Developing Transformational Employer Partnerships through Mohawk College’s Future Ready Premium Program (E)

Mohawk College launched The Future Ready Premium Program in 2019 as a special initiative to forge strategic level relationships and commitments with a select number of key employers that results in enduring and impactful outcomes for students and the community. The Future Ready Premium Program cultivated transformational partnerships with cross-sector industry leaders in elevating engagement and support beyond traditional transactional relationships. With six program pillars underpinning the initiative, from strengthening employer collaboration, to enhancing students’ experiential learning, to leveraging the power of strategic co-branding, the reception from industry partners has been overwhelmingly positive. The Future Ready Premium Program has enrolled a cohort of 16 premium employer partners since its inception and has realized significant investments and marked increases in work-integrated learning opportunities for students, industry applied research projects, student and alumni engagement, and legacy donations to support student learning and achievement. Our panel will include a representative from our student program, the employer program, and our marketing program. We will also be joined by one of our employer partners. Participants will depart with an understanding of the Future Ready Premium program including: the implementation process for the program’s marketing campaigns, employer development, and the pedagogy behind the career micro-credential.