Momentum Magazine - Fall 2017

MOMENTUM MOHAWK COLLEGE COMMUNITY MAGAZINE

FALL 2017

DRIVING

HEALTH-CARE

INNOVATION

WITH IBM CANADA PAGE 10

PARTNERS IN EDUCATION

THE FUTURE OF LEARNING

MOHAWK’S MEDIC

MOHAWK TEAMS UP WITH FANUC AND SIEMENS

AUGMENTED REALITY IN THE CLASSROOM

CELEBRATING 10 YEARS

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CONTENTS FALL 2017

ABOUT MOHAWK

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From the President

CAMPUS INNOVATIONS

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Mohawk Teams Up with FANUC and Siemens

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COVER STORY

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Teaming Up with IBM to Drive Health-Care Innovation Forward

CLASSROOMS IN THE COMMUNITY

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Massage Therapy at St. Elizabeth Village

Collaborative Learning Makes for Better Health Care

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Mohawk Aviation at Hamilton International Airport

Augmented Reality Brings the Textbook to Life

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City School by Mohawk Hits the Road

MOHAWK PROFILES

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MEDIC Celebrates 10 Years Riya Karumanchi Gina Funicelli SURGE Makes Dreams Come True for Entrepreneurs Mohawk Happenings

MOHAWK AND THE COMMUNITY

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CICE Creates Opportunities

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CityLAB: Made in Hamilton for Hamilton

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Partnering to Develop our Regional Workforce

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Continuing Education

Local Food on Campus

GUEST COLUMN

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Leading the Way to a Zero Carbon Future

ABOUT MOHAWK: Mohawk College educates and serves 30,000 full-time, part-time, apprenticeship and international students at three campuses and City School locations at the Eva Rothwell Resource Centre, the Central Public Library and the City School mobile unit in Hamilton, Ontario. Mohawk has ranked first among all Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area colleges in student satisfaction for seven consecutive years and first in graduate satisfaction for the past five years*. Mohawk ranks 15th among all colleges in Canada for applied research activity and has been named among Canada’s greenest employers and the region’s top employers for the past three years. VISIT: mohawkcollege.ca or mohawknewsdesk.ca to learn more. COVER: Image of Nathalie Le Prohon and Dino Trevisani. Location: Hamilton IBM Innovation Space *2016-2017 KPI Student Satisfaction and Engagement Survey.

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FROM THE PRESIDENT What does it mean to be innovative?

To me, being innovative is about finding a better way to meet a need. There are many examples of this at Mohawk. I want to share a few of them with you.

The Mohawk mHealth & eHealth Development and Innovation Centre (MEDIC) is a great example. Launched just a decade ago, MEDIC has become a recognized leader in digital health, working with governments, health agencies and hospital networks across the world to meet health-care needs for millions of people.

From building immunization registries in east Africa to working with local hospitals to develop in-home monitoring systems, MEDIC’s achievements are impressive, and it’s work that hasn’t gone unnoticed.

This issue’s cover story highlights IBM’s partnership with Hamilton Health Sciences (HHS). IBM chose Hamilton as the home for its first incubator solely focused on health care because of the work HHS and partners like Mohawk, and MEDIC, in particular, are doing to transform health care in Ontario and around the world.

Then there’s 14-year-old Riya Karumanchi. Riya spent the past summer as an intern with MEDIC learning and perfecting her idea for a smart cane that could improve mobility and safety for the blind and visually impaired.

Riya was not even out of elementary school when she met and made a great first impression on MEDIC General Manager Paul Brown. Brown and his team were excited to help Riya take her vision closer to reality and we look forward to following her as she continues her studies.

When Riya is finished her studies and ready to launch her tech start-up she may turn to Mohawk for help from SURGE, a hub for student and alumni entrepreneurs to get the help they need to turn innovative ideas into successful businesses. Last year SURGE helped five entrepreneurs launch businesses that are already turning a profit. Entrepreneurs and the small businesses they create are the engine of the economy. Promoting a culture of entrepreneurship is a priority for Mohawk.

In this issue you’ll read about these and other examples of how Mohawk is working with students, faculty and community partners to come up with innovative solutions to a variety of needs.

Regards, Ron J. McKerlie

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CAMPUS INNOVATIONS

Partners in Education

MOHAWK TEAMS UP WITH

FANUC AND SIEMENS

Industry giants in automation and robotics are so keen to have job-ready graduates that they have embedded curriculum and certifications in colleges teaching on their systems.

Innovative partnerships with companies like FANUC Canada and Siemens offer Mohawk students unique and valuable gateways to rewarding careers where there’s a need for people with the right training and skills.

FANUC Partnership Mohawk opened its new $3-million FANUC Robotics Lab in September 2017. The lab is part of a partnership between Mohawk, FANUC Canada and Progressive Educational Systems to provide students in the Mechanical, Electrical and Computer Engineering Technology Advanced Diploma programs, as well as the Automotive and Vehicle Engineering Bachelor’s Degree (BTECH) with specialized instruction on the latest in robotics and automation technology.

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In addition to the in-class training on actual FANUC robots, the students also have access to the company’s simulation software. FANUC’s industrial training curriculum has also been integrated into the programs. The specialized training gives students the opportunity to take the FANUC certification exam during the course of their studies. Students who pass the exam are then qualified to program and operate the company’s robots.

There are more than 450,000 FANUC robots in use worldwide.

George Miltenburg, an Associate Dean with Mohawk’s School of Engineering Technology, said Mohawk approached FANUC for a strategic partnership, because a number of large employers in southern Ontario use FANUC robotic machining tools, such as lathes and milling machines.

“We are preparing our students to be future ready by working on cutting-edge robotics that are in use internationally and locally.

We offer the same training that industrial customers would get if they went to FANUC directly.”

(L-R) John Van Loon, Emily Lord, Bruce Johnston, Richard Ma, and Prabir Biswas.

Siemens Partnership Mohawk also has an agreement with Siemens to deliver mechatronics certification to students. Because the Siemens’ mechatronics certificate program requires schools to have Siemens-trained faculty and curriculum based on its method in order to be an accredited institution, Mohawk sent several faculty to Berlin to study at the Siemens Technical Academy in 2016. Mohawk electrical professor John van Loon was one of them.

“The traditional method is to teach basic principles first and

build on them. We keep building on the concepts from the ground up. Siemens’ method is to show the big picture to show where you are going,” said Van Loon.

Siemens’ approach is crossdisciplinary, experiential and focuses first on equipment operation. “They teach the maintenance that’s needed because when a plant’s line is down, that’s very expensive.”

Van Loon said that methodology is being employed in a range of Mohawk courses, including

computer engineering technology, robotics and automation.

“These courses lend themselves to that beautifully. Having gone through the program, I’m excited about it. It can really change the way we teach.”

Partnerships with industry giants like Siemens and FANUC is just one of the ways Mohawk offers current and prospective students unique opportunities to graduate with the skills, experience and credentials they need to succeed.

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CAMPUS INNOVATIONS

Bringing Professionals Together

COLLABORATIVE LEARNING

MAKES FOR BETTER HEALTH CARE

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The Institute for Applied Health Sciences at McMaster (IAHS) is focused on providing hands-on, practical education and training in cross-disciplinary teams because research shows that makes for better patient outcomes and lower mortality rates.

“When work is done in interprofessional teams rather than silos, the outcomes are very clear,” said Lori Koziol, Dean of the School of Health at Mohawk College. “Each person better understands the roles of others, duplication is reduced and gaps are identified in treatments and procedures.”

The IAHS, located at McMaster University, has established the Centre for Professional Practice (CPP) and the new Mohawk Centre for Health Care Simulation to build on interprofessional education in Mohawk programs and those offered in conjunction with McMaster.

