Staying Ahead - Mohawk's Program Advisory Committees

Among the formalized ways employers shape how Mohawk College prepares the workforce of tomorrow is through program advisoryes (PAC) that guide and review curriculum and delivery, and the integration of technology and experiential learning.

“PACs provide a forum for employers to tell us what the needs and challenges are in their industries and to provide their expertise and experience to help us ensure our programs develop the skills required for our students to be future ready,” said Alison Horton, Vice-President Academic.

PACs are made up of business leaders, sector experts, and representatives of industry and trade groups, along with Mohawk deans and program coordinators.

Horton says serving on a PAC is often a point of entry for partners, who then discover other ways to get involved at Mohawk.

“I think PACs work very well,” said Andrew Wolfe, chair of the PAC for the 18-month postgraduate certificate in Supply Chain Management within the McKeil School of Business. Wolfe is a Business graduate from Mohawk and has worked since in procurement and supply chain roles. He now owns a consultancy.

The PAC meets every four to six months to examinemarket trends, needed skill sets, the job success rates of graduates, and the long-term strategic vision to grow the program.

Wolfe says not only does he connect with faculty and deans through the PAC, but students also reach out to him for market insight and career advice.“

For me, it means a lot to come back to Mohawk in this role. To have a voice in the development of future talent is great and it’s also an opportunity to leverage students into potential employees.”

PACs are often the source of concepts for new programs. Some recent examples include new post-graduate certificates in Brain Disorders Management, Mental Health and Disability Management, and Concurrent Disorders and a range of offerings in cybersecurity, networkengineering, software development and augmented and virtual reality.

“The PACs indentified a need for skills development in those areas,“ said Horton.

"That input allows us to be responsive to act on the needs in the community because our committeemembers are on the front lines."

To discover more on Mohawk's Program Advisory Committees - visit www.mohawkcollege.ca/employers

Image: Andrew Wolfe, WolfeProcurement, Chair of Supply Chain ProgramAdvisory Committee