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Launching co-op in Perth marked by an employer breakfast in the BIRL

Building Innovation Research Lab (BIRL)Excited employers filled the Building Innovation Research Lab (BIRL) on Tuesday, October 8 to learn about the co-op portion of Algonquin College’s Business – Agriculture program in Perth which launched in September of 2019.

“There was quite a bit of interest coming from the industry for an agriculture program after the University of Guelph’s Kemptville campus closure,” saif professor and program coordinator, Martin Savard, during the breakfast event. “Not having agriculture grads in recent years has created employment gaps in Eastern Ontario. Not only did the industry come to us about creating the program but they have provided a lot of direction on how the program should be run.”

Local agriculture employers had a large role in building and launching this program and are anxious to have co-op students and grads available to hire from Algonquin College after the area’s loss of Guelph’s Kemptville campus and Associate Diploma in Agriculture program in recent years.

Savard explained that “industry told us they want business to be a major component of the program.” In the program, and before the students start their co-op they will learn the basics of communication, marketing, finance, human resources and project management. “We’ve also worked closely with employers in the area to provide integrated learning experiences with local producers as industry partners, providing students with agricultural demonstrations and workshops throughout their program,” Savard said.

Students in the Business – Agriculture program will be half-way through their program at the time of co-op and will be able to bring business fundamentals as well as agriculture concepts such as like livestock and crop management, equipment purchasing practices, government regulations, and more, to their co-op job.

“Our employers tell us that they are using co-op to grow their future workforce”, says David Hall, Manager of Cooperative Education at Algonquin College. “Hiring a student from an Algonquin College co-op program helps to create a talent pool for future long-term hires and to set-up a succession plan for the future.” The co-op department facilitates all co-op hiring for employers and industry partners including: helping to write the job description, arranging interviews and extending the job offers.

Cooperative Education at Algonquin College is a partnership involving students, employers and the college that provides students with full-time and paid work experience in four-month blocks that complement’s their in-class training. Algonquin College is currently accepting job postings for students enrolled in the Business – Agriculture program. Students in this program will start their co-op work term in May 2020.

Perth Campus joins with Habitat for Humanity to change lives

Dedication CeremonyConstruction is now complete on Habitat for Humanity Greater Ottawa’s first build in Perth.

And in celebration a key ceremony is being held on Wednesday, June 28 at 2 p.m. at the site of the build, 53 Arthur St., Perth.

The key ceremony will see the community come out in force to take part in the official transfer of the home to the Tall family. The home was built through a unique partnership with the Algonquin College, Perth Campus students of the Construction Carpentry, Advanced Housing Program who worked on the home weekly as part of their program from September 2016 to April 2017. This was done in partnership with the local Perth Chapter of Habitat for Humanity.

Many members of the community greatly supported the project along with Town of Perth, Lanark County, the Lanark-Leeds Home Builders Association and many sponsors including the Commonwell Mutual Insurance Group, OMYA, Noble Wealth Management and the 2016 Canadian Stone Carving Festival.

The family is so appreciative of the opportunity to own a home. Since coming to Canada more than 10 years ago from Senegal, Makhtar Tall and his wife, Seynabou, have worked tirelessly to establish a good life for them and their three children — Fatou, 11, Fallon, 9 and Oumou, seven months. Over the years, Tall worked his way up to store manager at a local Dollarama in Ottawa, with Seynabou as an active stay-at-home mom. But, despite their efforts, their ultimate goal of homeownership remained just out of reach.

With five people living in a cramped two-bedroom apartment, their current living situation did not suit their needs. The family was looking into community housing when they heard about Habitat GO’s homeownership program and decided to apply. Now, as a Habitat GO partner family, Tall says he is looking forward to improving the quality of life for him and his family.

“I would much rather invest my money rather than paying rent and having no return,” says Tall. “This will enable me to build a better future for my family.”

Through the partnership with Algonquin College, Perth Campus, Habitat GO built its first home in Perth in 2016-2017 as part of the Construction Carpentry — Advanced Housing Program. Thanks to the commitment of the campus and Habitat GO’s sponsors, donors, volunteers, tradespeople and the members of the new Perth Chapter, the family’s dream of homeownership is now coming true.

“It’s a great opportunity to be able to own your own home and give back to a community that is truly yours,” says Tall. “I’m not sure I could have ever done this without the Habitat for Humanity Program.”