Many professional certification bodies are now requiring evidence of such training.

“We have always educated our professionals this way but it’s more intensive now,” said Donna Rawlin, former Associate Dean, Collaborative Nursing and Health Sciences.

Students at the IAHS collaborate on simulations, case studies, roundtables, and workshops. The apex is a large-scale conference for students in all programs at the IAHS. Now in its second year, the conference on November 25 will include 800 students and 70 facilitators.

“I think what really works is that we can show students what it looks like when they are working as a team and what it looks like when they aren’t,” said Wendy Lawson, Associate Dean, Medical Radiation Sciences and Allied Health.

“What is really special about interprofessional education is that students are learning with and from each other,” added Koziol. “It’s a constructive and positive environment when everyone understands the roles and strengths of those who do complementary jobs.”

The CPP and the new simulation centre – the first of its kind in Ontario – provide opportunities for education through programmed vignettes, including mock code events, involving personal support workers, registered practical nurses and registered nurses, and a range of other care providers.

The simulation centre features more than 25,000 square feet of integrated clinical lab space and supports the learning of more than 2,000 full-time and part-time students each semester. In the end, the IAHS will be a one-of-a-kind simulated hospital and long-term care centre with common learning spaces that will be care focused rather than function specific, said Rawlin.

“Sharing physical space breaks down the walls and brings professionals together.”

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CAMPUS INNOVATIONS

Next Generation Trades Training

AUGMENTED REALITY BRINGS THE TEXTBOOK TO LIFE

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Students in Mohawk’s instrumentation program will soon be using augmented reality (AR) to safely learn their trade and complete apprenticeships.

Or we can put a student into a nuclear power plant,” said Tasse.

“I think this opens doors to incredible things. This is gamechanging, disruptive technology.”

Professors Richard Tasse and Henry Lammers landed an Applied Research and Innovation in Education (ARIE) grant in August 2016 to buy two Microsoft HoloLens units to use in curriculum development.

Students can easily repeat demonstrations and test their knowledge safely.

“I think it’s pretty safe to say that as far as Ontario community colleges are concerned, we were the first out of the gate on this,” said Angelo Cosco, Associate Dean of Construction and Building Systems. In fact, he only knows of the British Columbia Institute of Technology using it, too.

Other programs at Mohawk and other colleges are using virtual reality (VR). The difference is that VR users only see through the lens and must be tethered to a computer. There are significant issues with nausea because users can’t see where they are going.

Augmented reality builds a virtual world onto the real one. The lens is a self-contained computer, allowing users to walk freely around their environment and interact with images projected onto the lens. The HoloLens also allow users to record what they’re seeing, link lenses together and even write on paper. So far, it’s a one-of-a-kind device.

“We’ve realized pretty quickly the capabilities these lenses bring to classroom learning, remote learning and distance education,” said Lammers.

“We can easily bring a $1-million jet engine into the classroom.

“The immediate consequence of an arc flash is that you are lying on the ground dead. Simulating that accident is very effective for students,” said Lammers.

“Students can make a lab appear whenever, wherever they need it.”

As well, real physical lab time is in short supply and always requires the presence of a professor, said instrumentation professor Anthony Fazzari.

“Students can make a lab appear whenever, wherever they need it.”

Cosco said AR could have huge benefits in overcoming barriers to apprenticeship completion. That’s a growing concern, especially in remote or rural areas, because of the costs of transportation and accommodation when students have to attend in-school training.

Augmented reality could allow students to complete labs or applied exams in a local library, ministry office, or right on their job site, said Cosco.

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IBM Canada President Dino Trevisani and IBM Vice President, Healthcare Industry Nathalie Le Prohon.

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TEAMING UP WITH A TECHNOLOGY GIANT TO

DRIVE HEALTH-CARE INNOVATION FORWARD

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cutting-edge collaboration between IBM and Hamilton Health Sciences, along with partners Mohawk and McMaster, has put the City of Hamilton at the forefront of health-care innovation in the country.

“We picked Hamilton because it is a health-care hub that sees a large regional population and has strong academic institutions,” said Nathalie Le Prohon, Vice President, Healthcare industry for IBM Canada.

The Innovation Exchange in Hamilton is the first IBM incubator to be fully focused on health care.

Technology can bring “radical transformation” to a health-care system grappling with spiralling costs, an aging population, and the increasingly complex care of chronic illness, said Le Prohon.

IBM sees its role as providing the enabling technology of its highperformance cognitive and analytic computing platform Watson and its cloud infrastructure Bluemix to the innovation of Hamilton health-care providers, she said.

“We purposefully set the goal to work with those in the industry, the clinicians and physicians who operate in the health-care system. We bring the technology, and Hamilton Health Sciences (HHS) brings the working expertise.”

Add to the mix researchers at Mohawk and McMaster, and local entrepreneurs and start-ups, and that “builds an innovation fabric.”

The MEDIC Lab at Mohawk is a particular catalyst for healthcare transformation.

“What I see in Mohawk is innovation, vitality, and dynamic people who are able to move faster than we can.

MEDIC is enabling digital solutions around health care. We can see the strength and focus in that.”

“What I see in Mohawk is innovation, vitality, and dynamic people who are able to move faster than we can. MEDIC is enabling digital solutions around healthcare. We can see the strength and focus in that.”

– Nathalie Le Prohon, Vice President, Healthcare Industry, IBM Canada

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The connection between Mohawk and HHS is already strong. Former Mohawk dean of applied research Ted Scott is now Acting Vice President Research & Chief Innovation Officer at HHS, and Rob MacIsaac, former Mohawk President, is president and CEO of HHS. Both know the capabilities and strengths of Mohawk and are strong proponents of working closely with the college, said Le Prohon.

And IBM and Mohawk already have a deep partnership, said MEDIC founder Duane Bender.

The technology giant has contributed about $1 million of in-kind access to its cloud and cognitive computer platforms and was a sponsor of MEDIC’s application to become Canada’s only Technology Access Centre in digital health last year.

“IBM has helped to complete the ecosystem here because to get these innovations and applications to scale so that lots of people are using them is a challenge. That is harder than coming up with the idea in the first place. IBM has the platform to scale innovation.”

Bender said plans are underway to expand the partnership with IBM and to make MEDIC a centre of excellence for the use of Bluemix at the college level.

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“THIS IS THE POWER OF WHAT CAN HAPPEN WHEN SILOS FALL, WHEN WE APPROACH INNOVATION FROM A STANDPOINT OF WORKING TOGETHER.”

PARTNER PROFILE

DINO TREVISANI, PRESIDENT, IBM CANADA When Hamilton native Dino Trevisani took on the top job at IBM Canada in 2014, he knew right away he wanted to do something special in his hometown.

Why is Hamilton the right place to focus on health care?

Hamilton is home to some of Canada’s top health-care talent with a proven track record of innovation. Improving health care is a priority for IBM and we seek to partner with leaders in the industry such as Hamilton Health Sciences, and broader networks across the city, including Mohawk College/ MEDIC, to benefit from their expertise and insights into the needs of the health system and opportunities for innovation. It was clear to us from the start that this collaboration would be a natural fit for endless possibilities in healthcare innovation here in Hamilton and across Canada.

What does it mean to you to bring this to your hometown?

As someone born and raised in Hamilton, with family still in the community, I am so proud to see Hamilton becoming a hub for health-care innovation in Canada.

IBM invests in collaborative environments like our Innovation Space to create a strong foundation for local, high-value jobs by providing start-ups, developers and small businesses with access to the best technology and people to incubate and innovate ideas and more rapidly move their business plans from research to commercialization.

