Clockwise from top left: Tyler Thiem, student; Evan Weidner, student; Tyler Sowden, Technologist; Noey Dang, student;  Irene Amog, Professor, Building and Construction Technology and Engineering  Technology; Oscar Padron-Janica, student.  

The Construction Materials Lab is the first post-secondary institution in Canada approved by the Canadian Council of Independent Laboratories to test aggregate used in a wide range of infrastructure applications.

This past fall, Mohawk College became the first post-secondary institution in Canada to be certified for testing of aggregates used widely in the building and construction industry for asphalt and concrete designs. 

The College’s Construction Materials Laboratory, located at the Fennell campus, was certified by the Canadian Council of Independent Laboratories (CCIL). CCIL, a non-profit organization representing independent, private-sector testing laboratories in Canada, offers the largest laboratory certification program in the country. 

The lab is used for both applied research projects within the construction industry, as well as teaching in the Civil Engineering Technology, Civil Engineering Technician, Architectural Technology, Architectural Technician and Transportation Technology programs. 

This certification means the college has met the standardization and interlaboratory testing requirements of the CCIL Aggregate Laboratory Certification program and is qualified to perform six tests under Aggregate Quality Control Laboratories (Type C) and five tests under Aggregate Physical Property Tests (Type D). 

Irene Amog, a faculty member in the college’s School of Engineering Technology and Aviation, led the certification process along with Tyler Sowden, the technologist for the college’s Building and Construction Sciences program. 

Preparation for the certification process was time-consuming and very detailed, says Sowden. It required proving the lab could complete all the tests, that its equipment worked within the specifications that are required in the industry and that all the necessary calibrations and maintenance is being performed on the equipment. 

The lab also had to produce a quality manual that documents the step-by-step handling and reporting of the materials, along with a maintenance manual showing the calibrations and logs for each piece of equipment. Amog and Sowden had to prove their ability, through written and hands-on tests, to perform and teach the testing methods. 

The lab will be audited every two years to maintain its certification, but all the time and effort is worth it, say Amog and Sowden. 

There is a growing demand in Ontario for applied research expertise in aggregate materials testing and applied research. 

The lab’s certification benefits students, who get hands-on training and the chance to be certified in industry testing – an advantage in the construction sector – but it also benefits industry partners who get the credibility of third-party testing of new materials. 

Amog, who has more than 25 years of experience in testing and quality control in the construction materials industry, says Mohawk College’s primary goal in seeking certification was to provide students the opportunity to get certified. 

“I come from industry and trying to get new employees certified, especially students who often only work for consultants and contractors for a short period of time, was really difficult.” 

The testing work exposes students to new materials in a practical way, says Sowden. 

Students Tyler Thiem and Oscar Padron-Janica weigh and test the specific gravity of aggregate samples.

“Unlike other schools, we’re able to offer our students hands-on training, rather than just watching demonstrations, or scaled-down simulations. Our students get the feel of doing actual full-scale material testing procedures and have the ability to work with the equipment.” 

Providing third-party testing supports applied research projects for industry partners, says McIsaac. 

“Hamilton and our surrounding communities are recognized as a hub of innovation for the aggregate industry. As the first and only college in Canada to have been certified, we now can offer the industry the talent and expertise they need.” 

The 3,500-square-foot lab, located at Mohawk’s Fennell campus, includes equipment to wash materials, sieve sets to grade materials into specific sizes using mechanical shakers, and ovens that can dry up to five kilograms of material at a time. 

Three students in the Civil Engineering Technologist program have now achieved the certification. They have been integral to a partnership with aggregate giant Lafarge Canada to test recycled granular material for its compaction, durability and performance in road construction compared to newly extracted natural material. 

“I'm amazed as to how quickly our students were able to learn the proper procedures and put a system together to test all the research samples,” Amog says of the students who achieved top marks on the certification exam. 

Amog says that if testing can prove that recycled material is equal to or better than virgin aggregate in meeting industry specifications, it will cut maintenance needs, reducing costs, improving safety and providing environmental benefits. 

Recycled aggregate has carried a stigma in the industry because it used to contain other construction materials such as lumber, steel slag and even other foreign material that undermined its performance. 

While recycled material has been used on 400-series highways overseen by the Ministry of Transportation, many municipalities have been reluctant to adopt the materials, says Amog. 

“Lafarge wants to have credible third-party testing data showing this material passes all the requirements.” 

Students Evan Weidner and Noey Dang load fine aggregate into a rotary sifter to perform a sieve analysis.

Fifth-semester Civil Engineering Technology students Tyler Thiem, Oscar Padron-Janica and Evan Weidner work within the Construction Materials Lab and have all earned CCIL certification. 

Each is scheduled to graduate in December after a co-op term and final school semester. They all say the testing certification will help them stand out for jobs. 

“I value this lab experience because it's more working experience on top of the co-op itself,” says Thiem. “I was eager to join this research team because it's another opportunity to further my knowledge in this field.” 

Weidner says working in the lab has given an opportunity to work closely with faculty and to network in the industry. 

“We’ve been able to visit big industrial settings such as the Lafarge plants. Meeting with their managers has opened up new opportunities for networking, to see what's out there in the industry and just get your name out there.” 

Padron-Janica says he’s interested in both the design and materials testing side of civil engineering. The certification has immediately paid off in a summer co-op at Lafarge. 

“Getting the certification, plus that core experience in the lab, has given us a pretty wide angle of expertise. The certification is a huge bonus on our resumés.” 

This story originally appeared in Momentum Magazine.

Amanda White, Acting Director, Centre for Indigenous Relations, Knowledge and Learning, and Kerry Wabange, Human Resources Strategic Partner and Indigenous Specialist.

Mohawk College launches new Centre for Indigenous Relations, Knowledge and Learning and commits to embed Indigenous learning outcomes into all programs.

Mohawk College is making a deep and wide-ranging commitment to Truth and Reconciliation with the new Centre for Indigenous Relations, Knowledge and Learning (CIRKL) and an ambitious plan to embed Indigenous learning outcomes into each of its programs. 

Meaningfully advancing Truth and Reconciliation is among six aspirations contained with Mohawk College’s 2022-2025 strategic plan. 

CIRKL is a significant piece of achieving that aspiration and will lead the way in ensuring that all academic programs include land-based Indigenous ways of learning, says Amanda White, Acting Director, Centre for Indigenous Relations, Knowledge and Learning. 

“We have broad support and commitment from the College’s executive and senior leaders, and among faculty, staff, and students. There is acknowledgement that this is the right path to take,” she says. 

Building relationships is foundational to the work of CIRKL. 
 

The College’s approach to reconciliation, as well as its ambitious commitment to climate change action, is built on the framework of “Two-Eyed Seeing”. 

The concept is that faculty, staff, and students can learn to see from one eye with respect for the strengths of Indigenous knowledge and ways of knowing, and from the other eye with the strengths of Western knowledge. This dual understanding is meant to benefit all and find common ground, while upholding Indigenous perspectives as autonomous and equal. 

“We're not just looking to be included in the systems that are in place right now, we want to change the systems because those systems weren't built for us,” says White. “It’s really about different ways of doing things from that Indigenous lens.” 

Embedding learning outcomes 

A critical step forward is the establishment of seven Indigenous knowledge learning outcomes (IKLOs) that were developed through two years of deep consultation with Elders, Knowledge-Keepers and Indigenous leaders of Six Nations, Mississaugas of the Credit, and the urban Indigenous community, along with faculty, staff and students at Mohawk College. 

IKLOs will help all college learners, regardless of their field of study, better understand Indigenous peoples, histories, cultures, and realities by the time they graduate. They present an opportunity to decolonize curriculum and education and to make education safe for those who are underrepresented. 

“We know, through the work that was done through the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, that education has historically been weaponized against us,” says Carlie Myke, Acting Manager, Centre for Indigenous Relations, Knowledge and Learning. 

“We need to be able to see ourselves, our ways of knowing and our ways of doing things reflected in institutions. We need to be able to see our histories and our true history reflected in what is taught. Seeing that we have prioritized Indigenous ways of knowing and doing in content and curriculum, I think that that's very meaningful.” 

This work has also been heavily influenced by the success of similar learning outcomes developed by Confederation College. The CIRKL team was mentored by Confederation’s Indigenous leaders to learn about the challenges and opportunities in implementing the IKLOs. 

With support from CIRKL, consultations with each of the College’s academic areas have begun through the Centre for Teaching and Learning Innovation (CTLI), which will contribute to plans that will introduce and build content around such things as residential schools, treaties, royal proclamations, the First Nations principles of ownership, control, access, and possession, and wise practices around engaging with Indigenous communities. 

