the most likely market from which our institutions can draw.

Some of the students who are rejected this coming spring may in fact look towards Laurentian, Cambrian or Collage Boreal as an alternative in the fall of 2004. Because of this, it is important that we put the idea of looking towards the Greater Sudbury Area for fulfillment of their dreams into their heads as soon as possible.

Laurentian, Cambrian, Collage Boareal or any of our other post-secondary training institutions may not even have been a consideration by these students in the past, but if we can implement a successful strategic marketing campaign which covers the next twelve months, we may begin to see Greater Sudbury Area facilities listed as one of the three choices on more and more applications.

When the 'Double Cohort Echo' hits in the fall of 2004, many of the students applying to University, for example, may once again try to apply to the first two schools of their choice, but perhaps more of them will include Laurentian as their 3rd choice as a back-up. If Laurentian demonstrates that we will accept them with open arms in Sudbury, this time, instead of returning to secondary school or to the job market in meaningless employment, they may decide to come to Sudbury to attend Laurentian or to one of our other institutions.

On the other hand, many of the students just may surprise everyone and list Laurentian as their top choice once they see what the university and the City of Greater Sudbury have to offer them.

It is up to us to develop a marketing strategy which allows Sudbury educational institutions to be promoted as part of the larger picture. In other words, we are well aware of the fact that most students do not only consider the educational facilities when making their selections. They want to know what the City has to offer as well. By effectively showcasing the strong points about the Greater Sudbury Area, our post-secondary institutions stand to benefit a great deal from an a comprehensive marketing initiative.

From what I can see, it would appear as if we are in for an interesting three or four years as the Double Cohort bubble moves through the post-secondary stream. Just wait until the bubble bursts at the other end and all of those graduates begin looking for jobs. That is another issue to be dealt with real soon.

One of the goals of any marketing campaign must be to encourage students to come to the Greater Sudbury Area for an education and then to stay here to begin rewarding careers after graduation. If we can demonstrate the tremendous opportunities which exist among local industries and businesses, perhaps we will reap great rewards when the double cohort bubble bursts in a few years. In the interim, we will do what we can to attract retirees who are looking for a refreshing quality of life; tourists from Southern Ontario who are looking for something different, yet still close enough to home; and also focus on the expansion and retention of small businesses. By the time the students graduate, Sudbury will once again be experiencing an economic boom which will accommodate their needs.

Indeed, the future looks good. Now all we have to do is take appropriate action to get there.