It's being billed as a win-win for Western University students and the City of London.
A new one year apprenticeship program aims to help graduating social science students land jobs, while also keeping them and their talent in the city. The one-year pilot program is a collaboration between the university and the London Economic Development Corporation (LEDC), with financial backing from philanthropist Alan Rottenberg.
Up to ten graduates will be given full-time, paid positions through the 'social science career apprenticeship pilot program'.
“It’s critical that students find employment as soon as possible after graduation,” Rottenberg said in a statement. “We know students who are underemployed or unemployed upon graduation suffer a five-year lag versus students who land their first career-related job right out of university.”
Rottenberg will cover the first four months salary for each apprentice, while the remaining salary for the one-year program will be paid for by the employer.
The initiative was first started by Rottenberg at Queen’s University in May 2018. Since then it has expanded to other universities in Ontario and British Columbia. Roughly 90 per cent of the graduates who landed apprenticeships through the program at Queen's are still employed by the same companies nearly three years later.
In addition to the paid placement, those applying for the spots through Western will be able to participate in development workshops. Graduates who are hired will be given the opportunity to be mentored by a Western alumni.
"Our students will discover that the skills they learned at university are transferable to a career, and local businesses will have the opportunity to rejuvenate their workforce," said Acting Social Sciences dean Joan Finegan.
More than 60 students have already applied for the ten apprenticeship spots.
Employers interested in participating in the pilot program are asked to contact Robert Collins, LEDC director of workforce development, at rcollins@ledc.com.