Also being closely examined is the College’s approach to research involving Indigenous people or communities. 

Too often, research focused on Indigenous people or practices or culture includes gathering and extracting data without the community understanding what has become of the information. 

“There must be understanding that we own and control how that information can be used, how it's protected, how we share it. It's meant to govern the idea of data sovereignty. As we say, nothing about us without us,” says White. 

The Hoop Dance Gathering Place at Mohawk College's Fennell campus.

Indigenous visibility 

CIRKL is located at the Fennell campus, where a new indoor Indigenous gathering place is to be opened this spring. It will be the site of meetings, gatherings, and events, in conjunction with the outdoor Hoop Dance Gathering Place, which opened in 2016. 

“It's important that our staff and students from our communities see themselves reflected at the College and that they belong here. These spaces are about visibility,” says White. 

That will be augmented with more representations of Indigenous language and artwork and extended to the Stoney Creek campus and the Institute for Applied Health Sciences at McMaster University. 

When it comes to faculty and staff, the College’s people strategy includes seven pillars and Truth and Reconciliation is at the heart of each, says Kerry Wabange, a Human Resources Strategic Partner and Indigenous Specialist. 

Her work includes developing and training HR staff and leaders in cultural fluency, reviewing all employment policies and practices to ensure Indigenous worldviews are included, and integrating Indigenous knowledge and practices into employment procedures. The goal is strong recruitment and retention among Indigenous candidates. 

“In order for HR-focused reconciliation to be meaningful it is imperative that as Indigenous employees, we see ourselves reflected in the work environment as well as the policies, procedures and programs. Additionally, there should be an authentic sense of belonging and cultural and psychological safety so that we can confidently bring our whole selves to work.” 

This story originally appeared in Momentum Magazine.

The Centre for Integrated and Advanced Medical Imaging solves clinical, educational and research challenges through deep institutional partnerships.

The new Centre for Integrated and Advanced Medical Imaging (CIAMI) will provide desperately needed MRI services in Hamilton, educate in demand MRI technologists through hands-on learning, foster innovation and new research discoveries.

Developed through a partnership between Mohawk College, McMaster University and affiliated hospitals, Hamilton Health Sciences (HHS) and St. Joseph’s Healthcare, CIAMI serves as a model for a new generation of healthcare.

It’s more than a place, CIAMI is an approach to improving MRI services in the community that addresses backlogs, educates the next generation of MRI technologists and conducts critical research.

Located at the Mohawk-McMaster Institute of Applied Health Sciences (IAHS) building on the university’s main campus, CIAMI includes a newly installed GE Healthcare Signa 3T advanced MRI suite, only the second of its kind in Canada. 

Long-time partnership

CIAMI builds on a long tradition of partnership in healthcare education between McMaster and Mohawk College that includes the province’s first collaborative degree in Nursing, the IAHS facility itself, which opened in 2000, and the first fully integrated diploma-degree program in Medical Radiation Sciences in 2004.

“Those early years of the Mohawk-McMaster partnership paved the way for exceptional successes in education and research. CIAMI is a great example of how strong partnerships and meaningful collaborations can succeed in amazing ways,” says Mohawk College President and CEO Ron J. McKerlie. 

“Both Mohawk and McMaster are committed to moving the region forward,” says David Farrar, President of McMaster University. “Individually, we have great capacity in that regard, but together we have massive power.”

According to Wendy Lawson, Associate Vice President Academic & Dean of the School of Health & Community Services at Mohawk College, CIAMI will revolutionize medical imagine training, discovery and care in the community.

“We envision a future in which front-line allied health professionals are actively engaged in research and one in which teams of clinicians, radiologists, academic researchers an technologists work together to solve problems and propel technological advances in the expanding field of diagnostic imaging,” she says. “Above all, we envision a future in which specialists collaborate across disciplines to train the healthcare professionals of the future, make exciting research discoveries, and provide better healthcare for all.”

Mohawk College’s commitment to producing Future Ready graduates through experiential learning, applied research and interprofessional education will flourish at CIAMI, says Lawson.

City-wide collaboration 

The partnership behind CIAMI is a true citywide collaboration, says Leslie Gauthier, Vice President of Clinical Support Services and Surgery at HHS.

“This will have a huge impact. It’s a different way of thinking about education and clinical needs.” 

Launching this initiative – which has been  about 10 years in the making – has taken the input of 19 working groups, more than 100 people and hundreds of meetings.

“With CIAMI, we are being responsive to community needs and we have connected with community partners on a level that is unprecedented,” says Laura Thomas, Associate Dean of Allied Health and Medical Radiation Sciences at Mohawk College. “

MRI: Standard of care

MRI provides a more in-depth anatomical picture than other forms of diagnostic imaging and is especially useful for imaging of the spine, joints and organs, such as the kidneys, liver and ovaries.

“There was just one MRI in Hamilton when I trained. It’s now a proven technology that many doctors rely upon for diagnosis,” says Dr. Karen Finlay, Chief of Diagnostic Imaging and Nuclear Medicine at HHS. Hamilton is now home to 10 MRIs, including the one at CIAMI.

But the need is much greater. Non-urgent patients are waiting up to a year to get an MRI.

The lack of health human resources, the most limiting factor, has long been one of the biggest challenges.

Under supervision of registered technologists, students get real-world training on clinical cases and the site will offer a space where existing healthcare staff in the city can train to add MRI to their skill set.

Mohawk College’s accelerated training for upskilling healthcare professionals – within the Centre for Professional Advancement – has already helped 82 existing diagnostic imaging staff fast-track their paths to learning MRI.

As well, Mohawk College’s first MRI technologist post-graduate certificate program launched this fall with a cohort of 24 students.

Improving efficiencies

The whole idea for CIAMI came about when  Mohawk College Chief Operating Officer Paul Armstrong, then Dean of Health Sciences, met McMaster University professor Mike Noseworthy for a coffee more than a decade ago. They hashed out a dream for an MRI at IAHS that would combine clinical, educational and research functions.

“It was a crazy idea but I’m elated to see what it’s become,” says Noseworthy, who is Director of Medical Imaging Physics and Engineering at St. Joseph’s Healthcare and a professor in McMaster’s Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering. “This is a unique model. McMaster and Mohawk College have a special relationship that has allowed this to happen.”

He’s been working MRIs for 35 years and always wished there was a dedicated MRI that could be used for research and education.

Noseworthy says the last piece of the concept came from radiologist Dr. Julian Dobranowski, who suggested the MRI should focus on nonurgent cases.

Dobranowski was chief of radiology at St. Joseph’s Healthcare and is now Chief of Medical Imaging at Niagara Health. He is also chair of medical imaging at McMaster University and an adjunct professor at Mohawk College. He serves as the provincial lead at Ontario Health for cancer imaging and for access to care for MRI and CT. His mission is to improve efficiencies and cut wait times.

The relevance of CIAMI is that it will cut wait times while still giving space for training and research.

“It’s important that CIAMI is outside the hospital system,” says Dobranowski. “The hospital is taking care of ICU, ER, ward patients and outpatients coming in for MRIs. We now have an option for lower acuity patients. When we take them out of the hospitals, it leaves more spaces for acute patients.”

The new MRI – a 3 Tesla unit that features a magnet 60,000 times more powerful than the magnetic pull of the Earth – has enhanced artificial intelligence features, an audio system, and a monitor that can stream television or a movie for patients who have to stay completely still up to an hour. It also features a wider bore that accommodates larger patients, along with those with claustrophobia.

When it’s in research mode, engineers and scientists can access the back end of the operating system to study and improve its operation and output, as well as design new components.

The MRI will be used to assess physiological processes such as muscle and brain activity or the behaviour of diseases. Researchers will be able to investigate new efficiencies within the MRI magnet as well as design hardware to support patient diagnosis.

Proof of concept

St. Joseph’s Healthcare’s MRI, which had been primarily used for medical research through the hospital’s Imaging Research Centre (IRC), stepped in to take clinical cases under the CIAMI program beginning in 2022.

“St. Joseph’s Healthcare was instrumental in the implementation of the proof of concept for CIAMI,” says Cheryl Livingston, Chief of Diagnostic Services at the hospital. “We worked out what patients would be suitable, the gains that could made through this model and the benefits to the overall hospital sector.”

By extending the working hours of the MRI and staff, St. Joe’s took on 1,500 to 2,000 hours of clinical MRI work a year or about 6,000 MRI scans under the CIAMI program, targeting those who had been waiting the longest.