Access to the latest technology and this kind of support is so often out of the reach of startups – that’s why we created these spaces. And we provide access to a global market, helping them export their made-in-Canada innovation right here from Hamilton, Ontario.

What can it bring to the local economy?

When you become a hub for innovation, you attract smart people and other organizations who bring their best ideas and solutions to the table for deployment across our health-care system. This inspires entrepreneurs and other companies to set up locally because we’ve proven with our partners that it can be done.

This means further investment in Hamilton and the creation of more good-paying jobs.

This is the power of what can happen when silos fall, when we approach innovation from a standpoint of working together.

What we need now are more businesses to come on board, giving our local graduates the opportunity to live and work where they want to… supporting and empowering our young people to drive prosperity in Hamilton.

Why is IBM working with Mohawk?

We recognized early-on after announcing our partnership with Hamilton Health Sciences in 2016 that there was significant alignment and opportunity to partner also with Mohawk.

Mohawk’s MEDIC continues to be a strong partner in our shared vision to improve the health-care system in Hamilton and across Canada.

What is your vision of where IBM’s work in Hamilton can go?

Together with our partners in Hamilton, we expect to drive solutions that will change health care locally, across the country, and ultimately around the world.

We've already had great success with automating Hamilton Health Sciences’ early warning system— reducing in-hospital cardiac and respiratory arrests. In fact, it’s an award-winning solution. And together, we are working on several other incredible projects focused on enhancing existing Hamilton Health Sciencesborn innovations as well as new innovations from local companies aimed at improving the delivery of health care.

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IMPROVING HEALTH CARE ONE GIGABYTE AT A TIME

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t’s estimated that each of us will generate one million gigabytes of health-related data in a lifetime. This staggering volume is equal to more than 300 million books.

The MEDIC Lab at Mohawk is working across the world to improve the delivery of health care by capitalizing on the volume and complexity of health data.

MEDIC, celebrating 10 years in 2017, has worked with dozens of governments, health agencies and hospital networks in 10 countries, while mentoring more than 700 Mohawk students. Partners include Canada Health Infoway, the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, eHealth Ontario, and PATH, a global health organization.

“We’ve grown to do international work. I certainly didn’t think of that at the time. The scale and size is beyond my expectations,” said MEDIC founder and professor Duane Bender.

MEDIC is Canada’s only federal Technology Access Centre (TAC) in digital health, health-care standards and interoperability. TACs are affiliated with a Canadian college and provide access to technology, expertise and equipment to local industry to foster innovation. MEDIC provides simulated versions of various eHealth ecosystems that innovators can use to develop and test digital products quickly and cheaply, using powerful cloud computing platforms, said Bender.

Projects include an immunization management system for 50 million people in Tanzania and east Africa, a project to exchange international health records, and SMArTVIEW, a clinical trial of Hamilton Health Sciences to test in-home monitoring of those recovering from cardiac and vascular surgery.

“Canadians can lead the world on using technology to monitor patients from their homes rather than hospital, and in tracking health on consumer devices.”

MEDIC founder and professor Duane Bender.

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immediate impression on Brown with her pitch for a vibrating cane equipped with sensors, GPS tracking and an emergency call button.

“After Riya’s pitch, I asked where she went to school.

I expected her to talk about an engineering program at a college or university. I was stunned to learn Riya was still a Grade 8 student.”

Brown wasn’t the only one who was impressed by Riya’s pitch and prototype. About 10 other MEDIC staff were helping at the Hacking Health event.

“Each and every one of my colleagues said that we needed to find a way to support Riya. Her passion and enthusiasm were contagious.”

Riya took the bus to Mohawk each morning from her home in Burlington and treated her internship like a job, said Brown. “She had an incredibly professional and positive attitude and was an absolute joy to be around.”

RIYA KARUMANCHI WENT TO MOHAWK COLLEGE BEFORE SHE EVEN STARTED HIGH SCHOOL

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iya, 14, was a summer intern at Mohawk’s MEDIC Lab. Staff and students at Mohawk’s applied research centre helped Riya develop her concept for a smart cane to improve mobility and safety for people who are blind and visually impaired.

MEDIC general manager Paul Brown first met Riya at a Hacking Health event hosted by Mohawk. Riya was one of the innovators pitching ideas to improve health care through technology. She made an

The MEDIC team helped Riya build the business case for her smart cane and further develop her coding, circuitry, project planning, and analytical thinking and communication skills. Along with working in MEDIC, Riya also had an all-access pass to Mohawk’s electronics lab.

“Interning at MEDIC was incredible,” said Riya, who’s pitched her prototype to CNIB (Canadian National Institute for the Blind). “I learned so much, met amazing people, developed my technical skills and made great progress on my smart cane. I got to do something that most 14-year-olds don’t have the opportunity to do. Everyone was so kind, supportive and encouraging.”

Brown predicted a bright future for MEDIC’s firstever 14-year-old intern. “Will Riya be a doctor? An engineer? An entrepreneur? Whatever path she chooses, Riya will be exceptional. And it will have been a privilege for us to have helped Riya on her journey.”

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ST. ELIZABETH PARTNERSHIP MEANS STUDENTS GET TO

LEARN WHILE HELPING OTHERS

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new partnership between Mohawk College’s massage therapy program and St. Elizabeth Village in Hamilton is just the beginning of the possibilities.

Students treat clients in a new clinic, alongside other clinics at the Fennell Campus and McMaster Hospital, allowing massage therapy students to acquire the necessary clinical hours to graduate while serving a community need.

“This is a very different population for students to interact with,” said Chris Owen, a professor of massage therapy. Clients at the St. Elizabeth Village often present with arthritis, mobility issues, or diabetes.

Demonstrations in classes and labs can’t fully prepare students, said Owen. “We try to present the range of what students will face but the fact is, the real world can be very complicated. There is no substitute for exposing our students to real people with real issues,” he said.

“The warm skills are key — the communication skills to help a client feel comfortable and understand what is being done.”

There has been a beautiful connection between students and St. Elizabeth clients, said Maurine Parzen.

Now with Mohawk’s faculty of nursing, she is the former associate dean of the justice and wellness program, which includes massage therapy. It was her idea to explore the idea of the partnership after her mother moved to St. Elizabeth.

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“We aren’t having Sunday dinners at our grandparents’ anymore, but exposure to seniors is important. We are hearing wonderful stories of the relationship growing between our students and the residents. There is potential to build on the intergenerational connection.

That is such an amazing piece of this.”

The ownership at St. Elizabeth offered free space for the clinic and Mohawk invested in renovations and equipment. Former offices have become eight treatment rooms and a reception area. St. Elizabeth residents pay $10 for a massage and the public pays $30.

“It’s a great privilege to be here. The clients learn from the students and the students learn from the clients. It’s great to see,” said Stephen Hannes, a part-time massage technologist who oversees the St. Elizabeth clinic. “Many clients are rejuvenated when they leave.”

“We try to present the range of what students will face but the fact is, the real world can be very complicated. There is no substitute for exposing our students to real people with real issues.”

Parzen said the opportunities are “endless” to expand experiential learning at St. Elizabeth, including active aging programs, occupational therapy, recreation and social work.

Mohawk’s massage therapy program is year round and fast tracked. Students typically go into a clinic setting in their sixth and final semester.

“I feel very well equipped because I’ve seen a wide variety of clients,” said student Kysa Marucot.

Client Carole Chapple raved about her affordable treatment for sciatica pain, osteoarthritis in her hip and a bad knee that will be replaced in the fall.

“He tries everything to make me feel better,” she said of her massage student Michael. “I would definitely follow him wherever he goes.”

