Mohawk College receives grant from OVIN to connect students to auto industry skills and technology
Put Your Future in Motion program to introduce 500+ students to automotive and smart mobility careers
A new community program at Mohawk College is introducing elementary and secondary students to advanced skills and exciting careers in the automotive industry.
Put Your Future in Motion by Mohawk College is designed to encourage young people to explore careers in the automotive and smart mobility sector. As part of the Ontario Vehicle Innovation Network’s (OVIN) Regional Workforce Program, Mohawk College received nearly $400,000 to kickstart Put Your Future in Motion this summer through student workshops at the Fennell Campus and summer camps at the Marshall School of Skilled Trades & Apprenticeship in Stoney Creek.
“The automotive industry is drastically and rapidly changing as the era of EV transportation expands and autonomous vehicles emerge,” said David Santi, Dean of the Marshall School of Skilled Trades & Apprenticeship. “Put Your Future in Motion will introduce students to exciting future-focused skills and opportunities in post-secondary education and in careers. We are grateful to the Ontario Government and the Ontario Vehicle Innovation Network for their support of this exciting program.”
“As we continue to grow Ontario’s auto supply chain, it’s important that we empower students and connect them with exciting opportunities in the sector,” said Vic Fedeli, Ontario Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade. “We’re attracting billions of dollars’ worth of investment from companies worldwide that will create thousands of new jobs.”
“Careers in Ontario’s auto sector offer life-changing opportunities, with good pay, pensions and benefits,” said Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development Monte McNaughton. “Our government will continue to invest in innovative projects that help workers and job seekers get the skills they need to land better jobs with bigger pay cheques in the auto industry.”
With events and activities scheduled until the end of this year, Put Your Future in Motion is open to more than 500 students from Grades 5 through 12 from local school boards. Students can participate in skills-building and awareness activities and explore careers in the connected world, sustainability, and automotive industries at a Put Your Future in Motion pop-up in downtown Hamilton.
In partnership with Techsploration – an award-winning not-for-profit that delivers hands-on, mentor-led programming for young women in Grades 9 through 12 – Put Your Future in Motion will also connect local high school students with automotive skilled trades and technology industry workers and employers.
Lastly, parents, the community, and industry employers will have an opportunity to participate in Open House events and have access to the Mohawk College Put Your Future in Motion eXploRation Centre, located at the Stoney Creek campus.
Current/Upcoming 2023 Program Events
- Put Your Future in Motion Summer Camps (Stoney Creek) – Aug. 14-18
- Put Your Future in Motion@CityLAB (downtown Hamilton) – Oct. 10-12 for students and open to the public every Saturday from Oct 14 to Nov 28
- Techsploration in Motion (Stoney Creek) – Fall 2023
Quotes
“As we continue to strengthen Ontario’s position as a global leader in the automotive sector, the Regional Future Workforce program is critical to ensuring we have the skilled workers needed to fill the jobs of today and tomorrow.”
- Caroline Mulroney, Minister of Transportation
“OCI is grateful for the support from the Government of Ontario. The three core elements that make the Regional Future Workforce program stand out are its regional reach, the inclusion of equity-deserving groups, and the reach across multiple audience segments.”
- Claudia Krywiak, President and CEO, Ontario Centre of Innovation
“Ontario has emerged on the global stage as the jurisdiction that will usher in the future of the automotive sector as it transitions through electrification, connectivity, autonomy and mobility solutions. The Regional Future Workforce program is another example of Ontario’s commitment to ensuring that we have a highly-skilled and diverse workforce across the province to power this industry for years to come.”
- Raed Kadri, Head of the Ontario Vehicle Innovation Network, Ontario Centre of Innovation
“Put Your Future in Motion will play an important role in preparing our youth to respond to the needs and challenges of tomorrow. As Hamilton and Ontario continue to grow at a rapid pace, it is critical that we encourage young Ontarians with an interest in the skilled trades to pursue employment opportunities in that area. I am confident that this will contribute to that end – having great community organizations to continue to provide high-quality programming to youth from grades 5-12, and encourage their pursuit of rewarding careers that support local communities and economies.”
- Neil Lumsden, MPP, Hamilton East-Stoney Creek
About OVIN and The Regional Future Workforce Program
The Ontario Vehicle Innovation Network (OVIN) is an Ontario government initiative, led by the Ontario Centre of Innovation (OCI) that aims to drive innovation and collaboration in the automotive and mobility sector to build safer, cleaner, and more efficient transportation. The Regional Future Workforce Program (RFW Program) is an initiative introduced by OVIN to support the development of a highly skilled workforce in automotive and mobility. The RFW Program is allocating over 6 million dollars to 14 projects carried out by Ontario non-profit organizations, post-secondary institutions, and school boards to deliver automotive and mobility-focused programs connecting students from kindergarten to post-secondary to the sector. By investing in organizations like ours, the program aims to create a robust talent pipeline and ensure Ontario remains a leader in the rapidly evolving automotive industry.
About Mohawk College
Mohawk College educates and serves more than 32,500 full-time, part-time, apprenticeship and international students at four main campuses in Hamilton, Ontario and learning hubs across Hamilton through City School by Mohawk, as well as at the Mohawk College Mississauga Campus in partnership with triOS College. Mohawk is committed to upholding an equitable, diverse and inclusive learning, working and engaging environment for students, employees and the community. The college is among the top colleges for applied research in Canada. It has been named one of Hamilton-Niagara’s top employers and one of Canada’s greenest employers, and holds a GOLD STARS rating from AASHE for sustainability achievements. More than 165,000 people have graduated from Mohawk since it was founded.