As MRI proves to be increasingly useful as a clinical tool, that research directly leads to the growing demand for MRI services that far outstrips capacity and leads to long wait times. Dobranowski believes CIAMI will serve as a model of care for other communities struggling to manage demand. 

“The mindset here was our institutions coming together to do the right thing to solve a problem. All affiliations were just left at that door. There’s no reason this can’t be replicated across the country.”  

This story originally appeared in Momentum Magazine.

Mohawk College’s Applied Research Pathway, Centre for Emerging Research Initiatives and applied research training modules offer a suite of supports for applied researchers.

Fostering a culture of research is a key strategic priority of Mohawk College and that happens on a number of fronts: backing established researchers leading key campus centres of innovation; helping emerging researchers firmly get rooted in their field of inquiry; and growing the ranks of researchers by inviting new people into the fold.

The goals are to provide more opportunities for applied research to students, to collaborate with more industry partners and to improve the rigour and success of the research that is undertaken, says Cristina Gage, Dean of Applied Research.

Mohawk College is home to subject matter experts in a realm of fields, including remote sensors, internet of things, drones, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, digital health, additive manufacturing and many others.

Converting that knowledge into an understanding of the demands, standards and rigours of research through Mohawk College’s Applied Research Pathway, a structured approach that builds the skills of new researchers – and the subsequent benefits to students and industry who can join that exploration – is a powerful model, says Andrea Johnson, who is general manager of the recently created Centre for Emerging Research Initiatives. 

“We know we have untapped resources of expertise amongst our faculty experts and we wanted to create more access to research training to develop their research skills and knowledge that can solve real-life challenges.”

Mohawk College, through IDEAWORKS, its applied research and innovation division, provides resources, support, mentorship and services to faculty, staff and students across the spectrum of research experience.

“Mohawk College has developed a flexible toolbox that supports researchers. The majority of our researchers work within defined innovation centres that employ professional staff,” says Jeff McIsaac, Dean of Engineering Technology & Aviation.

The Applied Research Pathway, developed by Johnson and McIsaac, operates in five levels, beginning with novice researchers, then emerging researchers and working all the way up to established researchers who are leading large projects and building a career in the field.

Researchers complete training and research activities and hit key milestones to move through to the next stage.

“We have researchers across the spectrum of experience, from someone just starting out who needs training and skills development and assistance in finding partners and building relationships to undertake their first project to those who have completed dozens of projects and are managing 10 to 20 researchers and a multi-million dollar budget,” says McIsaac.

“Those two researchers have a completely different set of needs, so with the Applied Research Pathway, we can identify where in the research journey they are and align our supports with that of the needs of 
the researcher.”

An element of the research pathway is a series of applied research training modules that are now open for enrollment to anyone, including individuals, industry and other institutions, and provide the resources for those who want to take on research activities but may be intimidated.

“How do you start? How do you pose a research question? How do you get funding? These are questions that someone new to research would have,” says Gage. “We know there are faculty and staff who 
are interested in research but haven’t had dedicated training.”

The modules also cover research ethics, how to protect intellectual property, how to apply for grants and how to achieve research objectives that create value for the region, province and country.

“The idea is to give back to the entire applied research community with training and knowledge. More applied research knowledge is better for everyone and makes the sector stronger. We really believe in the value of applied research and what it brings to businesses, community organizations and start-ups.”

Babitha Thampinathan, who teaches cardiac sonography part-time at the Institute for Applied Health Sciences, took the applied research modules earlier this year. She is exploring the integration of AI technology, such as a simulation mannikins to evaluate the impact of simulation-based learning.

“I have always planned to do applied research at the school and coming out of the pandemic, I renewed my commitment. I have participated in some clinical research but that’s different from finding an industry partner and funding.”

She said the modules were accessible, sequential and systematic and included videos, hands-on “drag and drop” activities, readings and self-assessments.

“I now understand the terminology of applied research, along with budgets and working with deliverables to research partners. I have referred my colleagues who don’t have a research background and they found it really helpful, too.”

Thampinathan credits the modules with helping her secure two grants, one through the IDEAWORKS Catalyst Fund and the other through an external funder. “I think it’s great Mohawk College has opened this up to external researchers. That is forward thinking and it shows the strength and value of applied research at the college.” 

This story originally appeared in Momentum Magazine.

Mohawk College’s transformational Climate Action Plan sets a net-zero target for 2035, along with advancing sustainability within student learning and applied research.

A Climate Action Plan releasing this fall is Mohawk College’s transformational roadmap to fight climate change and prepare for a low-carbon economy on three fronts: direct operations, education and training, and applied research and partnerships.

The plan’s target is to achieve net-zero carbon in direct operations – buildings and fleet – by 2035. The plan also focuses on embedding sustainability and climate action into curriculum across the college’s programming, providing extracurricular opportunities and encouraging a sustainability mindset.

“We are training our students to lead and participate in the coming transition to the low-carbon economy,” says Allison Maxted, Manager of Sustainability.

A new comprehensive School of Sustainability and Climate Action will advance education and training elements that are foundational to the Climate Action Plan.

“What sets our Climate Action Plan apart is that it looks at climate action in a holistic way,” says Maxted. “The impact of an educational institution extends well beyond its operations. We are critical to the workforce development and applied research that will move us forward.”

Mohawk College has made it a strategic pillar to make a measurable impact on climate change, says Henry Colyn, Chief Building and Facilities Officer.

“The Climate Action Plan is a roadmap to a destination. We have set aggressive targets for our operations, including an 85 per cent reduction in Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 based on a 2007 baseline. To achieve that, we are making a significant investment in technology.”

That includes an additional electric boiler, along with conservation efforts and systemic changes to campus practices. Every future deferred maintenance and capital decision will be guided by the plan’s targets. The multilayered strategy will focus on electrification, conservation, storage and on-site generation.

“Our targets are ambitious but they are achievable. It will require a great deal of planning,” says Colyn.

The Climate Action Plan also sets out a proposal to grow the college’s research impact in the realm of climate solutions.

Mohawk College is working with more than 25 companies on complex and challenging decarbonization strategies, along with a number of municipal governments, start-ups and small clean-tech businesses, says Kate Flynn, General Manager of the Centre for Climate Change Management (CCCM).

“The whole plan is about the successes we’ve had and how we will dive into the next deeper level and lead in this space. The next phase is about expanding our advanced research and doing more things better.”

CCCM is the centre of this research, along with the Energy & Power Innovation Centre, the Sensor Systems and Internet of Things (IOT) Lab, and the work of Tony Cupido, who holds a research chair in sustainable building technologies.

“There are so many facets because climate change touches many aspects of our economy,” says Flynn. “We are engaging in more research across the college in interdisciplinary spaces.”

Each of the Climate Action Plan’s pillars has a sponsor from the College’s Senior Leadership Team. A college-wide Steering Group will oversee the implementation of the plan and provide knowledge and expertise to ensure commitments to sustainability and climate action are reflected in planning and decision-making.

Working groups will advance specific areas and the plan identifies guiding principles for incorporating Indigenous concepts of relationships and sustainability.

The Climate Action Plan builds on a longstanding legacy in sustainability. Mohawk College has had a comprehensive environmental management plan in place since 2011 – the first college in Ontario to do so – and has prioritized climate action within its overall strategic plan.

It has been named one of Canada’s greenest employers 10 years in a row and holds a STARS® Gold rating from AASHE (Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education) for sustainability achievements.

Mohawk College has also founded Canadian Colleges for a Resilient Recovery, a national coalition of 14 colleges, cégeps, institutes and polytechnics that is leading the transition to a low-carbon economy, and opened The Joyce Centre, Canada’s first net-zero carbon institutional building.

“Mohawk College serves as a model of what an institution can look like as it moves into the next phase on climate action,” says Flynn.

Five years of The Joyce Centre for Partnership & Innovation

The Joyce Centre for Partnership & Innovation, Canada’s first net-zero institutional building, has inspired many other such buildings and has welcomed thousands through its doors since it opened five years ago.

That includes everyone from local elementary school children to engineers and scientists from across the world, says Tony Cupido, Mohawk’s Research Chair in Sustainable Building Technologies.

He’s led hundreds of tours and the building has hosted numerous conferences for organizations that promote zero-carbon, lowenergy buildings, as well as engineering and architecture groups.

“With respect to its design and construction, this building was ground-breaking. Nothing on this scale had been done before. From a knowledge point of view, this building has contributed a great deal. I think it’s fair to say that virtually every Ontario university and college, and many others, have visited The Joyce Centre.”