Phone: 905-575-1212, ext. 3756 Email: mtclinicbookings@mohawkcollege.ca

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THIS IS AS REAL AS IT GETS Decommissioned air ambulance finds new home with Mohawk Aviation programs

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he bright orange twin-engine helicopter logged more than 20,000 hours of flying time in its 30-year career and will now put in countless more hours as a “learning lab” for Mohawk’s rapidly growing Aviation Technician program.

The donation of the Sikorsky S-76A aircraft by air ambulance provider Ornge was officially marked at a ceremony at the John C. Munro Hamilton International Airport in August. The helicopter flew more than 6,000 patients in 12 years in the Ornge fleet.

“Our behind-the-scenes team of mechanics and maintenance personnel are our unsung heroes.

They don’t get much recognition but they are an absolutely essential part of our organization,” said Rob Giguere, Chief Operating Officer and Deputy CEO of Ornge.

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Mohawk students will train on the aircraft and the hope is that some of them will come to work at Ornge, he said.

“One of the strengths of Mohawk is the access we give our students to equipment and technology that is as close to the real thing as possible. It doesn’t get much more real than this,” said Paul Armstrong, Mohawk’s Vice-President, Academic.

“We give an experience few colleges can match and this is the ultimate lab. The faculty and staff at Mohawk are dedicated to making the aviation streams a huge success. Hamilton is an important link in Canada’s transportation network.”

Mohawk’s cluster of aviation programs includes Aircraft Maintenance, Aircraft Structures and a new Avionics stream that will begin in September 2018.

The trio of offerings will make Mohawk among the most comprehensive of about a dozen aviation programs in the country.

Each of the two-year programs is accredited by Transport Canada and counts towards 1,000 to 1,800 hours of apprenticeship hours. They are intensive programs with more hours of classes and labs a week than standard courses and with longer semesters. There has been strong growth in enrolment since the program was launched in 2011.

an international airport, can land any airplane and is the busiest cargo hub. We think Mohawk, Hamilton International Airport and Hamilton is the right place for a fully integrated school of aviation.”

Mohawk is continually evaluating industry needs and is considering adding a pathway to a business degree or MBA, along with a one-year certificate in trim and finish to prepare technicians to work on the sophisticated electronics in passenger seats and entertainment centres, said Miltenburg.

Students who take the Maintenance program can then spend another year to get Structures or Avionics.

“The industry is really looking for mechanics and avionics specialists combined.

The programs operate out of state-of-the-art facilities at Mohawk’s Fennell and Stoney Creek campuses and at Hamilton International Airport, including the recently added 8,000 square feet of new hangar space.

The Avionics program will be located in the new Joyce Centre for Partnership & Innovation.

There is heavy demand for people with specialized knowledge on both sides,” said Wayne Juniper, a member of Mohawk’s aviation program advisory committee and a retired principal inspector for Transport Canada.

Students work on everything from vintage aircraft to modern light aircraft, heavy jets and helicopters. The college relies on the generosity of industry donations of aircraft, engines, composite materials, full aircraft bodies, and electronics.

“The ability to take what we learn in the classroom and apply it to the real world makes a big difference in allowing us to leave with the skills and confidence we need,” said Aviation Maintenance student Richard Eissler as he surveyed the Ornge helicopter.

Graduates immediately find high-paying jobs right across the country, said program Associate Dean George Miltenburg. The industry is growing while facing an aging workforce.

“An aviation school is not going to happen at Pearson Airport. The land is just too valuable there.

The next biggest airport in Ontario is Hamilton. It’s

The program advisory committee ensures the curriculum is relevant and current, said David Santi, who took over as Dean of Engineering Technology in August.

“We also count on our partners to provide a ‘line of sight‘ for the employment opportunities for our graduates in both Aircraft Maintenance and Aircraft Structures so we have the right enrolment to meet the growing needs.”

Vijay Bathija, CEO of Hamilton International Airport, said Mohawk is critical to the growth of the airport.

More than 100 jobs have been added at the airport in the last year, with passenger traffic growing 120 per cent and cargo traffic increasing 20 per cent.

That growth wouldn’t be possible without the talent trained at Mohawk, said Bathija, because the airport depends on the technicians who keep planes flying.

“Mohawk’s presence at the airport and in the city helps us lure new operators. The first question they ask is if there are locally educated technicians. The opportunity to build an aviation centre of excellence around maintenance is part of the overall plan of the airport."

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Mohawk’s classroom on wheels hit Hamilton streets in September.

MOHAWK HITS THE ROAD

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utting a college education within everyone’s reach is a priority for Mohawk.

Mohawk’s new City School Mobile delivers on that commitment. The custombuilt mobile is a 1,000 square foot classroom on wheels that will travel to neighbourhoods throughout Hamilton and the region. Mohawk also operates permanent City School locations at the Eva Rothwell Resource Centre in North Hamilton and the Central Library in downtown Hamilton.

The mobile classroom is supported by $1.6 million in funding from the provincial government and donations 20 MOMENTUM

from philanthropists, including Doug and June Barber, who are founding partners of Mohawk’s City School initiative.

First stop for the City School Mobile is the Centre on Barton in East Hamilton near ArcelorMittal Dofasco. Industryexperienced Mohawk faculty will deliver skilled trades training to residents of the Crown Point neighbourhood. The Centre on Barton and property management company Triovest have been generous in their support of the program and see their involvement as part of their role in the community, said Jim Vanderveken, Dean, Centre for Community Partnerships and Experiential Learning.

“Our City School initiative and our new mobile classroom take Mohawk’s connection with the community to a whole new level,” said Vanderveken. “This is a compelling and exciting mission for our college.”

City School Mobile offers the same pre-apprenticeship programs delivered at Mohawk’s skilled trades campus. All City School programs are free to students and don’t require prerequisites.

Welding is the first program being delivered in the City School Mobile, with future plans to offer electrical, plumbing and carpentry programs. By successfully completing the welding module, students get a course exemption from Mohawk’s Manufacturing Engineering Technician program.

The City School Mobile is currently equipped with 12 downdraft welding tables to be used by up to 24 students.

“When you walk into the City School Mobile, you realize what it represents in terms of an opportunity for people in our community. It gives us a whole new way of making a Mohawk education accessible to even more people than ever before,” said Vanderveken.

“The leadership position Mohawk has taken around improving access to post-secondary

education is singular. Other colleges are working on access but no one has a program like City School.”

Vanderveken says there is so much interest from neighbourhoods, communities around Hamilton, and organizations that stops for the City School Mobile are already planned for the next two years.

It’s expected that the mobile

“This unit offers a platform that has no limits. It is breaking down traditional notions of what a college is and working beyond the bricks and mortar of campuses. This is a compelling and exciting mission for us as a college.” will stay in each location for 10 to 12 weeks to maximize the community visibility and impact.

For more information and to register, visit mohawkcollege.ca/cityschool

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Mohawk welcomed Gina Funicelli to the role of Dean of Applied Research in May of this year.

NEW DEAN IMPRESSED WITH

HAMILTON’S

COLLABORATIVE SPIRIT T urning good ideas into great solutions that help people is what inspires Gina Funicelli, Mohawk’s Dean of Applied Research.

Mohawk ranks among the top 15 colleges in Canada for applied research activity with strengths in digital health, additive manufacturing and power and energy management.

Funicelli’s job is to support the hundreds of students and faculty who are working with

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dozens of industry, government and community partners on regional to international applied research projects.

“I think of myself as someone who can ‘unstick’ a project, clear the obstacles, and breathe new life into it,” says Funicelli.

Born and raised in Montreal, Funicelli is the middle child of three raised by a homemaker and a cobbler.

She earned a degree in geography from McGill

“I believe community colleges are the best-positioned organizations to bring all the pieces together to solve a complex problem.”

