Challenge 2025
Collaborating for collective prosperity.
People, employers, community.
Challenge 2025 – shaping workforce development and recovery in Canada Challenge 2025 is an ambitious five-year workforce-recovery initiative that commits intensified Mohawk College resources to address the ongoing and interconnected issues of poverty, under-education, labour shortages, unemployment and underemployment in the Greater Hamilton Area and across the country.
Education and training can lead to generational change and community prosperity. Working with a wide range of community partners, City School by Mohawk is a proven catalyst for workforce reengagement. Now, Challenge 2025 is poised to launch with a new sense of urgency into an uncertain economic environment.
We are seeking your financial support of this carefully developed strategy: • to help our city and its people recover in a sustainable way; • to continue to learn and adapt to the needs of our region’s employers; • and to test the City School model in other Canadian communities for national impact.
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The
ironis
HOT Challenge 2025: A responsive, scalable model, based on experience and evidence to mitigate the skills gap that can be deployed quickly and replicated in many jurisdictions.
By 2025, we will help:
4,000 3,000
NEW STUDENTS
pursue a college education
WORKERS
leave income support behind
100 3
REGIONAL EMPLOYERS fill their workforce gaps
ADDITIONAL COLLEGES test this program in their own regions of Canada
“With this pandemic, the demand for skills will change. What I like about City School is that it engages with employers and asks what it is that they need, so it will always be filling the market demand. In a world with a lot of flux and a lot of volatility, there is no more effective way of delivering education.� Craig Alexander, Chief Economist, Deloitte Canada
Challenge 2025 Guiding Principles The Challenge 2025 Taskforce developed guidelines that embody three evidence-based principles:
Amplify Amplify Mohawk’s impact on poverty in Hamilton and beyond.
Align with demand-led employment initiatives to address the “mismatch“ of skills and opportunities – a timely response to a changing workforce and changing workforce needs.
Accelerate Accelerate the impact of the City School model, which demonstrates Mohawk’s ability to engage underserved students and its commitment to remove barriers to education at the community level.
The City School Story
This place-based approach allows individuals who face barriers to postsecondary education try college for free in a supportive and familiar environment. Engaging employers in this
Bridge to employment for marginalized communities
Embrace the demand-led model
Align
Since 2015, City School by Mohawk has extended the college into accessible community-based locations, providing diverse entry points to education and training for marginalized adults. City School offers tuition-free college credit courses and workshops throughout our region, including our mobile classrooms.
Challenge 2025 Priorities
strategy has enhanced City School’s ability to link students to local jobs with in-demand industries. City School has grown exponentially, having engaged over 500 unique students. During this time, nearly 200 former City School students have transitioned to Mohawk College into at least one of full-time studies, part-time studies, Academic Upgrading, and/or Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada.
De-risk employer participation
A proven model for replication
“I love it, because honestly, without you guys, I probably wouldn’t have the respect I have because some of the people I had to give my name [to], they didn’t trust me until I showed them my certificate.” City School Student
Challenge 2025 employment training opportunities will help: Residents of low-income, vulnerable neighbourhoods
People who need to upskill as a result of disruptive workplace technologies
People displaced from jobs by COVID-19 disruptions
Mohawk College Role in Challenge 2025 An investment plan to achieve our projected outcomes.
Rapid Skills Training Team
C2025 Innovation Fund
Model for Replication
EMPLOYER ENGAGEMENT
RESEARCH, PARTNER SUPPORTS
PAN CANADIAN IMPACT
• Staff team focused on expanding and strengthening SME relationships
• Research for program efficacy
• New credential framework • Local network expansion
• Responsiveness to needs of industry
• Research for economic impact • Resources to adapt the model and de-risk for employers
• Employer-led curriculum development • Workforce recovery and pipeline development
• Community partner supports
• Test model with three Canadian colleges • Knowledge mobilization and shared learning with college partners
• Program delivery* *select program execution funding from OLMP and SAO grants
An investment to accelerate our impact.
Rapid Skills Training Centre
BUILDING TALENT PIPELINE
• Purpose-built/retrofit facility
• Preferred Site – Hamilton Mountain
• Classrooms and multi-functional space
• Vacant retail next to Service Canada
• Agile and quick response to meet needs for sector-based training
“Confidence is important. City School students will be going in to jobs that require them to use their skills very precisely. We are creating a virtuous cycle of confidence, skill development and income progression.” Bill Young, Founder/Chairman Social Capital Partners
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For more information, please contact Katie Burrows Director of Development, Mohawk College Foundation 905-575-1212 ext 3350