Cupido recently led a tour for Hamilton Mayor Andrea Horwath and her team who are searching for efficiencies in the city’s operations of fire halls, police stations, arenas, community centres and other public buildings.

The Joyce Centre has served as a “backbone for student learning” within curriculum, capstone projects, and applied research, says Cupido.

Students have analyzed the performance of the water quality produced by the rainwater harvesting and filtration system, the building’s system of solar panels, the green roof, and its geothermal heating and 
cooling system.

“The thrill is the interest of students in this building, the projects they do and the outcomes they find. Seeing students learn from this building is very rewarding. They will have better knowledge about what buildings can be because they’ve lived and breathed in this building.”

There is now five years’ worth of data on the building’s performance, says Henry Colyn, Chief Building and Facilities Officer. Data is submitted each year to the Canada Green Building Council in order to maintain the building’s zero-carbon certification.

“We have an amazing team of people who operate that building. It’s very technically advanced and it requires technically advanced people skilled in energy, electrical, mechanical and building automation to operate it. It’s not just built and left to run, it needs constant monitoring and adjustment. The ongoing success of this building is 100% due to amazing facilities team we have assembled to operate it.” 

This story originally appeared in Momentum Magazine.

Canadian Colleges for a Resilient Recovery’s Quick Train Canada is providing a suite of upskilling, reskilling options for workers across the country.

Canadian Colleges for a Resilient Recovery (C2R2) is a nationwide effort led by Mohawk College to coordinate, amplify and accelerate the training and research necessary for the transition to a clean economy.

That foundational organization of 14 partnering colleges, cégeps, institutes and polytechnics from across Canada with strength in climate action and sustainability has now launched Quick Train Canada, a fully funded suite of microcredentials. They cover a wide variety of sectors, including agriculture and agri-food, transportation, natural resources and environment, clean technology, construction and industry development.

Through in-person, virtual and hybrid offerings, learners can choose from microcredentials offered at institutions across Canada. The goal is to train 10,000 people.

“As smart technology advances and the clean economy rolls out across the country, existing industries are adapting to remain competitive and new industries are gaining a strong foothold in the economy,” says Mohawk College President and CEO Ron J. McKerlie. 

Mohawk College founded C2R2 in the fall of 2020 and now acts as its coordinating secretariat.

“Quick Train Canada offers short, agile training targeting those already in the workforce. For some individuals, it might not be feasible to go back to school for a diploma or degree, but with the flexibility of microcredentials it is possible to upskill into a new position or a new industry,” says Adrienne Madden, Coalition Manager of C2R2.

In November 2022, the coalition received $46.5 million in funding from Employment and Social Development Canada under its Sectoral Workforce Solutions Program to support an education solution for all Canadians.

“The power to make a large impact quickly is 100 per cent the reason for the coalition,” says Paul Armstrong, Chief Operating Officer for Mohawk College and C2R2 Steering Group Co-Chair. “The members share an honest commitment to removing barriers and applying a national approach so that we can respond quickly to match the needs of a quickly changing economy.”

Each member institution leads in curriculum development, training and applied research within its own realm of expertise.

“That kind of coordinated effort on this scale has never been applied within the college system before. It’s a very efficient model because it eliminates duplication and the unnecessary expenditure of resources. Fourteen institutions are acting as one,” says Armstrong.

A key pillar of C2R2 is one of fostering inclusion, diversity and equity to ensure equitable access to opportunities. In order to ensure that C2R2’s work reflects the needs of business and industry, the coalition has established a national industry advisory council that brings together the voices of large industry sectors, Indigenous peoples, youth and other underrepresented groups.

So far, more than half of Quick Train learners identify as being among an equity-deserving group, which includes women, Indigenous people, racialized and visible minorities, people with disabilities, 2SLGBTQIA+ and newcomers.

“There is strength in this shared mission, this shared vision to work together and in the commitment to EDI (equity, diversity and inclusion),” says Christine Watson, Vice President, Academic at Red River College Polytechnic (RRCP) in Manitoba, one of C2R2’s founding members.

RRCP offers microcredentials in electric vehicle (EV) technology, EV communications and computer systems, building envelope science and working in social innovation andconsultation with Indigenous communities. It will soon roll out courses in hydrogen production, diesel exhaust emission reduction systems and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.

“We know other colleges have expertise that we don’t have so it’s an opportunity to leverage our strengths and to call upon the capacity, resources and expertise of all the other colleges,” said Watson, who co-chairs the C2R2 steering group alongside Armstrong.

“This is the right time and these are the right offerings. Demand has been high for our training options. The majority of our learners are employed and are looking for shortburst training for new jobs or new fields. And because the federal government has backed this model, Canadians have access to training in a way they never have before,” she says.

“We are so impressed by the vision and leadership that Mohawk College and Ron and Paul brought forward. We cannot take this on individually. It has to be a collaborative, collective response.”

The need for this type of skills training is enormous.

The C2R2 secretariat team centred at Mohawk College is made up of nine people, including staff seconded from four member institutions. That secretariat provides administrative, communications and government relations support to the coalition and its associated groups, leads all grant applications, handles all day-to-day operations, and drives business development opportunities. 

This story originally appeared in Momentum Magazine.

Digital Health degree combines computer science, health care and business into one integrated discipline.

Oluwafemi Agbeye is among the first cohort of students in Mohawk College’s multidisciplinary Digital Health degree program, the College’s first standalone degree.

That group is now about half-way through the four-year program, while another cohort is finishing its first year. It combines computer science, health care and business and integrates research, applied learning and placements.

All those threads interest Agbeye.

He works as a support worker for people with developmental delays, sometimes working full-time hours. But he also loves to program and code and has his eye on one day managing a health care business that develops software.

Digital health is a broad field, encompassing everything from analyzing the data that helps clinicians make better treatment decisions to electronic health records to virtual patient visits to remote patient monitoring.

Right now, the concept of digital health and what those skills mean isn’t generally known but Agbeye is confident that his skillset will be in high demand.

Originally from Nigeria, Agbeye studied anatomical sciences and then computer science in Caracas for two years before deciding to move to Canada.

He started a personal support worker course in Toronto but then decided he should capitalize on his computer skills. He came to Mohawk College to study Software Development.

“When Digital Health was introduced, it really offered everything I was looking for, so I crossed over. I want a career that combines health care and IT.”

The program is challenging, says Agbeye, “but all of that comes with benefits. Knowledge comes from the challenge.”

Alongside courses in software development, mobile development and user interface design comes anatomy and physiology, patient safety and risk management, statistics, data analytics, telehealth, digital imaging, emerging technologies, entrepreneurship and project management.

“This is a demanding program with a robust workload,” says Varrasso. “It combines a higher-level theoretical understanding with the hands-on applied learning we’re known for at Mohawk College.”

“Student feedback is outstanding. They love the program.” 

This story originally appeared in Momentum Magazine.

Makerspace and the Digital Creativity Centre help students harness their creative learning. 

Business student Ryan Tshiyoyo uses Mohawk College’s Makerspace every day to design and create new pieces of clothing for the brand he created in high school. 

“If I’m having a bad day, I go to the Makerspace and make a T-shirt and I feel better about myself.” 

Makerspace – part of the Digital Creativity Centre within the Joyce Centre for Partnership & Innovation – is a place to explore, learn, experiment and create. It provides 21st century learning of digital skills, collaboration, and experiential and applied learning. 

Students, faculty and staff have access to a range of maker equipment and experts who teach how to use it either one-on-one or in group workshops. 

The Makerspace is housed inside the 5,600-square-foot Digital Creativity Centre (DCC), a home to three 3D printers, a laser cutter, a Cricut, a vinyl cutter, a heat transfer machine, a UV printer, a cold roll laminator, a T-shirt press, and equipment to practise coding or build digital devices. It also features a recording studio, editing suite, AV/VR studio and project rooms that feature whiteboards and large monitors. 

“DCC and Makerspace are meant to be a jumping-off point for students to come in and find something that allows them to express themselves in ways they may not have considered before,” says Richard Mader, Manager of Digital Skills. 

“Projects can be fun and recreational but also students are inspired to make things they care about. The sky’s the limit on what can be done in the Makerspace.” 

Students use Makerspace to work on class projects, too. 

“As a college, it’s our mandate to prepare our students for the workforce of tomorrow and the layers of digital and technical skills they will need,” says Marilyn Powers, Director, Academic Technology in the Centre for Teaching and Learning Innovation. 