University and worked in the private sector before earning an MBA and becoming director of the Industry Liaison Office at Saint Mary’s University in Halifax. “I quickly discovered that I enjoy making deals, building partnerships and bringing people together. I’m passionate about bringing research to communities and industry.”

Funicelli was Dean of Applied Research and Innovation at Lethbridge College in Alberta before taking the post at Mohawk in May. “The collaborative spirit within Mohawk and in Hamilton is pretty incredible. You don’t find it everywhere, especially for such a large place. It makes all the difference to making things happen.”

Why is applied research important?

Applied research has the potential to solve major business and social problems. Applied research can improve health and reduce poverty and homelessness for entire communities. It doesn’t have to be big and expensive. Small, inexpensive projects can have outsized impacts.

What are your insights into Mohawk’s applied research ecosystem so far?

We have a lot of talented people whose work is attracting international attention and acclaim.

Securing long-term, sustainable funding to support their work is a priority. Applied research funding tends to be project based. It’s not operational or part of student fees. So it’s a constant chase of government grants. Our goal is to create a mixed funding model that sustains Mohawk’s momentum over the long term.

What is the potential of applied research at Mohawk?

We’ve set our sights on being among Canada’s top 10 research colleges by 2021. It’s an ambitious goal

and one we’ll achieve by having our students, faculty and staff work with college partners in the private, public and non-profit sectors to find innovative solutions to pressing problems.

How does Mohawk fit into the broader research and innovation network in Hamilton?

These are exciting, transformative times for Hamilton and the region. McMaster Innovation Park, IBM’s Hamilton Innovation Space and Innovation Factory are incubators and idea generators. How do we create an ecosystem in which we partner so closely that it’s a handoff? How can we support entrepreneurial students and bring resources together for prototyping or venture capital funding or legal help? We can also focus on supporting super-clusters to make our region a national powerhouse. Digital health is a good example. I believe community colleges are the best-positioned organizations to bring all the pieces together to solve a complex problem.

What do you expect will be the most challenging thing about your new job?

Right now, we have more partners asking for help than we can accommodate. How do we decide what to do? I don’t want to spread us too thin yet I also want Mohawk to grow in strategic directions that build on our strengths. It’s hard to say no. I think all community colleges have the same challenges.

There’s a lot of talent and expertise here but we can’t do everything.

Another challenge is sustainability. Universities have a mandate to carry out research. That’s not the case at colleges. So how do we support applied research? That requires creative solutions. The good news is so many people from all corners of the college want to be part of the solution. It’s a good problem to have.

23

Research. Solutions.

And everything in between.

Ideaworks fills the space between research and solutions by providing your organization with customized support. mohawkcollege.ca/ideaworks

FULLY CUSTOMIZED TRAINING TO SUIT YOUR ORGANIZATION’S NEEDS Mohawk College Enterprise is ready to serve clients in all sectors.

We will come to you, too! We deliver training at any location of your choice across Ontario.

We can also assist with COJG applications to help fund training for your employees.

MCE’s Future Ready Leadership program has been recognized nationally, and has proudly graduated over 600 Future Ready Leaders.

“The positive effects of the Future Ready Leadership Program were immediately apparent: Increased confidence and a greater comfort in their skin when communicating on a variety of issues.”

– Robin Dunn, Chief Administrative Officer, Township of Oro-Medonte

24 MOMENTUM

REGISTER TODAY

for Continuing Education programs, courses and workshops Learn at your own pace with flexible study options including online, in-class, evenings and weekends.

ce.mohawkcollege.ca

25

Shannon Murphy, Weil’s manager, and Emily Burke-Gaffney.

CREATING OPPORTUNITIES Program helps those with intellectual disabilities and learning challenges find their place

S

tudents in Mohawk’s Community Integration through Cooperative Education (CICE) program are taught an invaluable life lesson.

They learn that they belong at college and have something to contribute in the workplace.

CICE is a two-year certificate program for students with intellectual disabilities and other significant learning challenges. Students have Down syndrome, autism, learning disabilities such as dyslexia, low working memory, or executive function disorders.

Launched in 2013, the CICE program now serves 40 students each year.

Students earn a postsecondary education, experience college life and develop employment skills.

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“We’re filling a gap and opening up new opportunities for some pretty remarkable students,” said program coordinator Carrie Leo. “They were leaving high school but weren’t able to continue their studies because there was nowhere to go.”

Students study mandatory courses at Mohawk’s Fennell Campus and audit classes in areas of personal interest, such as photography, drawing, or introduction to psychology. Students are supported by five faculty members and 10 learning facilitators who teach study skills, help students prepare for tests and provide homework support, and a case manager who counsels students on social, academic and work skills.

“The whole goal of our program is to help students build confidence, develop self-advocacy skills and learn professional behaviour,” said Deanna Aikens, CICE job

developer. “We want every student to fully realize the great potential we see in each of them.”

CICE Student Emily Burke-Gaffney.

CICE staff set clear expectations for conduct and performance and the students are always treated as adults responsible for their behaviour.

“For many, it’s their first taste of freedom,” says Aikens.

“We model the behaviours that their future employers will expect.”

More than 150 employers have provided job placements to CICE students.

Aikens makes employers fully aware of each students’ strengths and challenges. “We want to ensure student success and employer comfort. If the match doesn’t work well, we will modify it, but generally it works out and people are very understanding of where our students are at.”

Claudia Hielema, 24, completed CICE in August.

“It’s given me more independence, driving to school and having responsibilities like getting homework done on time or being on time for classes,” she said. She’s moved out of her parents’ house in St. Catharines, been a peer mentor to her classmates and landed a job in the Mohawk Students’ Association’s campus café.

“I was always shy. Now I’m not as shy. I’m helping other people,” she said. “It made me proud. I can prove to my high school teachers that I’m good at college. It’s exciting.”

Ashton Komor, 22, said he struggled with college homework at first but learned he could do it. He worked at the Royal Botanical Gardens’ aviary and at Wentworth Lodge for his job placements. Komor says it’s given him confidence to learn to drive and to build with wood and metal. He’d like to find a job working with animals or in a kitchen.

“I can try anything now. Pick something in your dreams to make them come true.”

Some CICE graduates have gone on to mainstream courses at Mohawk or other colleges. Others have secured full-time jobs or opened businesses.

“It’s amazing and inspiring to see the students grow and transform,” said Aikens. “Working with these students is a great privilege and we’re just as proud as their parents when they walk across the stage at graduation.”

CICE EMPLOYERS Shannon Murphy, Emily's manager at Weil’s of Westdale, says the bakery accepted a CICE student in a job placement because “we believe it is our responsibility to promote education in the workplace, as well as in our community.”

She said the experience was positive and valuable.

“I would tell other employers that it is a wonderful opportunity to promote learning, diversity, and community growth in a workplace, both for employees, employers, and for the participant of the program.”

Other CICE employers include: •

1UP Games

•

Pizza Hut

•

541 Eatery and Exchange

•

Rygiel Community Services

•

Canadian Tire

•

•

City of Hamilton

Shoppers Drug Mart

•

Hamilton Artists Inc.

•

The Salvation Army

•

Hamilton Public Library

•

Tim Hortons

•

•

Home Depot

Volunteer Hamilton

•

Kingsway Animal Hospital

•

YMCA

•

YWCA

27

PILOT PROJECT AIMED AT MEETING DEMAND FOR

LOCAL FOOD

ON ONTARIO CAMPUSES

M

ohawk College is leading the way to boosting the volume of local food served at Ontario colleges.

A three-phase project called Increasing Local Food Procurement at Ontario Colleges is aimed at increasing student satisfaction with campus food choices, making food operations more sustainable and contributing to local economies by supporting area growers.

