City School, City of Hamilton’s Ontario Works celebrate completion of new pilot program

Mohawk College, City School and City of Hamilton’s Ontario Works today celebrated the program completion for the first group of students in a new Pharmacy Assistant Training Program.

Collaboratively developed and delivered in partnership with the Mohawk College School of Health and City of Hamilton’s Ontario Works, this new City School program provides students with specific training and workplace experience in the role of Community Pharmacy Assistants. The 13 successful students in this first class started in mid-April, completing in-class studies as well as experiential learning placements in order to prepare for employment in the field.

The program was created in direct response to a need identified by Hamilton-area pharmacists. The Pharmacy Assistant Training Program is an example of a demand-led training model, supported by Mohawk College and its City School initiative to link people seeking work-related training with employers seeking trained workers. As part of their training, students worked with local pharmacists who committed to participate in the program at the outset with an eye to filling vacant positions in their operations.

QUOTES:

“We are grateful for our partnerships with City of Hamilton’s Ontario Works and participating pharmacists. And thanks to Angela Roach and the team at the School of Health for developing and delivering the program. Together, we have been able to offer people access to college training and to create a bridge between employers who are struggling to find skilled workers and people who need reliable, fulfilling jobs.”

– Emily Ecker, Associate Dean, Community Partnerships and Learning

“The City of Hamilton is proud to partner with Mohawk College to create a program that matches the needs of employers to the training and interests of job seekers. The Pharmacy Assistant Training Program is a great example of how we are working to contribute to the health and well-being of residents by supporting them to secure meaningful employment.”

– Bonnie Elder, Director of Ontario Works, City of Hamilton

“I am very pleased to offer congratulations to the graduates of this innovative program. It accomplishes the dual goals of filling an identifiable gap in an employment sector and helping to transition people off social assistance. My compliments to Mohawk, City School and the City of Hamilton for their vision in developing this pilot program and I look forward to seeing it continue and grow.”

– Donna Skelly, MPP for Flamborough Glanbrook.

Since October 2015, City School by Mohawk has provided a strategy to deliver accessible postsecondary education through community-based classrooms and mobile classrooms at the neighbourhood level. The goal of City School is to create a welcome, open space for learning, community engagement and partnership, collaboration and experiential learning.

MEDIA COVERAGE 

Global News - Mohawk College, Ontario Works connecting students with local employers

The Hamilton Spectator - First students finish City School pharmacy assistant program