Community and research partners gathered on Friday, June 21 at St. Clair College for the OVIN (Ontario Vehicle Innovation Network) Regional Future Workforce (RFW) showcase to discuss and highlight achievements and projects recently completed through dedicated efforts over the past year.
Hosted by the St. Clair College Research and Innovation team together with various project and community partners, the program showcases a platform for those involved to share their experiences working on their respective projects. It involved 1,000 participants from four different school boards and community partners.
Last year, St. Clair College received a $500,000 grant from OVIN to launch the RFW to encourage kids and youth in the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) fields. Local organizations including CenterLine (Windsor) Limited, FIRST Robotics Canada, Invest Windsor-Essex, WETech Alliance, and Women's Enterprise Skills Training (WEST) of Windsor took part in this pilot program to introduce students in Windsor-Essex and Chatham-Kent to careers in automotive technology and robotics.
Principal of Northwood Public School Dustin O’Neil said educational institutions are constantly evolving to meet the needs of the industry.
"The world is not the same now as it was 10 or 20 years ago," O'Neil said. "We know the focus is going to be more STEM tasks, more mathematics that are practical so this program definitely will meet those needs.
St. Clair College President Michael Silvaggi said this program has been appealing among the young generation. According to him, this event will offer participants future opportunities in various fields including research, development, and the manufacturing sector.
"Its focus on the revolutionary new technologies in automotive manufacturing and mobility means that while it is brand-new and exciting for young people, it also has deep historic roots in the transportation tradition of this area,” Silvaggi said. “It means we've been able to capitalize on the long-standing experience and expertise of a number of partners to make this a true community endeavour, providing participants with a glimpse of their futures in education, research and development and cutting-edge manufacturing."