“We recognized an increased demand from Mohawk students to have access to fresh, local food on campus. We implemented some solutions to meet that demand and now we’ve developed a toolkit that is scalable and transferrable,” said Emily Baynes, interim manager of Mohawk’s Sustainability Office.

Phase 1 of the project, which is funded by the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and the Greenbelt Fund, included an industry research report published in March 2017.

“We knew anecdotally that students wanted more local, fresh options, but needed the data to back it up,” said Kate Flynn, sustainable food services and research coordinator at Mohawk. “We surveyed more than 4,000 students at 14 colleges in Ontario and 84 per cent showed support for sustainable, local food.”

The report identified challenges to more fully integrating local food into campus operations. Phase 2 is a series of pilots underway at Algonquin College, College Boréal, Fleming College and Humber College using Mohawk’s toolkit. It officially launched during Local Food Week in June.

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“We’ve provided a toolkit but each college has its own unique environment, so they will design their own solutions,” said Baynes.

The pilot aims to represent the diversity of campuses and food operations in the province.

Approximately 88 per cent of colleges, including Mohawk and Fleming, contract out their food services. Algonquin operates its own food services, while College Boréal has a co-op model.

Humber contracts out its food services but its hospitality program is also incorporated into its food operations.

One common challenge is that many colleges don’t know how much local food they currently buy. A food origins audit is needed to establish a baseline and each college will set its own targets for moving it.

Mohawk did an audit with food services provider Chartwell and independent food operators in the Student Centre. In addition, it created a model for local food literacy training for frontline staff.

Mohawk is also home to a thriving 50plot community garden and the Mohawk College Farm Stand that sources local produce from July to November.

The local food initiative will culminate in the development of a first draft of a procurement framework that will be presented at a summit November 9 hosted by Mohawk in partnership with the Greenbelt Fund. The target for release of the final report is early 2018.

Kate Flynn, Sustainable Food Services and Research Coordinator at Mohawk.

“We knew anecdotally that students wanted more local, fresh options, but needed the data to back it up.�

29

Gurvir Bhinder (co-owner) , Abhishek Soni (co-owner, Mohawk Alum), Melanie Sodtka (SURGE Founder and Mentor), and Natalie Reid (SURGE Coordinator).

SURGE MAKES DREAMS COME TRUE FOR ENTREPRENEURS A

bhishek Soni credits Mohawk’s SURGE program for launching his dream business.

Soni studied International Business Management and Small Business and Entrepreneurship at Mohawk after earning a business degree in India.

He came to Mohawk looking to launch a leasing business for cellphones. Soni left behind his family and a good job at a manufacturing company.

He gave himself one year to make MobéLease a success.

Soni’s met his goal and credits Melanie Sodtka, SURGE Founder and Mentor.

“She’s been our strongest supporter. She believed in us and is always there to help. We always take her advice. She’s part of our MobéLease team.”

Mohawk launched SURGE in January 2015 to expand the culture of entrepreneurship on campus. It’s a hub for students and alumni looking to launch and grow their businesses.

SURGE offers physical and virtual marketplaces, workshops, a speakers‘ series, pitch competitions, and connections to community resources. An online module is also in the works that can be inserted into

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any program’s curriculum, said Sodtka, professor and coordinator of the Small Business and Entrepreneurship program at the McKeil School of Business.

“We’re really looking at growth strategies for these businesses,” said Sodtka.

“Along with just-in-time help, we are focused on helping entrepreneurs move into the future.”

SURGE and five faculty mentors have worked with 30 clients and helped launch 10 businesses. Success stories include Daino Wood products, wall-mounted greenery maker Greenteriors, Virtual Excursions and Ontario Hemp Materials.

MobéLease (www.mobeleasewireless.com) operates a kiosk on campus with plans to expand to other colleges and universities. The company offers a yearlong, no-contract leasing option for phones.

Sodtka said she was immediately impressed by Soni’s drive, determination and commitment to his vision.

“I've yet to meet anyone with Abhishek's work ethic and resilience. He's a real inspiration.“

INSTEAD OF WAITING TO BE HIRED, ZAN AHMAD DECIDED TO HIRE HIMSELF Ahmad, 23, launched a business while in his first year of General Business at Mohawk’s McKeil School of Business.

Along with being a full-time student, Ahmad held down three jobs and worked upwards of 60 hours a week.

“If you’re prepared to work harder than everyone else, it’ll pay off,” says Ahmad. “There are no limits to what you can do and earn as an entrepreneur.”

It’s a lesson Ahmad was taught by his family who always encouraged him to be entrepreneurial. Ahmad’s goal is to make enough money so that his mother can enjoy early retirement.

His business, Daino, sells handmade watches, sunglasses, bowties and lapel pins made from ethically sourced wood from 28 countries. Ahmad donates a percentage of every sale to Trees for the Future, which aims to end hunger and poverty in SubSaharan Africa.

Ahmad sells his premium products online at www.Daino.ca and at Mohawk College, with plans to expand retail sales.

Ahmad was a regular at SURGE events and took full advantage of opportunities to connect with entrepreneurs and business owners.

“I’m always looking to learn from people who’ve done what I’m thinking of doing with my own business.”

SURGE also sent Ahmad to a pitch competition at Saint Mary’s University in Halifax for college and university students. Ahmad won three awards, including the best student entrepreneur award.

Made in Hamilton for Hamilton INTRODUCING CITYLAB CityLAB is an innovation hub bringing together minds from the City of Hamilton, Mohawk College, McMaster University and Redeemer College University to tackle city challenges.

Students and faculty will work with city staff to design, test and launch projects that are focused on city priorities under the broad banners of climate change, healthy neighbourhoods and municipal excellence.

Two immediate specific priorities that have been identified include brownfield remediation and affordable housing.

Mohawk is already making an impact in both areas.

“CityLAB will showcase the reach and research of Mohawk,” said project manager Patrick Byrne.

“The college has earned a reputation and goodwill in the community. There will be lots of great stories and goodwill that will come out of CityLAB.” CityLAB is taking up residence in late 2017 in revamped space that was once home to the Canadian

Football Hall of Fame in front of City Hall. The pilot stage of CityLAB officially launched in May and will run until December 2019.

Students get access to collaborative, experiential learning. The participating institutions are able to offer a unique, crossdisciplinary learning environment and city staff are exposed to new ideas to solve existing problems.

“The vision has been embraced by all the leaders at Mohawk, McMaster, Redeemer and the city.

There is a lot of buy-in from the top to push things in a new direction,” said Byrne.

CityLAB is inspired by City Studio in Vancouver, but there are plenty of models in the world, said Byrne.

“There is a real theme of made-in-Hamilton to what we are doing.”

Learn more about two CityLAB projects: Brownfield Remediation: page 32 | CityHousing: page 33

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CITYLAB INITIATIVE

COLLABORATING TOWARDS BROWNFIELD REMEDIATION

M

ohawk students and faculty are ready to help make Hamilton a national leader in brownfield remediation with an assist from CityLAB. A partnership with CityLAB is expected to accelerate the work of three professors in Mohawk’s School of Engineering Technology who are working with teams of students.

“I think CityLAB is fantastic. I love the idea of students doing projects that can benefit their community,” said Mohawk Associate Dean George Miltenburg. “They can take pride in their work. I can’t think of a better way to educate students.”

Hamilton has many brownfields where factories have been mothballed, leaving behind a legacy of contamination and costly clean-up on former industrial land.

“The barrier to bioremediation is money,” said Chris McCrory, Mohawk’s lead on the CityLAB project.

“We’re looking for much cheaper alternatives.

