GEORGIAN COLLEGE
Businesses wanted for new Georgian, Barrie Chamber of Commerce project

Georgian College and the Barrie Chamber of Commerce are looking for small- to medium-sized businesses to join their new initiative, COLABORATORY. From left: Paul Markle, Executive Director of the Barrie Chamber of Commerce, Joanne Foxton, Manager, #ChangeTheNow at Georgian, and Nicole Norris, Director, Social Innovation at Georgian.

Local businesses and Georgian College students will collaborate in a brand-new initiative to prepare employers for a future-focused workforce and provide students with valuable work-integrated learning experiences.

Georgian is partnering with the Barrie Chamber of Commerce for this initiative that is free to businesses. It is one of nine recently announced work-integrated learning projects funded by the Business + Higher Education Roundtable (BHER), with support from the Government of Canada.

Georgian and the chamber are looking for several small- to medium-sized businesses to take part in COLABORATORY. As Georgian is the only designated changemaker college in Canada, committed to helping students develop progressive skills to address the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals, COLABORATORY also offers a Changemaker Workplace designation.

"COLABORATORY is a unique opportunity for employers to be connected with their future workforce, helping them to attract talent that's looking for shared social and environmental values," said Nicole Norris, Director, Social Innovation at Georgian College. "We're thrilled to partner with the Barrie Chamber of Commerce and their members to help introduce them to student changemakers who will be their future employees." 

Working with Georgian's Research, Innovation and Entrepreneurship department, participating businesses will learn about emerging technology and social trends to help them stay innovative and relevant while learning how to support the expectations of a social- and environmental-conscious future workforce. Participating students, who are working to complete the Changemaker micro-certificate, will have the opportunity to network with companies that care about the same values and skills they do.

"BHER's funding of COLABORATORY is an incredible opportunity. By connecting students with local employers, we not only enhance their educational development but also significantly benefit our local business community," said Paul Markle, Executive Director of the Barrie Chamber of Commerce. "This collaboration demonstrates the Barrie Chamber's deep commitment to strengthening the bond between businesses and educational institutions in Barrie, ultimately cultivating a skilled workforce that will both support and remain in the area."

This partnership is another example of Georgian's commitment to work-integrated learning. One hundred per cent of the college's programs emphasize practical, hands-on learning such as this initiative, or others ranging from co-op terms to internships to field placements.  

There is no deadline for businesses to get involved with COLABORATORY. For more information, please contact Joanne Foxton, Manager, #ChangeTheNow at Georgian College, at Joanne.Foxton@GeorgianCollege.ca, or Tricia Barrett-Butler, Administrative/Communications Coordinator with the Barrie Chamber of Commerce, at tricia@barriechamber.com.