Hamilton,
20
February
2020
|
22:26 PM
America/New_York

Gerrie Electric, Mohawk College turn student experience into career success

Mohawk College has provided experiential learning opportunities for more than 50 years and Gerrie Electric has been a strong partner in turning those real-life student experiences into successful employee careers.

With the recent announcement of Gerrie Electric as a Future Ready Premium Employer, the pathway from campus to employment will be easier than ever to travel for Mohawk College students.

The Future Ready Premium Program is a new Mohawk initiative designed to more actively engage industry and community partners in the training of job-ready college graduates. This strategic program, involving a select group of industry partners, includes exclusive projects to enhance the learning experience for students while helping to address the employment priorities of the companies involved.

With more than 30 Mohawk graduates on staff and regular co-op and student placements every year, Gerrie Electric shares a common goal with the college to train and develop a skilled workforce for tomorrow.

As an Electrical Engineering Technician – Power student, Amanda Fletcher ’18 wanted to do something technical and gain hands-on experience. She was looking for the kind of job that would keep her current and engaged with technology.

“I completed the Electrical Design Project in fourth semester,” Amanda remembers. “It gave me an idea of what projects would be like in my future career. The project was presented in front of a panel of judges, which included instructors as well as representatives from companies.

“After completing and presenting my project, I received an email from one of my instructors letting me know that I had an opportunity to interview with Gerrie Electric. After completing two interviews and doing some research on Gerrie I accepted the job offer. I love the environment and the opportunities.”

Michael Jung is a third-year CS Technology student at Mohawk. He initially earned a university degree and worked as a business and data analyst for seven years before deciding to pursue a more technical role in software. Mohawk College was his preferred choice and he feels like he is on the right track to a fulfilling second career.

“I have already completed two co-op terms (8 months) at Gerrie Electric as a Software Developer Co-Op in the IT Department,” says Michael. “This was exactly the kind of role I was looking for when I decided to quit my old job and go back to school. I most enjoyed the challenging technical tasks and being left alone to work independently, seeking help as I needed. Almost every moment was spent learning something of interest to me.”

As well as creating student placements and hiring graduates in the workplace, Gerrie Electric is a partner on campus. The company lends expertise in Program Advisory Committees for program development and engages in applied research projects with faculty and student researchers. The Gerrie Electric Memorial Scholarship Award is awarded to a student entering the second year of electrical studies, as a way of supporting future industry workers.

While Michael and Amanda entered CS Technology and Electrical Engineering Technican programs, graduates from Electrical Engineering Technology, Mechanical Engineering Technology, Electronic Computer Engineering, Industrial Electrician, Business & Marketing, Business Accounting, Software Engineering, and Analytics for Business Decision Making can also be found succeeding in Gerrie Electric operations from automation to customer support, to robotics.

As a Future Ready Premium Employer, the collaboration between Gerrie Electric and Mohawk is bound to grow stronger and broader in its many areas of engagement. And as the partnership grows, the transition from class projects to regular paycheques will be simpler for students.

The 10 Future Ready Premium Employers in the first wave of this program include: ArcelorMittal Dofasco, City of Hamilton, Gerrie Electric, Hamilton Health Sciences, IBM, KF Aerospace, L3HARRIS, Stelco, Thrive Group and Walters Inc. New employers will be added to the program on an annual basis.