“Supporting digital literacy and helping students master vital digital skills is at the heart of what we do in the Digital Creativity Centre. Employers want to see the digital creativity of students. DCC and Makerspace is a great place to explore that.” 

Tshiyoyo is working to get his upstart “street fashion” brand off the ground. He takes second-hand T-shirts and jeans and upcycles them with his own designs or he produces items from scratch. 

Ryan working on the clothes stamping machine“It’s not a hobby. This is who I am as a person.” 

The range of the equipment available to him in the Makerspace, and the help provided to use it, has been a huge benefit to Tshiyoyo. In a good week, he creates four or five items that he’s adding to his collection. 

“I tell other students about it because so many people are sleeping on what’s there. You are able to build and create so much and try different things,” he says. 

There is a constant buzz in Makerspace, says Noah Giunta, who is one of seven Digital Skills Technicians in the DCC. 

“It’s not quiet like the library but it’s not the cafeteria, either. It is a busy place where people work hard.” 

The DCC offers one-on-one or group sessions in person or online to help students learn how to use the College’s learning management system and other digital tools.

This story originally appeared in Momentum Magazine.

Mohawk students have plenty of job opportunities to work in college labs and innovation centres. 

Deivy Munoz-AcostaDeivy Munoz-Acosta is among 40 students working on applied research projects at Mohawk College through the Campus Student Employment Program (CSEP), part-time contracts and co-op placements. 

A second-year student in the Computer Systems Technician-Software Support program, Munoz-Acosta works in image processing analysis. He evaluates sensor data across a number of parameters to evaluate a blast furnace’s working performance. 

He worked part-time as an international CSEP student in Sensor Systems and Internet of Things (IoT) Lab before being hired as a full-time research assistant last summer. Now, he’s doing a full-time co-op placement there. 

Munoz-Acosta has been working on a project with a national steel manufacturer that uses vision systems employing specialized image processing to determine whether the steel company’s blast furnace is running optimally. 

Other IoT projects have required him to use 3D modelling and coding skills. The lab, which includes seven research assistants, eight to 10 CSEP students and several full-time staff, takes on a great deal of industry work. 

Munoz-Acosta was a research assistant and a professor in electronics and mechatronics in his native Colombia. 

“I love research because you are changing projects and learning new things all the time.” 

He chose to come to Canada to further his career, and after exploring his options, he felt Mohawk College offered the most complete program for him. 

He learned about employment opportunities in applied research when he saw the on-campus applied research department in Mohawk College’s IDEAWORKS. 

“This is a big project and it’s applied directly to industry. It will be an important part of my resumé. This has been a wonderful opportunity for me.” 
 

Career path confirmed

David Brack, who is in his final year of Computer Engineering and Mechatronic Systems, also works in the IoT lab. During the time he worked on the project with a global leading steel manufacturer, he developed a computer vision algorithm based on thermal images. It automates a manual raking process to remove slag from molten steel in the steel manufacturer’s ladle metallurgy facility. 

The system gives the operators real-time feedback and suggestions, with the hope that will increase quality and consistency, says Brack. 

“This project has been a great challenge for me since a lot of the concepts needed, such as computer vision, are taught later in my program. I was also unfamiliar with thermal imaging, which meant I needed to review a large amount of research papers before starting to get familiar with the concepts.” 

His applied research work has demonstrated to Brack that he wants to pursue a career in computer vision and AI. 

“The project was a great opportunity for me to build on the skills I learned at Mohawk while challenging me to be creative and learn concepts outside my education and comfort zone. It forced me to think about what I want to do after I graduate and enabled me to make a plan to achieve those goals.”  

Research in the sky

Mackenzie Van Vliet spent a week experiencing cold like she had never felt before while working in -50C weather in Churchill, Manitoba in January to conduct cold-weather testing of drones for Hamilton-based company Skygauge. She is a research assistant in the Unmanned & Remote Sensing Innovation Centre (URSIC). 

Van Vliet, who is studying in the Digital Health degree program, had never considered working with drones, but when she happened upon a drone demonstration at a fair, she was immediately intrigued. Now she’s interested in how drones can be applied to health care. 

Since landing a job in URSIC, she’s worked on a series of projects, including using drones to measure the volume of ponds and to support police operations, and has landed advanced drone pilot certificate in advanced operations, issued by Transport Canada. 

“I am really excited to have it. I want to eventually become a flight reviewer after I get more flight time and knowledge.” 

She will continue travelling for projects, including back to Manitoba and to Ottawa and St. John, and says her job has exposed her to advanced software and to being involved in project management. 

“I’m part of weekly check-in meetings with clients. Everyone is so supportive in the lab and works really well together as a team,” she says. 

“We are getting to do things that haven’t been done before. If you want to try something, you try it. If it doesn’t work, that’s OK. You try something else.”

This story originally appeared in Momentum Magazine.

Four previous Pathfinder participants and two Mohawk College staff members presented at the World Indigenous People Conference on Education (WIPCE) in Adelaide, Australia in September. 

The group shared about the innovative program and their own personal experiences. 

Pathfinder is a three-week land-based program at Mohawk College’s campus that marked its 12th year this summer. It encourages Indigenous students to learn about and become engaged in post-secondary education while at the same time learning about their Indigenous heritage through learning from local elders, knowledge keepers, and facilitators. 

WIPCE draws Indigenous education experts, practitioners, scholars, and students from across the globe to share successes and strategies for culturally grounded education. It’s the largest and most diverse Indigenous education forum in the world. 

“The cool thing is that we have seen there are a lot more organizations and schools doing this kind of program globally than we would have thought,” says Amanda White, Manager of Indigenous Student Services. 

The Mohawk contingent was supposed to travel to the conference in 2020, but COVID delayed that. When they finally got to go two years later, it took two days longer to get to Adelaide than scheduled when three plane rides became six. 

Despite the delays and the exhausting time zone changes, it was all worth it to be there, says the group. 

“It’s incredible to see the different cultures,” said Amanda Aitchison, an Indigenous awareness programmer at Mohawk. “On the first day, there was a parade of nations and they all shared a song or their language. That was empowering to hear these languages because so much of that has been lost.” 

The group also took an excursion that featured boomerang throwing, wood carving and cooking. 

The conference was nothing but positive energy, says Ashley Hogan, who participated in the Pathfinder program beginning in Grade 9. It enabled her to learn about her Indigenous culture and grow in confidence. 

“It definitely helped me to spread my wings in numerous ways,” she says. “It’s a very supportive community. You are able to be yourself without any judgement.” 

A trip to British Columbia with the program introduced her to the concept of neuroscience. Hogan, 20, completed a Pre-Health program at Mohawk College before enrolling in human behaviour at McMaster University. 

Caroline Hill took part in Pathfinder in one of the first cohorts and attended four more times. Now 26, she is a graduate of Mohawk’s Recreation Therapy program and then earned a graduate certificate in Mental Health and Disability Management. Hill now works in a long-term care home and serves as a mentor for younger Pathfinder participants. 

“It’s a rewarding thing to help younger students find their own footing.” 

She says she would have never found her way to post-secondary studies without the Pathfinder program. 

“It made me enjoy learning in all its forms, like classrooms, listening to elders, doing hands-on things. I really can’t believe this program that I didn’t really want to go to has led to all of this.” 

Jason Seth and Chris Smoke all took part in the trip as Pathfinder participants, who each earned a credit in Global Experiences. The travel was supported by a program donor. 
 

This story originally appeared in Momentum Magazine. 

Through innovations in teaching and learning and a priority placed on learner choice, Mohawk College is changing the landscape of its program offerings. 

Learners have individual needs, depending on their educational and employment background and goals. A range of credentials, from micro-credentials, continuing and professional education courses, certificates and programs, to more traditional post-secondary diplomas, advanced diplomas, degrees and post-graduate certificates, provides options to suit any learner. 

Today, the life cycle of learning is broad and continuous. Mohawk’s new Digital Learning Strategy and its growing delivery options will ensure the college meets all types of learners where they are, says Janet Shuh, Dean of Continuing Education and Academic Development. 

“Whether it’s a student coming directly from high school into a diploma or degree program or a mid-career professional seeking upskilling, reskilling or co-skilling through a short-cycle micro-credential, we offer an agile, flexible and comprehensive credential landscape across the life cycle of learning.” 

Optimal flexibility 

Mohawk recognizes that learners have demanding schedules and different learning styles. Some prefer the experience of in-person learning, while others want or require fully online curriculum delivery. Still others prefer a hybrid approach. 

A new HyFlex academic delivery modality provides choice of how a learner wants to learn and where. Mohawk has equipped its first three classrooms to offer all three modalities in a course or program at once: face to face (on campus), synchronous (live real-time) online, and asynchronous (at the learner’s own pace) online. 

