HPA has been working on a number of initiatives through its partnership with Mohawk College to help connect students with employment in the transportation sector and to help bridge the skills gap.
Supply Chain Management Program
The first students in the new Supply Chain Management Program at Mohawk College began in January of this year. The post graduate certificate program is designed to teach students how goods flow within an organization, from raw material suppliers to the end consumer. HPA is working with port-located companies to help create co-op and internship placements that compliment students’ studies, and HPA has also set up a $20,000 tuition support fund to assist local students enrolled in the program. Greggory Blanchette is the first student to receive the HPA scholarship, awarded to recognize excellent leadership skills as well as a GPA of 70% or higher.
City School by Mohawk Supporting the Skilled Trades
HPA is working closely with CitySchool by Mohawk to create a pathway to jobs in the skilled trades. Backed by a $10,000 HPA contribution to CitySchool’s mobile classroom, CitySchool now offers a free, on-site introduction to welding, an in-demand skill among Hamilton’s industrial employers.
Supply Chain Job Fair
In April, HPA partnered with Mission to Seafarers and Mohawk College to host a Supply Chain Job Fair. The supply chain refers to all the steps involved in getting goods from their producers to the consumer. Companies in this sector are looking for all kinds of staff, with many jobs located in the North End, at the port or with nearby companies.
Port Partner Research
HPA continues to work with the CitySchool team on partnership development through a research grant from the Ontario Centre for Workforce Integration. The goal of this research is to provide CitySchool with the data to understand the training, hiring and retention needs of Port Authority partners and to highlight how Mohawk College can prepare students to pursue a career with a large employer community like the Port of Hamilton.