Landowners will sit on this land forever given the expense. But if Hamilton wants to really reinvent itself, these brownfields need to be addressed.”

Students getting prepped to collect soil samples.

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McCrory, a professor of Chemical, Environmental and Biotechnology Engineering, put forward the idea a couple of years ago to combine Mohawk’s curriculum and research with successful brownfield initiatives being led by the City of Hamilton.

“There’s potential for Hamilton to be a centre of excellence. And one of Mohawk’s pillars is sustainability. We are trying to embody that vision in our classrooms. CityLAB and the Hamilton Port Authority have given our students a tremendous opportunity with a real-world purpose.”

The work with CityLAB has professor Greg Maztke leading Mohawk students in using GPS receivers and software to map the concentration of pollutants.

Ethan Paschos, a professor of Biotechnology, oversees another group that’s looking to isolate bacteria that can degrade oil or oil-based substances known as hydrocarbons. Paschos and his team of 10 students are particularly interested in how bacteria works in cold temperatures. “People often think of bacteria as dangerous pathogens but we identify the beneficial ones that clean the environment,” said Paschos.

“We’ve isolated micro-organisms and tested them in a lab setting. Now we want to work on it in the field.”

CITYLAB INITIATIVE

DO SOME GOOD AND LEARN AT THE SAME TIME C

ityLAB wants to build on a partnership that has Mohawk students doing renovations for CityHousing Hamilton.

CityHousing has units in need of upgrades, including better accessibility and energy efficiency. Students studying construction, engineering and design at Mohawk, McMaster and Redeemer could all play a big role in addressing that need, said CityLAB manager Patrick Byrne.

Talks between the partners in CityLAB, which officially launched in May, are well underway.

“Students are looking to apply their knowledge.

They also have a lot of enthusiasm for making change in their community. We’re linking their enthusiasm with the strategic priorities of the city.”

and be accountable,” said program coordinator Brad MacDonald. “They learn carpentry, project management and scheduling of subtrades on a real site.”

Students have worked on community building projects for eight years and this was the first time they helped CityHousing Hamilton.

Paul Armstrong, Mohawk’s Vice-President, Academic, says he hopes the partnership with CityHousing will keep growing. It’s more than just construction experience, said Armstrong. The community relationship shows students the value of giving back.

“CityHousing is a great fit for our students and I think we provide a great service to them.”

CityLAB will foster and grow long-term collaborations by bringing people together to solve Hamilton’s challenges. Long waits for affordable housing is certainly among them.

Students in Mohawk’s two-year Building and Construction Sciences program renovated two CityHousing Hamilton houses during the winter semester. The students installed new bathrooms, flooring and kitchen cabinets and painted the fourbedroom accessible units.

“For students, it’s an opportunity to experience a live construction site, meet deadlines, troubleshoot 33

Ron McKerlie, President, Mohawk College and Glen Norton, Director of Economic Development, City of Hamilton.

PARTNERING TO DEVELOP OUR REGIONAL WORKFORCE

T

he biggest challenge for local businesses is finding people with the right skills who are ready to get to work, said City of Hamilton economic development staff.

That makes Mohawk College an essential foundation of the local economy for everything from start-ups to the largest employers.

34 MOMENTUM

“Mohawk is critical to developing the workforce for today and tomorrow. Employers want people who are ready to start right away, right out of the gate,” said Glen Norton, Hamilton’s director of economic development.

“When I visit large employers in the city, the number one concern is finding the right people.

We look to Mohawk to build workforce-ready talent more than any other institution.”

regional workforce that’s the best educated and highest skilled in the entire country.”

Mohawk President Ron McKerlie said the college makes four major contributions to the regional economy. The first is the more than 6,000 futureready students who graduate every year. “You can walk through the doors of any company or organization in the region and you’re sure to find Mohawk alumni making a difference.”

Mohawk College and its entrepreneurial program SURGE will be important in developing programming at TechPlace, Burlington’s new innovation centre, said Frank McKeown, executive director of the Burlington Economic Development Corporation.

Second, Mohawk is a major employer. “As an anchor institution, Mohawk is also one of the region’s largest employers with more than 1,100 faculty and staff. Like our students, the majority of employees are proud to call the region home,” said McKerlie.

Third are the thousands of collaborations with college partners every year in which thousands of Mohawk students help organizations solve problems, improve productivity and bring innovation to market.

Finally, Mohawk is accessible to more people in the community than ever before.

“The majority of future jobs will require some postsecondary education. Through our City School initiative, we’re removing barriers to postsecondary education and putting a Mohawk education within everyone’s reach.”

Mohawk also took a leadership role on the Mayor’s Blue Ribbon Task Force on Workforce Development and often sits on the committees that convince companies to locate in Hamilton, said Norm Schleehahn, manager of business development for the City of Hamilton.

“The people at Mohawk are putting themselves out there as city builders.”

Co-chairing the Mayor’s Blue Ribbon Task Force “gives Mohawk a clear sense of the immediate and longer-term needs of employers,” said McKerlie.

“The City of Hamilton will tell you that human capital is our community’s single greatest competitive advantage when it comes to growing existing businesses and attracting new companies. Mohawk is fully committed to doing our part in building a

“It’s said that somewhere between 40 and 70 per cent of new jobs come from businesses less than five years old, so it’s crucial to nurture start-ups that will provide job growth.”

Mohawk is pivotal to providing the talent for Burlington’s industry, said McKeown.

“If you go into any manufacturing plant, half the people there were trained at Mohawk. The college is a critical part of developing talent and delivering talent into the local economy.”

For McKerlie, the best illustration of Mohawk’s commitment to the regional economy is unfolding in the college’s largest renewal of labs and classrooms in its 50-year history – a $63-million investment across all three campuses.

“That renewal includes construction of Canada’s largest, and our region’s first, net-zero carbon building. The 96,000-square-foot Joyce Centre for Partnership & Innovation is serving as one of the pilot sites for a new Canada Green Building Council initiative and is attracting international attention and acclaim. Our centre will help make the region a leader in the fast-emerging post-carbon economy.”

“Human capital is our community’s single greatest competitive advantage when it comes to growing existing businesses and attracting new companies.”

35

CAREER ADVANCEMENT A KEY FOCUS FOR CONTINUING EDUCATION AT MOHAWK

L

ooking to get ahead at work or change careers? Mohawk has more than 2,600 ways to help you make it happen. That’s how many Continuing Education courses Mohawk offers annually both in-class and online.

You can still take personal interest courses during evenings and weekends on everything from cooking, photography, woodworking and learning a second language.

But there are now more Continuing Education programs and courses than ever before at Mohawk focused on career advancement and professional certification in health, technology and business.

The majority of people taking Continuing Education at Mohawk are juggling work and family commitments, said Alison Horton, Dean of Continuing Education, Media & Entertainment and McKeil School of Business.

“We need to be as flexible and adaptive as the people taking our Continuing Education courses.

We’re looking at how we can best fit Mohawk within the busy lives of lifelong learners.”

Nearly half of Mohawk Continuing Education courses are now delivered online and there’s an increased focus on intensive and innovative executive education.

Mohawk is also committed to staying responsive to the needs

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of employers. Health care is a key driver of the regional economy and a major employer. Mohawk works closely with regional hospitals to meet immediate and longer term workforce training and development needs.

Mohawk offers graduate studies nursing programs in a range of disciplines, including critical care, occupational health, diabetes education, gerontology, oncology, cardiac care and perinatal. There are also medical lab technician and medical device reprocessing courses.

“These programs change the course of someone’s career,” said Emma Gibbons, Manager of Continuing Education in Health Sciences. “A lot of new nursing grads are shocked to see how competitive the world is, so these certificates can open up opportunities to land fulltime jobs.”

