Educating the Next Generation of VT Technicians

Mohawk College’s Elevating Devices programs continue to grow.

Images courtesy of Mohawk College

In the past four years, Mohawk College’s Elevating Devices programs have introduced more than 100 graduates into the Canadian workforce. Located in Hamilton, Ontario, The Marshall School of Skilled Trades & Apprenticeships offers a two-year Mechanical Technician — Elevating Devices diploma program, founded in August 2020, and an Elevating Devices Mechanic Apprenticeship program, which began in August 2019. These programs have continued to grow and improve, with new training equipment including an escalator and oil bumpers that are used for instruction and practice.

According to Alan Bennink, professor and coordinator for the Elevating Devices programs, students typically find Mohawk College through its ongoing recruitment campaigns. “Faculty members regularly attend recruiting and open house events and speak with media as subject-matter specialists about industry issues,” Bennink said. “The college also works with industry partners on recruitment into the apprenticeship stream.” Additionally, the curriculum is promoted through Mohawk College’s international programs, and in January, the Elevating Devices programs welcomed its first international students.

The founding of the Elevating Devices programs closely coincided with the COVID-19 pandemic. During this time, government regulations limited the number of students who could be gathered for training at any one time. These restrictions and the general impact of the pandemic resulted in a decrease in enrollment in those years. Enrollment numbers have been recovering, with a grand total of 114 students in 2021-2022 — up from 85 in 2020-2021.

Bennink said he’s learned through his conversations with students that roughly half of them secure jobs with regional companies before they graduate. “Because the program is still relatively new, the college has limited survey data about post-graduate employment from the students,” Bennink said. A survey sent to 27 eligible 2022-2023 Mechanical Technician program students found that, of the 10 respondents, 60% were working and, of those who were working, 83.3% were employed in a job related to their education. “Students in the Elevating Devices Mechanical Apprenticeship program are not eligible for that survey, though the nature of the program is that these graduates are already attached to an employer,” Bennink noted.

As one of only two approved non-union delivery agents for this apprenticeship program in Canada and one of two colleges offering an Ontario diploma program, Mohawk College is strongly connected to the vertical-transportation (VT) industry. The college is involved with the Canadian Elevator Contractors Association (CECA) and hosted the CECA Central Region meeting on February 8. Members were invited to participate in a tour of the campus and meet-and-greet with graduating Elevating Devices students prior to the meeting.