A learner can choose one modality throughout the credential’s duration or choose different ones each day or week to suit their work and personal schedules. 

“This requires more equipped classrooms and some training for faculty in moderating delivery in this way. Faculty may also need to re-think how hands-on activities and assessments are administered in a HyFlex environment.” 

HyFlex uses classroom technology, such as Zoom rooms, tracking cameras, high quality speakers, and large monitors to facilitate interaction between faculty, students learning virtually, and those face-to-face in the classroom. 
 

This delivery modality also leverages the college’s robust Learning Management System (LMS) to provide an asynchronous (at their own time) learning experience for students who prefer or need to learn outside of scheduled class times. 

About six Mohawk programs—including Civil Engineering Technology – Transportation and Urban and Regional Planning – Geographic Information Systems (GIS)—are delivered in high-flex mode, says Shuh, but that will grow.

This innovative teaching approach enables out-of-region and out-of-province students to enroll in programs that have traditionally been in-person. That is proving to be popular.

With minimal promotion, Urban and Regional Planning – Geographic Information Systems (GIS) has already attracted 24 registrants in the new online intake for the current fall 2022 semester, in addition to the 27 students in the traditional in-person intake.

Many of these students were from areas far outside of Mohawk College’s geographic catchment. 

Micro-credentials: short-burst learning 

A growing field of learning is micro-credentials that deliver learning in shorter durations than traditional post-secondary programs, often in less than 12 weeks. The college works with industry partners to identify, develop and implement micro-credentials that meet employer needs. 

“They are short-burst, targeted learning programs to meet specific training and skills needs. They are delivered in flexible delivery modes to suit the needs of our learners.” 

They are often delivered online, but may involve experiential on-campus learning components. Many are developed asynchronously (no live classes) so learners can learn when and how they want. 

Some micro-credentials are one-off, while others are designed in “stacks” that combine into a larger credential and digital badges that can be added to a 
LinkedIn profile or curriculum vitae. For the stacked micro-credentials, students are awarded a “milestone” badge to show stacked program completion. 

Mohawk College offers stacked credentials that have been built by industry, including IBM, as well as those that have been designed, developed and delivered directly by the college in human services, technology, manufacturing, business and other areas of specialization. 

“The engagement of industry ensures micro-credentials deliver highly targeted and relevant skills training that meet the emerging and future needs of the workforce,” says Shuh. 

A great example is a new 3D Visualization for the Built Environment micro-credential that develops skills in building information modeling (BIM), 3D rendering tools, GIS and CAD techniques, digital twins and virtual reality/3D printing applications for design, presentation, construction and ongoing operations and maintenance of buildings and spaces. 

“Our industry partner worked closely with us to identify key competencies needed in the building field and to develop the curriculum needed to support those in-demand skills in construction and trades, city planning, facilities management and architecture,” says Shuh. 

“If a picture is worth a thousand words, 3D models and VR/AR is the next step in the architectural, engineering and construction industry,” says Tage Crooks, lead developer of the micro-credential and a zoning examiner with the City of Mississauga. 

“Interest groups, politicians, residents and other stakeholders do not want to read page after page of policy on a particular development - they want to know how that development will impact their lives through the visualization of the project. Mohawk’s new micro-credential in 3D visualization is a game-changer in teaching industry professionals how to create stunning 3D models to convey design intent for their projects in the real world,” says Crooks, who is a part-time professor with the Urban and Regional Planning Technician – GIS program and one of the expert facilitators for the new micro-credential. 

Strategic digital direction 

On the other end of the spectrum, Mohawk College offers two standalone degrees in Digital Health and Business Administration (Trades Management). A Bachelor of Analytics and Data Management (Honours) will launch in fall 2023. 

The college intends to develop more career-ready degrees over the coming years, says Shuh. 

All program development will be guided by a new Digital Learning Strategy that accounts for all the shifts and pivots that came out of the pandemic. 
“We know that the needs and wants of students have changed. While some students still want the traditional on campus learning experience, others have a desire for more flexible learning options,” says Shuh. 

This story originally appeared in Momentum Magazine.

The team behind a technology start-up developing a plant monitor for home gardeners says Mohawk College’s Additive Manufacturing Innovation Centre (AMIC) helped them get to the next stage of their concept. 

EarthOne, launched by a group of Mohawk College and McMaster University graduates, brings together sensors that measure light, humidity, soil moisture, temperature and soil acidity into a dashboard in a wireless monitor, along with software that identifies plants and determines what they need to thrive in each category. 

“Our motto is science-based plant care,” says co-founder and CEO Sid Pereira. The idea is to make living sustainability more achievable. 

“There are many passionate home growers and this is a new generation of tool for them,” says Daniel Hacikyan, EarthOne’s head of operations. Both graduated from the joint B. Tech program of Mohawk and McMaster in 2019. 

The platform, which is set to optimize foliage, flowering and yield, can even forecast the harvest date of produce plants. 

When the team was challenged by mentors and investors to develop a functional prototype, they explored their options. 

After getting a quote for $200,000 for design services, a mentor at Innovation Factory suggested they look at AMIC at Mohawk College. A collaboration launched in January. EarthOne contributed $7,500 and in return got a design that was about 70 per cent complete, says Pereira. 

“It was phenomenal for us. I have nothing but good things to say. We learned how to design a printed circuit board alongside them and we were able to take the design from 70 per cent to 100 per cent ourselves.” 

AMIC also brought its expertise in advanced manufacturing to the design of sensors and a durable monitor case. 

EarthOne is now validating its product and platform with about 60 gardening enthusiasts. 

The project is supported in part by funding from the FedDev Ontario-supported Southern Ontario Network for Advanced Manufacturing Innovation (SONAMI), a consortium of innovative Ontario colleges and universities that includes Mohawk College.   

This story originally appeared in Momentum Magazine.

 Three years ago, steel producer ArcelorMittal Dofasco approached Mohawk College with a desire to automate a manual raking process to remove slag from molten steel in its ladle metallurgy facility. 

“They wanted to get into the area of the new Industrial Internet of Things and to optimize a process through innovation,” says Dr. Esteve Hassan, director of the IOT Lab and Industrial Applied Research Chair in Interoperability Sensor Systems for IIoT Applications. 

That innovation involves machine visioning sensors that collect images and data and advanced image processing that drives a robotics platform. 

“It’s a highly variable environment of high temperatures and debris and smoke that makes the deployment of this technology challenging.” 

The project – believed to be the world’s first digitization at a ladle metallurgy facility – received a $300,000 Applied Research and Development Grant from the National Sciences and Research Council of Canada, as well as support from ArcelorMittal Dofasco and Next Generation Manufacturing Canada (NGEN), the advanced manufacturing supercluster. 

The IOT Lab is a centre of expertise, working with industrial partners to develops, validates and tests hardware and software solutions that enable companies to adopt leading-edge technology to improve efficiency, safety and quality. 

The IOT Lab works with industrial partners in a range of sectors, including transportation and automotive, energy and smart cities, advanced manufacturing, healthcare and wearable devices. 

“The pace of work in the lab is strong, whether it’s product development, process improvement or training. Whatever the project, students take centre stage.” 

After a delay due to the pandemic, the two-year ArcelorMittal Dofasco project, which involved five students and three staff leads, is now close to its finish. 

“It has been an excellent project with great support from the industry supercluster NGEN and from ArcelorMittal Dofasco. Our students and faculty did excellent work,” says Hassan. 

“Students were hired to complete challenging tasks. There has been a lot of very advanced self-learning involved. They met all expectations and beyond.” 

A project with Hamilton’s other steel company Stelco is now underway. 

Rob Glista, who is in his final year of Electrical Engineering Technology, worked on the automation side of the ArcelorMittal Dofasco project and says the experience has been extremely positive. 

“Because it’s been based in an educational institution, we have been able to do more discovery than what we would be able to do in employment. We approached this with many different solutions and explored each of them. I’m motivated by that.” 

Hanna Stewart, who graduated from Computer Engineering Technology in May, worked on machine visioning and imaging on the project. 

“Our job was to develop a method of gathering information using specialized cameras. It’s a difficult environment in which to get accurate measurements. There is smoke and heat and fumes that can be corrosive, so typical instruments get worn out quickly in that type of environment. We had to find a way to mount infra-red cameras to get a good view but far enough away from those hazards.” 

That involved talking to vendors, testing equipment and working with IT at the College and at ArcelorMittal Dofasco. 