About 95 per cent of health-care curriculum is delivered online and most require clinical placements.

“We’re creating curriculum with nurses and clinical educators in hospitals so it’s relevant and current practice. And we’re having that

curriculum taught by health care professionals who are working in the field,” Gibbons said.

Mindy Colburn, a Continuing Education instructor in the perioperative nursing program, has been a nurse for 17 years and started teaching in 2016. The online program is designed to be finished in a year with two courses and labs held in a real operating room setting in local hospitals. The certificate also requires 150 hours in a clinical setting.

“Lifelong learning is a big part of the nursing profession. Health care changes so much, it’s impossible to provide care to patients without upgrading your education.”

Mohawk is working with Hamilton HIVE and YWCA Hamilton to identify Continuing Education courses and programs specifically designed for young entrepreneurs and women in the skilled trades.

“It’s all part of a constant process of talking with students, faculty and industry leaders to make sure the right courses are being offered in the right ways at the right time at Mohawk,“ said Evan DiValentino, Program Manager for Business, Continuing Education, which offers about 25 programs, including accounting, human resources and financial planning.

“Our focus is on helping students with their career trajectory. It’s always a moving target. Just like in the business world, if you’re not adapting, you’re falling behind.”

A suggestion from a faculty member turned into an innovative new QuickBooks online program that was launched in September. And a web design and development program was recently accelerated with a strong focus on WordPress. It’s built to be finished in a year, with students working online through the week, and spending three Saturdays in a row in classes for each course.

“Many more students are finishing the course than when it was offered in a more traditional way,“ said DiValentino.

“It’s really appealing to an adult learner who may not want to come to campus during the week. It also works for people who are out of work or are looking to get back into the job market. We didn’t anticipate that there would be so many managers sending their web staff to brush up on their skills.

That was a great surprise.”

Alison Horton, Dean of Continuing Education, Media & Entertainment and McKeil School of Business.

”These programs change the course of someone’s career.”

37

GUEST COLUMN

LEADING THE WAY TO A ZERO CARBON FUTURE Mark Hutchinson Vice President, Green Building Programs, Canada Green Building Council

38 MOMENTUM

M

ohawk College positions itself as a sustainability frontrunner by participating in the Canada Green Building Council‘s (CaGBC) Zero Carbon Building (ZCB) Standard Pilot Program.

CaGBC is pleased to be working with forward-thinking institutions and leaders like Mohawk College to advance the techniques and knowledge to build zero carbon buildings.

Launched in May and developed to assess carbon emissions in commercial, institutional and multi-family buildings, the CaGBC Zero Carbon Building Standard is applicable to a wide range of new and existing building types across the country. Mohawk College’s 96,000-sq.-ft. Joyce Centre for Partnership & Innovation

is one of 16 projects piloting the new standard.

The CaGBC created the two-year pilot program to inform further development of the standard and the accompanying resources and education. As one of the pilot projects selected for this program, The Joyce Centre signifies Mohawk’s leadership and commitment to minimizing its carbon footprint.

The CaGBC defines a zero carbon building as one that is highly energy efficient and produces onsite, or procures, carbon-free renewable energy in an amount sufficient to offset the annual carbon emissions associated with operations. How the Joyce Centre qualifies as a key pilot:

“As one of the pilot projects selected for this program, The Joyce Centre signifies Mohawk’s leadership and commitment to minimizing its carbon footprint.”

1

Demonstration of Annual Zero Carbon Balance.

GHG emissions associated with building operations must be offset with low-carbon renewable energy, either generated onsite or procured through a contractual arrangement.

Mohawk is modelling the annual carbon balance using the EnergyPlus and DesignBuilder software packages. Emissions are being offset with onsite renewable energy and, if necessary, the purchase of Renewable Energy Certificates.

2

Installation of Minimum of five per cent Onsite Renewable Energy.

At least five per cent of the building’s total energy consumption must be met using renewable energy that is generated onsite.

Mohawk far exceeds this criterion with 100% of annual consumption as the design and construction goal.

3

Achievement of a Thermal Energy Demand Intensity Target. Thermal energy demand intensity (TEDI) refers to the annual heat loss from a building’s envelope and ventilation, after accounting for all passive heat gains and losses.

4

6

Mohawk’s energy target is <75 ekWh/m2-year (modelling approximately 5 per cent below that). This is 75 per cent less than the average Canadian building built since 2005.

The steel structure of the Joyce Centre utilizes a high degree of recycled content and the concrete utilized a high degree of supplementary cementitious materials. Windows, curtainwall, concrete, structural steel, insulated precast panels and drywall are all sourced in Southern Ontario.

Reporting of Energy Use Intensity. Reporting Energy Use Intensity (EUI) provides transparency and gauges the effectiveness of energy conservation measures to demonstrate progress over time.

5

Reporting of Annual Peak Demand. Tracking and reducing peak demand over time helps to reduce stress on the electrical grid and avoid the need for additional generation capacity.

Mohawk’s peak demand of 218 kW occurs in February because of the energy source for space heating being electricity through the ground coupled heat pumps. Peak heating demands are attenuated through a very high performance enclosure system and ventilation heat recovery that achieved a TEDI of 22 ekWh/m²-year. Peak cooling loads in the summer are reduced by controlling solar gains through vertical solar shades, modest glazing areas and low solar gain coatings on windows.

Reporting of Embodied Carbon.

Projects must report embodied emissions of the structural and envelope materials using life-cycle assessment (LCA) software.

7

Provision of a Zero Carbon Transition Plan.

Those that rely on onsite combustion of fuels, other than zero emissions biofuels, must provide a transition plan to demonstrate how the building will decarbonize in the future, showing that they have considered appropriate building design or retrofit measures.

Mohawk will not rely on onsite combustion of fuels for day-to-day operations.

To learn more about the Zero Carbon Building Standard and pilot, visit cagbc.org/zerocarbon

Mohawk’s TEDI target is 22 ekWh/ m2-year, which exceeds the City of Hamilton’s ZCB target of 32 (climate zone 5).

39

MOHAWK HAPPENINGS

HIGHLIGHTS 1 More than 5,000 students graduated from Mohawk this past June.

2 Mohawk hosted four former Mohawk College presidents as part of this year’s 50th anniversary celebrations.

3 ArcelorMittal Dofasco received 1st Chair’s Award of Excellence from the Ontario College of Trades.

4 Faculty & Staff at annual President’s Breakfast. 5 Mohawk's School of Media and Entertainment partnered with Ontario University Athletics to broadcast university sports. 6 Filomena Tassi, MP Hamilton West, Ancaster, Dundas at Mohawk’s Fennell Campus.

7 New Community Plaza near the Transit Terminal is opened in June.

8 An old campus with a new name, welcome to the Marshall School of Skilled Trades & Apprenticeship at Stoney Creek Campus. 9 Mohawk celebrated the 5th anniversary of its Community Access project. 10 Ornge donates decommissioned air ambulance to Mohawk. 11 Mohawk students competed at the Ontario Skills Competition in Toronto. 12 Mo the Hawk treats Chedoke Elementary class to a pizza party for winning Creative Kids contest. 13 Mohawk hosted its annual Apps for Health conference in May. 14 The new City School Mobile Classroom arrived at Mohawk in August. 15 First-year Advertising students Ailsa Walter and Chenice Piercy take gold at National Advertising Challenge. 16 Mohawk becomes first college to offer accessible 3D printed campus map. 17 Stoney Creek Chamber of Commerce presented Mohawk with a Legacy Award in May.

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THANK YOU

On the occasion of our 50th anniversary, thank you to our 1,000s of partners.

Ron J. McKerlie, President 2017