A boost for St. Clair College to start a new program aimed at youth.
The college has been awarded a $500,000 grant by the Ontario Vehicle Innovation Network (OVIN) to launch the Regional Future Workforce Program, a program designed to get more children and youth engaged in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM).
OVIN is a collaborative network focused on advancing Ontario's commercialization and adoption of the next-generation electric, connected, and autonomous vehicle and mobility technologies.
It was established by the province to bring together industry, academia, and government organizations to support research and development, promote partnerships, and drive economic growth for the automotive and transportation sector.
St. Clair College is working in collaboration with several community partners on this project, including Centerline (Windsor) Limited, FIRST Robotics Canada, Invest Windsor-Essex, WEtech Alliance, and Women Enterprise Skills Training (WEST) of Windsor.
The grant ends on December 15, 2023.
Together, the college and area groups are preparing a pilot program designed to encourage students to pursue careers in the automotive and mobility sector, which is set to launch this September in schools.
All the constituent groups say they're excited about this partnership, and that future synergies are already being explored to help enhance STEM training.
Providing a venue for post-secondary students to engage with K-12 students in a hands-on training environment, creates opportunities for mentorship and the ability of all learners to acquire prudent STEM knowledge in a relaxed and fun atmosphere.
The program will be piloted in both Windsor-Essex County and Chatham-Kent, and will focus on early introductions to automobility, skilled trades, and robotics.
As part of the program, funds will be used to purchase over 500 robots, with an aim to impact 1000 students in the local community.
These robots will play a hands-on role in the program, teaching lessons on coding, programming, automation, and electric vehicle powertrain.
Additionally, officials say this initiative will offer students valuable insights into future STEM careers, specifically in the field of automobility.
To prepare for a September start, the STEM program will be piloted as a summer camp hosted at St. Clair College.
Several community groups will be welcomed on campus to engage in the program and provide input on program design and curriculum.