Stewart, who now works in Mohawk’s MEDIC digital health lab, says the experience of this project was a “really valuable part of my education at Mohawk College. I got exposure to things you just can’t replicate in a classroom. And I learned that machine visioning is an area of interest for me, especially in health care.”  

This story originally appeared in Momentum Magazine.

A new Bachelor of Analytics and Data Management (Honours) is the latest iteration of Mohawk College’s well-established expertise in data analytics

Offered within the McKeil School of Business, the four-year degree will launch in September 2023. It will be the second standalone degree offered by the college

The degree complements and builds on the track record Mohawk has established in its graduate certificate in Analytics for Business Decision Making. Mohawk also runs the HEAD Competition (Higher Education Analytics Data) for colleges and universities

Combining general business fundamentals, programming, analytics, mathematics and statistics with storytelling, the new degree will educate a new generation of data experts

“You can have all kinds of data scientists who can crunch numbers but what has been missing is the ability to communicate that analysis to key decision-makers, customers and clients,” says Dr. Steven Way, Professor and Coordinator of the Analytics and Data Management Degree

“This is evidence-based decision-making for business,” says Andrew McTear, Associate Dean of the McKeil School of Business and the School of Creative Industries, Liberal Studies & Communication. “If you have someone who can organize and analyze the data and use it to tell a clear story, you help organizations focus on problem solutions or areas of opportunity and that really is the future of business.

The new degree program will feature online and face-to-face classes, 420 hours of work-integrated learning experiences, small class sizes compared to typical university programs and faculty who work in the industry, says McTear

Between September 2021 and August 2022, research prepared by Workforce Planning Hamilton and the City of Hamilton’s Economic Development Office indicates there were more than 3,100 job postings in Hamilton, Halton, Niagara, Haldimand-Norfolk, and Brant in the data analytics field. The majority of postings were found in six major occupation groups: finance and insurance; professional, scientific and technical services; manufacturing; educational services; public administration; and health care and social assistance

“I get asked all the time: Where will students find work?” says McTear. “The short answer is everywhere. The financial sector was a pioneer of using data analysis for areas like fraud detection. Manufacturing uses data to increase production output and cut costs. Supply chain optimizes shipping routes. Even streaming services like Netflix uses artificial intelligence to show you want you want to watch. The opportunities are literally everywhere.”
 

This story originally appeared in Momentum Magazine. 

Mohawk College’s new Game – Design advanced diploma launching in September 2023 will break down barriers with the idea that a more diverse industry will be a better place to work and will produce content that better reflects society. 

The three-year advanced diploma program will cover multiple aspects of the industry – design, technical and artistic skills, along with ethics and psychology. 

“The program will model rather than mirror the gaming industry,” says Dr. Angela Stukator, who joined Mohawk as a special advisory in June and has joined a team of female academics driving the development of this program. 

“We don’t want to do just more of the same. This is a model of game design and the gaming workforce that takes a leadership role from the get-go.” 

Ethics and equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) will underscore all aspects of the program, including recruiting of students and faculty, the substance of the courses and how the program is marketed. Students will study games created by women and racialized groups. 

“EDI is the elephant in the room. The fact is that the industry is dominated by mostly white men. But it just takes a commitment to reflecting diversity because gaming doesn’t have to be that way. Games don’t have to reinforce misogynistic or racist views of the world. They can confront them.” 

Violent shooting games are only a small part of the industry, says Dr. Lisa Funnell, Associate Dean of Creative Industries. The program will cover board games, too, and the gamification of things like education, social and political activities, consumer interfaces and training. 

The game design program will draw on other Mohawk programs, including virtual reality, animation, music, and graphic design. 

“Video games and games in general are played by every kind of person in the world so it’s important to create content that is as open and inclusive. It also just makes business sense,” says Funnell. 

The gaming market is large and growing rapidly. A recent analysis found the digital gaming market is projected to grow to $160 billion by the end of 2026, up from $104 billion estimated for the end of this year. 

To compare, the global movie industry is pegged at about $77 billion. 

As the gaming culture has shifted from the fringe entirely into the mainstream, now is the time to fully address what holds the industry back, Funnell says. Embedding EDI with intentionality from the outset will make this program one of a kind. 

“There is great responsibility in being a creator. The conversations we are having in game design will be happening across the range of our creative programs.” 

Funnell, whose academic background is in EDI and representation in film, says in addition to examining gaming content through a diversity lens, students will learn to work on teams with people of different cultures, races and belief systems. 

“Students will develop that global competency. It’s in those spaces of diversity and equity that the greatest creativity emerges.” 

The game industry should be as varied as the people who play, says Cathy Feraday Miller, co-founder and art director at Rocket 5 Studios, a micro game studio in Toronto. 

“The greater the diversity of game makers, the more games will reflect our actual human experience, and the better the games will be,” she says. 

“Mohawk College’s Game- Design program map is excellent. There is a strong focus on ethical game design practices and critical thinking. There are some very exciting leaders in current game design theory involved.” 

And the College has a strong connection to industry leaders, including at Ubisoft, Hamilton’s animation studio Pipeline and to small indie developers. 

Hamilton is perfectly poised for a game design program, says Stukator. 

“The city is emerging as a cultural and technology hub. This program will feed that. Small and medium companies are the pulse of the industry.” 
 

This story originally appeared in Momentum Magazine.

The Centre for Aviation Technology at Hamilton International Airport (YHM) has already established a reputation for excellence in its facilities, equipment and faculty knowledge less than two years after its opening. 

Built in conjunction with KF Aerospace’s expansion of its Hamilton maintenance, repair and operations, the state-of-the-art facility is home for Mohawk College's Aviation Technician programs in maintenance, structures and avionics and has airside access at one of the country’s most active airports. 

The new centre, which has airside access at one of the country’s most active airports, has allowed the College to double enrolment in its aviation program to 350 students. 
All three streams of Mohawk College’s Aviation program are in growth mode. 

“We have grown to be the fifth-largest aviation school in the country and we have our eye on going higher,” says George Miltenburg, Associate Dean, School of Engineering Technology and Aviation. 

The 75,000-square-foot complex, which opened in February 2021, is a critical piece of that ambition. It features modern labs, shops, classrooms, and a large hangar space where students work on nearly 20 aircraft. 

“It is a fantastic, purpose-built facility that offers airside access at the airport. It allows us to give our students more hands-on time in the labs and in the hangar working on real aircraft. Our students will emerge even more prepared for the workforce and the word is already out among employers. Our graduates will be more highly sought after than ever before.” 

The program has a range of aircraft that have been donated by industry partners, including a fully operational Boeing 727-200, an Ornge Sikorski helicopter, and a Falcon corporate jet. 

The three streams have a shared core first year, which means graduates of one stream can finish another in a year. They each combine theory and hands-on practice using cutting-edge training equipment and aircraft. 

Students get between 12 and 18 months credit toward their practical work experience required for licence certification through Transport Canada. 

Being located right at the airport offers an unparalleled real-world experience to students and offers ready access to the aviation program’s 30 faculty. 

“Many of our part-time instructors are working at maintenance, repair and overhaul companies right at the airport. They walk over to teach,” says Miltenburg. “They come from all over the world and are experienced on all types of aircraft.” 

Mohawk is the only school in Canada with the Boeing 737 NG virtual maintenance trainer and is the only college in North America with more than a few software seats. Mohawk has 11 seats of the expensive software that is used by Boeing itself to train and type certify its technicians to work on the world’s most common aircraft. 

“It has been an incredible windfall for the program that is paying dividends for our maintenance and avionics students,” says Miltenburg. 

Mohawk maintenance and avionics students graduate with 100 hours of training on the virtual trainer. Faculty set up a “snag” scenario that students have to investigate and solve. 
“They have to logically move through all the aircraft systems and understanding the FIM (fault isolation manuals) to find the cause and address it,” says Shawn Hoyle, an aviation professor and the person responsible for training through Transport Canada. 

“That teaches them the methodology and they are evaluated on that. The more you do it, the better you get at it. Unlike other programs, our students develop very strong troubleshooting skills.” 

In the avionics stream, students work on a glass cockpit conversion in which they replace a late 1980s cockpit on a donated King Air aircraft with modern Garmin flat screens. Students handle everything, from electrical drawings to vendor selection to project management. 

“We couldn’t do this without the support of industry partners who donate equipment but also ensure we are teaching the very latest in skills,” says Miltenburg. 

Mohawk College aviation graduates are snapped up by employers across Canada and around the world in an industry facing huge talent shortages. 

