MEDIA RELEASE: Hydro One invests $400,000 in new lab at Mohawk College

 
Mohawk student Janine Lee (left) talks about her co-op experience at Hydro One during yesterday's official opening of the Hydro One Lab at Mohawk with Mohawk President Rob MacIsaac, Vice President Academic Cheryl Jensen and Hydro One President and CEO Laura Formusa. Hydro One has invested $750,000 at Mohawk, including training equipment, scholarships and bursaries and curriculum development. President Formusa also took part in a town hall Q&A session with students in the afternoon (PHOTO BY SIMON WILSON).

HAMILTON -- More than 100 technology students will get real-world and hands-on learning in a new Hydro One Lab that officially opens today at the College’s Fennell Campus.

Hydro One President and CEO Laura Formusa and Mohawk College President Rob MacIsaac took part in the official opening, together with students and recent Mohawk graduates who are working for Hydro One as well as faculty and industry partners.

“The establishment of the Hydro One Lab at Mohawk College is a very powerful example of what companies and colleges can achieve together," said Formusa. “This means Mohawk students have the confidence they are acquiring skills on the best equipment that they will be highly employable when they graduate.”

The Hydro One Lab, located in Mohawk’s School of Engineering Technology at the Fennell Campus, will train more than 100 Electrical Technology Engineering students annually on power generation, transmission and distribution and smart meters. The lab features more than $400,000 worth of state-of-the-art training equipment provided by Hydro One.

“One of the hallmarks of a Mohawk education is hands-on and real-world learning,” said Cheryl Jensen, Mohawk Vice President Academic. “What Mohawk technology students are learning in our new lab is exactly what they’ll need to know on the job with Hydro One."

The Hydro One Lab is part of an overall $750,000 investment by the company in Mohawk College. Along with investing in new equipment, Hydro One is supporting scholarships and bursaries, offering co-op work terms and summer internships and helping with curriculum and course development. This year, 11 students are receiving Hydro One scholarships and two students are receiving Hydro One bursaries.

“It takes the power of partnership to transform students into future ready, highly skilled graduates,” said MacIsaac. “Hydro One is helping Mohawk do exactly that as a great industry partner, college champion and supporter of our students.”

Mohawk is one of four Ontario colleges that have joined forces to meet the workforce training and development needs of Hydro One. The partnership marks the first time colleges have collaborated with a provincial employer. The Hydro One College Consortium was recognized with the 2008 Community / Corporate Partnership Award from Colleges Ontario.