Mohawk College honours first Industrial Careers Pathway grads
Hamilton, ON -The Industrial Careers Pathway (ICP), an alliance of seven associations and partners in the industrial distribution channel, works to help distributors meet the challenge of filling sale...
December 1, 2010 | By Robert Robertson
Hamilton, ON -The Industrial Careers Pathway (ICP), an alliance of seven associations and partners in the industrial distribution channel, works to help distributors meet the challenge of filling sales and customer service positions in North America. ICP links students to career paths in industrial distribution through partnerships with local educators and employers.
“As part of this program, ICP has organized an educational curriculum that is offered through several colleges in the US and Canada, as well as an online training program,” says ICP executive director Phyllis Russell. Now, ICP has seen the first graduates from its educational program at Mohawk College in Hamilton, ON.
The 2010 Mohawk College Fall Continuing Education Convocation Ceremony was held in October in Hamilton. Eighteen graduates out of a class of 25 from the college’s Industrial Distribution Leadership Certificate Program (IDLCP) were recognized for educational achievement.
Graduating students attending the ceremony included: David William Belcher (Honours); Daniel Cheoreanu (Honours); Juan Cotrina; Joseph Henry Daley (Honours); Philip C. Davreux; Ryan Disero (Honours); Laszlo Fodor; Susan A. Furlong (Honours); John Mason (Honours); Antonio Ricardo Munion (Honours); Douglas Frank Donald Pollard; Aurelio Romano; Robert Thomas (Honours); Brian Tombolini (Honours); J. Kent Wakem; Ian A. Warden; Jordan M. Wright; and Patrick Michael Wright.
Developed under the Power Transmission Distributors Association’s PTDA Foundation Industrial Careers Pathway brand, Mohawk College’s IDLCP consists of six courses of 30 hours each.
The program of studies includes: Business Fundamentals in Industrial Distribution; Operational Fundamentals in Industrial Distribution; Marketing, Sales and Customer Service in Industrial Distribution; Negotiations in Industrial Distribution; Leadership and Effective Communication in Industrial Distribution; and Industrial Distribution Integrated Case Study, which is a capstone course that is taken last.
Mohawk College’s IDLCP was developed by a dedicated and highly involved team of industry stakeholders and educators. Electro-Federation Canada (EFC), the Canadian Fluid Power Association (CFPA), Canadian Association of Plumbers and Heating Professionals (CAPHP), and the Ontario Association of Certified Engineering Technicians and Technologists (OACETT) supported the program in Canada, along with the PTDA.
Mohawk College’s IDLCP is intended for individuals working within the industrial distribution and manufacturing sectors who have responsibilities for key customer accounts and client relations. The program was chosen from across the Ontario community college system as the 2009 CONNY award winner for unique and innovative programming.
Courses are offered on a semester basis through in-class sessions or through Mohawk’s IDLCP online version, which is available as part of the Ontario’s community college consortium, OntarioLearn. Classroom sessions are currently offered at Mohawk’s Fennell campus in Hamilton. OACETT assisted in the funding of Mohawk’s online initiative.
“What’s great about the program is that students take the courses one at a time. You’re not doing a crash course in one week. It takes students 1-1/2 to two years to go through the whole program,” said Pat MacDonald, Mohawk College’s associate dean of the School of Continuing Education and Distance Education/Online Learning. “The only course we insist students take in a certain order is the last Capstone course. The program is an evolution of learning and skill development.
“Student testimonials are convincing us that we’re really doing the right thing. Many of the graduates have come from technical programs. Our courses enable students to see the ripple effect of their decisions on the rest of a company. They learn the importance of having good customer service, while making a positive impact on the organization’s bottom line.”
Industry instructors are the driving force behind Mohawk College’s IDLCP. They include:
• Ted Chisholm, vice-president, BDI Canada (Business Fundamentals Leadership and Effective Communications);
• Richard Ayuen, former vice-president, Kinecor LP (Negotiations in Industrial Distribution);
• Paul St. Germain, wholesale distribution industry executive with IBM Canada (Marketing, Sales and Customer Service in Industrial Distribution, and the Capstone course);
• John Bachmann, retired and former marketing manager, Wainbee Ltd., and past chair of the CFPA (Marketing, Sales and Customer Service in Industrial Distribution);
• Carm Stewart, executive vice-president, Gerrie Electric (Operational Fundamentals in Industrial Distribution);
• Drew Tils, pricing manager, Gerrie Electric (Operational Fundamentals in Industrial Distribution);
• Paul Meo, vice-president, NTN Bearing Corp. of Canada (Negotiations in Industrial Distribution); and
• Rodney Stelmack, vice-president, marketing, Canadian Bearings; he will teach the Capstone course next semester.
“We’ve been involved from day one developing the program and building the six modules. At the end of the day, it’s good to give back,” said Ayuen. “It’s also great to see young people wanting to pursue and enhance their skill sets, while creating better career opportunities. The program was a big success. Students coming out of the program can apply what they learned the next day and to the business.”
When Machinery & Equipment MRO spoke with some of the graduating students, it was clear that Mohawk’s IDLCP was a tremendous experience. Robert Thomas, who works in inside sales with Gerrie Electric, said the courses helped to improve his overall business skills and knowledge. “Learning new negotiation skills was a key thing that I picked up from the courses,” he said. “It’s really a good program.”
For more information on ICP, visit www.industrialcareerspathway.org. To obtain additional details on the Mohawk College program, visit the website at: www.mohawkcollege.ca.
Robert Robertson is a freelance contributor to Machinery & Equipment MRO.