For instance, KF Aerospace – Canada’s largest MRO operator – offered jobs to every Structures graduate earlier this year. 

“Industry is knocking down our door and visiting our classrooms to talk to our students. That includes the Canadian Armed Forces, which is offering incentive packages. Some companies are offering $10,000 signing bonuses,” says Hoyle. 

Mohawk is targeting growth for its aviation through both domestic and international enrolment. 

“The Canadian licence is well-recognized around the world, so that is very helpful to us. Students can very easily return home or go elsewhere in the world to find work.” 

For more than 60 years, Halifax-based IMP Aerospace and Defence has offered maintenance, modification and repair services to military, government and commercial operators. 

IMP, which also operates in Newfoundland, Nova Scotia and British Columbia, delivers major modification and maintenance programs for Canadian military planes and helicopters and for the U.S. Marine Corps. It also takes care of the Snowbirds’ CT 114 Tutor aircraft. 

The landing of new contracts means the company is in a recruiting drive, says Neil Harding, Director of Aircraft Production and IMP’s person responsible for maintenance through Transport Canada. 

“We have a huge need for talent right now. As we bid on modification programs, we continue to need new people.” 

He has visited the Mohawk Centre for Aviation Technology to meet with students. He says the sector offers exciting, well-paying jobs and the opportunity to earn extra qualifications that lead to higher salaries. 

The company employs about 1,000 people. Its staffing in Halifax will grow by about 20 per cent over the next year. 

Harding says he began in the industry as an avionics technician 16 years ago. He now leads a team of 250 technicians working on multiple maintenance programs. 

“It has been a great career path for me. We offer many opportunities for anyone who wants to learn and grow. No one is limited to turning tools.” 

Harding says IMP is excited about its growing partnership with Mohawk. 

“The College is very open to feedback and working with us to meet our needs. The new facility is really, really impressive. I have visited many different schools and Mohawk’s facility is second to none.” 

Denis Ranque completed the Aircraft Maintenance program in 2018 and has now returned to Mohawk for a year to complete the Avionics program. 

He has been employed by Lake Central Air Services in Gravenhurst, which specializes in repairs, maintenance and modifications to survey aircraft. Ranque, who has his commercial pilot’s licence, wants to broaden his skill set to allow him to work on electronics systems. 

He came to Canada from his home in Bolivia in order to follow his passion for aviation at Mohawk. He says he’s driven by the processes and procedures that ensure safety of aircraft. 

“I felt very well-prepared by my time at Mohawk. The faculty is so up to date in the industry and they always go above and beyond for their students. They’re really there for us.” 

He says he was awed by the new facility when he returned in September. 

“I feel so fortunate to learn in such an environment. It is state-of-the-art.” 
 

This story originally appeared in Momentum Magazine. 

Targeted, rapid on-demand training for health care workers through Mohawk College’s new Centre for Professional Advancement (CPA) is helping hospitals locally, provincially and nationally cope with ongoing staff shortages and care backlogs amid pandemic recovery. 

The CPA is the formalized structure that has resulted from dozens of training partnerships with health organizations over the last several years. 

Project by project since the COVID-19 crisis began, the CPA within the School of Health and Community Services has worked to close skills gaps and increase capacity in the workforce through a new model of on-the-job training that prioritizes innovative, responsive, accelerated and specialized instruction to address fast-emerging and future employer needs. 

“This came out of a desire to respond to an acute situation in our community. We needed solutions and this was an innovative way to help solve problems,” says Wendy Lawson, Dean of the School of Health and Community Services. 

“We recognized that there are challenges facing our community in health care that cannot be ignored. This was catalyzed by the pandemic but not caused by it. The crisis forced everyone to be innovative.” 

The CPA provides flexible, high-quality learning solutions online, in-person, or using a blended approach with a mix of self-study and facilitated instruction. In collaboration with employer partners, Mohawk’s team of curriculum developers and subject matter experts develop and deliver customized training solutions designed to address specific competencies and desired learning outcomes. 

Mohawk College faculty then support the delivery of clinical training by clinical educators and mentors at the learner’s home site. 

“What makes this approach transformative is that it is a real partnership with the hospitals and clinical employers to create something specifically for them that answers their needs,” says Associate Dean Nicole Barron. 

Training has been delivered to cohorts as small as five and as large as 138. The team at the CPA continues to work with partners and governments to identify labour gaps that can be addressed through laddered training, extended roles, skills specializations and bridging. 

“This is a sustainable and scalable model of training that contributes to a highly skilled and agile workforce. Our partners are committed to this and the successes of this approach are clear,” says Lawson. 

“The need has been most acute in health care, but this model can be applied in any sector with human resources challenges. Mohawk College and its executive team has been universally supportive of this vision.” 

The model is now gaining attention from health care providers across Canada. 

“It helps employers create a culture of learning and career progression,” says Barron. 

Training can be delivered in a full-time or part-time model. In some cases, learners get a leave and are paid to take the training. 

“That really removes the barriers to ongoing training for many employees. The earn-while-you-learn model is a best practice that we recommend to our partners.” 

The partnership with the CPA has helped HHS take a logical approach to filling areas of need, says Leslie Gauthier, Vice President of Clinical Support Services and Surgery. 

“In the case of MRI technicians, a radiology tech has had to take a year off work to get the training that will give them an extra couple of dollars an hour. It didn’t make sense.” 

Ten HHS employees took the MRI training – paid for by the hospital – that finished in late spring. 

Gauthier says there are needs in many areas, including anaesthesia assistant and pharmacy technician, that can be addressed through the approach at the CPA. 

“We are learning as we go and correcting course where we need to but this is a great partnership that will help us address our needs.” 
The strengths of the approach are that Mohawk can work with a partner anywhere at any time, can offer the accelerated training to multiple organizations at once, and it addresses both immediate needs and long-term human resources planning. 

The Operating Room Assistant (ORA) clinical training was delivered simultaneously in five labs over two Saturdays to staff from six different hospitals. It is a common role in the United States but it is a pilot in Ontario. 

OR Assistants are not intended to replace RNs or RPNs during surgery but by playing a supporting role and acting as an additional resource in the OR, including setting up the operating room for the patient, ensuring all the tools are sterile and in place and handing tools to the doctor during the surgery, they are able to increase the capacity of the RNs to do the highly skilled and regulated nursing work. 

Kate Cook and Dulce Isorena from the Greater Niagara General Hospital were among the ORA trainees. Both worked in the hospital’s medical device processing department that handles sterilization of instruments used in the OR. 

They each jumped at the chance to add to their skills and take on a new challenge. It was an intense, exhausting experience. 

Over 10 weeks, they took nine courses and had to achieve a minimum of 80 per cent in order to get the ORA job. They studied 14 to 16 hours a day at least six days a week and they still study each surgery the night before. But it’s worth it. 

“It was exhilarating to be in the OR for the first time,” says Cook. 

“I really love doing this,” says Isorena, even though she worried she couldn’t stomach being in a surgery. “Instead, I was intrigued and curious.” 

OR manager Jen Law says 50 per cent of the OR staff at Niagara Health’s three sites are eligible for retirement within the next five years. 

CPA training won’t fill the gap on its own but it will allow more flexibility in handling human resources challenges. 

“This is such a great collaboration between Mohawk, HHS and us. Everyone is committed to facing down the challenges and doing what is needed and doing it quickly.” 

The pandemic deepened an existing talent crisis in health care, says Jen Plant, Director, Professional Practice and Ambulatory Care at Queensway Carleton Hospital in Ottawa. Critical care nursing has been particularly hard hit. 

Mohawk’s accelerated critical care nursing program is designed for RNs looking to prepare for a career in a critical care setting or those currently employed in a critical care setting who wish to improve their knowledge and skills. This 300-hour program aligns with specifications of the Critical Care Services Ontario and will also prepare nurses to challenge the Canadian Nurses Association national certification exam in critical care. 

“Queenston Carleton Hospital has worked in partnership with Mohawk College to leverage the flexible, hybrid model to combine didactic learning with clinical mentorship to provide a wonderful foundation to nurses working as part of a skilled critical care team. The innovative design of this program integrates the online course and clinical experience through self-directed, asynchronous virtual learning, allowing students to integrate new knowledge into their practice on an ongoing basis.” 

The hospital has a seven-point plan to stabilize its workforce through recruitment and retention, says Plant. 

“Increasing opportunities for mentorship and professional development is key to our strategy. The accelerate critical care program will provide learners with the advanced knowledge, specialized skills and abilities to practice competently and safely within a fantastic team.”  

This story originally appeared in Momentum Magazine.