OTTAWA, O.N. ─ The Business + Higher Education Roundtable (BHER) is thrilled to announce a partnership with the Canadian Mobility and Aerospace Institute (CMAI) that will create 7,500 new work-integrated learning (WIL) opportunities. This partnership is made possible with support from the Government of Canada.
“Canada’s continued prosperity depends on young Canadians having access to the experience they need to succeed,” said the Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry. “Our government is proud to support the collaborative work between the Business + Higher Education Roundtable and the Canadian Mobility and Aerospace Institute to help create new work-integrated learning opportunities for young Canadians across the country.”
The impact of COVID-19 on the aerospace sector has been significant. This partnership will expose students to this important industry sector and will infuse it with the right talent and fresh ideas to help shape its economic recovery.
This new partnership will create a variety of WIL experiences for students from full-time and part-time WIL, to capstone projects and micro-WIL opportunities. Micro-WIL experiences allow students to apply theory learned in class to real-world projects presented by employers in the sector. The COVID-19 pandemic has increased the need for a pan-Canadian expansion of online micro-WIL, given that these opportunities are more flexible and accessible for employers. Developing these quality opportunities serves as a strong foundation for expanding other types of WIL in the aerospace and mobility sector across Canada.
“The pandemic has forced us to think differently and more creatively about WIL,” said Val Walker, Chief Executive Officer of BHER. “COVID-19 has forced many companies to innovate and shift their approaches to work and this new partnership with CMAI ensures that we’re doing the same with WIL. By expanding the types of WIL available to students in this sector, we are showing resilience and adaptability. I’m confident these experiences will set up the students and employers for success even during these challenging times.”
The experiences funded through this partnership will be offered to a diverse range of students from different post-secondary institutions, in different fields and at several levels of study.
“This partnership between BHER and the Canadian Mobility and Aerospace Institute is a turning point for tomorrow’s workforce in Canada,” said Sylvain Larochelle, President of CMAI. “This support allows us to diversify our program initiatives in order to better equip students in acquiring the skills needed for the future, thus facilitating their integration into the job market. Employers in the mobility sectors will be able to count on a strategic alignment between their needs and the skills of the next generation of Canadian talent.”
By providing adaptive and creative WIL experiences through this new partnership, BHER and CMAI are looking ahead to ensure that Canada’s post-secondary students are prepared to contribute to Canada’s businesses, economy and recovery in the future.
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About the Business + Higher Education Roundtable:
The Business + Higher Education Roundtable (BHER) is a non-partisan, not-for-profit organization bringing together some of Canada’s largest companies and leading post-secondary institutions. Since 2015, BHER has worked to harness the strengths of Canada’s business and post-secondary education sectors to build opportunities for young Canadians, boost innovation and drive collaboration. Learn more at www.bher.ca.
Media Contact: Hormuz Dadabhoy – Director, Operations – Business + Higher Education Roundtable – 647-680-2010, hormuz.dadabhoy@bher.ca.
About the Canadian Mobility and Aerospace Institute:
Founded in 2018, the Canadian Mobility and Aerospace Institute (CMAI) is a pan-Canadian not-for-profit organization that provides post-secondary students with work-integrated learning (WIL) opportunities in the mobility sectors of aerospace, rail, land and marine.
Among its services, CMAI offers a development tool known as Placement SPOT to students and the workforce. It offers value-added collaborative services for both students and companies. It aims to support students and develop their skills.
Media Contact: Geneviève Terreault – CMAI, 514 317-2301, poste 107, gterreault@cmai-imaca.ca.