College-Within-a-School Partnership

The Grand Erie District School Board and Conestoga College Institute of Technology & Advanced Learning are excited to embark on a first-of-its-kind partnership in Ontario, a College-Within-a-School (CWAS) program. For many years, School-Within-a-College (SWAC) programs have been offered jointly by colleges and school boards to enhance learning and to provide opportunities for students. This partnership is a new take on the SWAC programming.

This new partnership will provide opportunities for Grand Erie and Conestoga students to receive their education in newly renovated facilities at Tollgate Technological Skills Centre (TTSC). This partnership will see the relocation of the programming from the Brantford Municipal Airport to TTSC in a unique arrangement in that the college will physically be housed within TTSC.

Conestoga College will renovate and use a portion of the TTSC site to deliver its programs. Grand Erie students will also have access to these spaces as well. Conestoga will invest $5 million in renovations, incorporating technology and resources to ensure a high-quality learning experience at TTSC.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is this partnership occurring at TTSC?

Grand Erie’s Long-Term Accommodation Plan, 2023-2028 (LTAP) adopted guiding principles that help the board assess potential accommodation changes. This partnership aligns with the principles of:

  • putting students first
  • supporting a range of programs in elementary and secondary schools
  • using space effectively and efficiently
  • considering partnership and community hub opportunities.

In reviewing space available within Grand Erie as published in their LTAP,

Conestoga College connected with Grand Erie to explore utilizing space at TTSC, which had the lowest utilization rate at the time (38%) of any secondary school within the Greater Brantford Region.

When will Conestoga College begin offering programs at TTSC?

Conestoga will begin offering its first program in Electrical Techniques starting in September 2025. 

Other offerings: Motive Power Fundamentals - Automotive Repair, Motive Power Technician - Automotive Service, Heavy Construction Equipment Operator and Day-Away Dual Credit Programming will begin in May 2026.

With access to increased space through this partnership, additional program offerings may be offered by Conestoga at the TTSC campus. 

What are the benefits of this partnership for Grand Erie students?

Through this CWAS partnership, Grand Erie is aligning programs to meet student needs. Grand Erie students benefit in a variety of ways.

These include:

  • Access to updated, modern shop classrooms – the importance of which was highlighted by staff and students of TTSC in the Brantford Secondary Program Review
  • Availability of a wider range of college programming available within the city of Brantford, thus reducing the cost of post-secondary education
  • Exposure to a college campus without having to leave the secondary school
    • Thus providing a smoother transition for students moving to a college program
    • Increasing the ease of bridging student support for students as they transition from secondary school to college
  • Increased opportunities through the School College Work Initiative (SCWI), including:
    • Day-Away Dual Credit opportunities for Grand Erie secondary students in modern shop classrooms without leaving the city of Brantford
    • Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM) programs to visit the college and interact with college faculty to explore post-secondary program options
    • Participation in joint educational days between Grand Erie and Conestoga
    • Potential Level One (1) apprenticeship in-class training to be offered to Grand Erie students participating in the Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program (OYAP) and Focused Apprenticeship Skills Training (OYAP-FAST)