The program is free to all Hamilton businesses and does not require a membership with the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce in order to access. Photo Credit: iStock.
The Hamilton Chamber of Commerce recently announced a new partnership with local post-secondary institutions, including McMaster University, Mohawk College, and Redeemer University, to help Hamilton employers “connect with local student talent.”
The program is supported by both the Government of Canada and the Business and Higher Education Roundtable (BHER), a not-for-profit organization bringing together some of Canada’s largest companies and post-secondary institutions.
Student Talent Connect is also in partnership with Workforce Planning Hamilton.
Specifically, the Chamber of Commerce will help connect Hamilton employers with work-integrated learning activities such as internships, co-ops, and field placements that post-secondary students need in order to graduate.
Positions can be paid or unpaid.
The Chamber says that many employers in Hamilton are seeking “innovative, affordable, and accessible ways to grow their business while addressing knowledge gaps,” but have difficulty finding the required talent.
Students also benefit from the program by being connected to relevant work experience in their fields of study.
The program is free to all Hamilton businesses and does not require a membership with the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce in order to access.
Additionally, companies of all sizes are able to participate.
To access the program, businesses are asked to contact the Chamber at studenttalentconnect.com and book a free 30-minute consultation.
Following the consultation, the Chamber provides the business with a list of program options via the partner institutions.
Businesses will then review and select which programs they would like to participate in and the Chamber facilitates an introduction with the selected school(s) and program(s).
Hamilton Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Greg Dunnett says that the program is “a great opportunity for Hamilton businesses, including small and medium enterprises, to expand their capacity.”
He says that Student Talent Connect will help “alleviate some of the burden our businesses face” while also “diversifying the talent pipeline in Hamilton.”
Michelle Butcher, the Interim Executive Director of Workforce Planning Hamilton echoed Dunnett, saying that the program “is a great opportunity for both students and local businesses to support our Hamilton workforce ecosystem.”
“Hamilton businesses stand to gain from the high-quality candidates supplied by our local post-secondary institutions,” Butcher continued.
“This program serves as a commendable means to support the talent and growth of local students within the community.”
Representatives from the partnering post-secondary institutions also expressed their excitement with the program’s launch, with Dr. Cebert Adamson, Vice President Academic at Mohawk College saying that they are looking forward to the “innovative partnership,” while Bruce Wilson, the Career Centre Director at Redeemer University says that they are “appreciative of the opportunity.”
A number of employer events such as career fairs are also coming up at the various Hamilton-based post-secondary institutions.
Employers are able to register for those events on the Student Talent Connect website.
Based in Hamilton, he reaches hundreds of thousands of people monthly on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter. He has been published in The Hamilton Spectator, Stoney Creek News, and Bay Observer. He has also been a segment host with Cable 14 Hamilton. In 2017, he received the Chancellor Full Tuition Scholarship from the University of Ottawa (BA, 2022). He has also received the Governor General’s Academic Medal. He formerly worked in a non-partisan role on Parliament Hill in Ottawa.
