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Source: Mohawk College

A growing number of Ontario’s colleges are working directly with local employers to help students get hands-on, real-world experience in the skilled trades and technology. The goal: to help individuals launch their careers shortly after graduation and support a thriving local economy.

Case in point: Mohawk College, which not so long ago launched the Future Ready Premium Employer Program with 10 Hamilton Region businesses.

Giving students a glimpse at skilled trades careers

For students, the program gives them exposure to big employers in their region ahead of graduation. Not only does this provide them with on-the-job experience, but it also helps students get a better idea of the type of employment they may want to pursue following their studies.

Beyond that, the exposure to local workplaces can help prospective tradespeople learn about the industry in question from experienced professionals. In time, those connections could prove invaluable as graduates mature in their careers and seek new opportunities with elevated responsibilities.

Helping employers find qualified tradespeople

Of course, Mohawk College’s Future Ready Premium Employer Program benefits employers, too. They gain access to student and graduate talent – something critical given labour shortages in many sectors, particularly the trades. Employers can also become involved in how Mohawk College structures its programs, ensuring graduates have the skills they need to hit the ground running in the local economy upon graduation.

Featured Employer: Samuel, Son & Co.

One of the Hamilton Region employers seeing great benefit from the Future Ready Premium Employer Program is Samuel, Son & Co., a family-run metal products manufacturer and distributor that’s been in business for more than 165 years. Thanks to the program, Mohawk students get to test out positions in a variety of business areas, from Samuel’s manufacturing facilities to its high-tech labs and corporate offices.

Samuel continued this long-running cooperative relationship with Mohawk even during the COVID-19 pandemic, as Mohawk students contributed to Samuel’s efforts to build personal protective equipment (PPE) for medical professionals throughout the country and beyond.

Today, more than 30 Mohawk graduates are employed by Samuel, which offered five student placements last year. Samuel is also the funder of an annual bursary available to Mohawk students.

A growing network of employer partners

Of course, Samuel isn’t the only organization to partner with Mohawk as part of the Future Ready Premium Employer Program. Other featured employers from Hamilton Region include KF Aerospace, Thrive Group, IBM, Gerrie Electric, and the City of Hamilton.

You can learn more about the evolving Future Ready Premium Employer Program on the Mohawk College website.