Mcmaster university

Humanities Career Apprenticeship Program

Humanities Career Apprenticeship Program

This innovative program connects new graduates from the Faculty of Humanities at McMaster University with reputable Hamilton-based employers like you. Students can complete meaningful projects in a work environment that fosters learning, networking and development, and you will receive financial support to access a highly motivated and skilled talent pool.

In 2023/2024, the employer recruitment process will begin in October 2023, and apprentices will start in their first career roles in early May 2024.

For full program information, please view the employer information package.

Employer Requirements

To participate as an employer in this program, the following criteria must be met:

• Employers require a working location within the Hamilton area (apprentices are not permitted to work in the personal residence of the employer, company staff or any individual affiliated with the organization. They will be able to work from their own personal residence.)
• The employer should be in business for at least two years and have a minimum company size of 5+ employees.
• Employers must have general liability insurance in the amount of $2 million (minimum)
• Employers must offer a minimum 12-month, full-time contract.
• Employers can provide meaningful employment and career development opportunities for the apprentice.
• Job opportunities must meet a minimum salary of $40,000 annually
• Public sector organizations can participate and receive the grant if the roles being filled are new positions.

Once hired, employers must provide the apprentice with health and safety training.

Employers can hire a maximum of two apprentice employees in total.

Funding Model

Participating businesses will be reimbursed based on invoices submitted by the businesses.

The grant will total $10,000 per apprentice and will be distributed as follows: $5,000 after the apprentice has completed the first full month of employment (May 2024) and $5,000 after the apprentice has completed the 12th month of employment (April 2025). Employers must submit invoices to McMaster University to receive the funds.

Important Dates

January 26, 2024 – Final deadline for employer posting

January 29, 2024 – Postings open for student applications

February 21, 2024 – Employers receive application bundles (electronic)

February 26, 2024 to March 15, 2024 – Interviews take place   

March 22, 2024 – Ranking submission deadline

April 1, 2024 – Employer/students notified of rank/match result

April 8, 2024 – Employers notified of student response to offers

May 6, 2024 – Placements commence

Tips for Creating a posting that will get noticed

Here are some tips to increase the number of applications for your posting:

• Applicants will be more attracted to more detailed job titles versus generic ones like “program apprentice” or “assistant.”
• Include information about your company. Applicants are interested in what your organization does and what impact you are making in their community.
• Include as much detail as possible for job duties and responsibilities. This gives applicants a stronger understanding of your needs and allows them to better match their skills to your position in their application documents.
• Consider addressing the following questions in your application: How does this role fit into your organization? Do you have a team that this individual will join? What goals are they working toward?

Skills Humanities Students Bring for Employers

Through their academic study, Humanities students develop valuable career skills, including the ability to:

• Think critically and creatively and solve problems
• Communicate effectively and comprehend information presented in a variety of formats
• Manage data using appropriate technology and information systems
• Work with others effectively to achieve goals
• Manage projects in a timely and organized manner
• Work well under pressure
• Demonstrate adaptability and respond constructively to change
• Think in nuanced ways about complex questions

Possible Roles for Humanities students

Potential employment opportunities for Humanities graduates include entry-level positions in the following areas:

• Data management
• Research
• Virtual/in-person event planning
• Community research
• Language translation
• Community advocacy/outreach
• Youth programming/leadership
• Business development
• Policy analysis
• Illustration/graphic design
• Conservation and heritage planning
• Program/project coordination
• Content editing
• Public relations
• Office administration
• Digital marketing and communications
• Arts and media
• Arts and cultural administration

Submit your Posting

Applicant Interview Process

Application bundles will be sent to you electronically on February 21, 2024.

Once you have reviewed your applications, you can opt to schedule interviews yourself, or if desired, Humanities Career Apprenticeship Program staff will coordinate interviews on your behalf. Interviews should be scheduled between February 26 and March 15, 2024. Interviews can take place either at your office location or virtually. You are not obligated to interview all applicants.

To request support from program staff to schedule your interviews, please contact cfoley@mcmaster.ca with the following information:

• Position Title and Employer
• Name of applicant(s) to be interviewed
• Date(s) of Interview
• Interview Length (i.e. 30 minutes)
• Interview Start Time
• Interview End Time
• Interview Location (full address or platform/URL if virtual)
• Special Instructions: Is there anything the applicant should bring? Are there any specific instructions for once they arrive at your location?  Etc.

Selection Process

After interviews have taken place, employers (and students) will rank their preferred choice(s). Please note that you should only submit the names of candidates whom you will hire should they be matched (i.e. if you interviewed four candidates and assessed that only two met your requirements, only submit those two names in your rankings):

Ranked 1st = Most valued candidate

Ranked 2nd = Second most valued candidate

Ranked 3rd = Third most valued candidate

Please be aware that some applicants may be interviewing with several companies and will be asked similarly to rank their preferred employers. All rankings are confidential, and the Humanities Career Apprenticeship Program will not release scores. This ranking process ensures the most compatible matches that will benefit both employers and the applicants.

To keep the process on track, we ask that you submit your rankings no later than March 22, 2024, at 4:00 p.m. Once the ranking process has been completed, the program will inform the employers of the match. Successful applicants will only be offered one position on the highest match score between both employer and applicant. Please note that the employers must agree to adhere to these ranking principles to participate in the Humanities Career Apprenticeship Program. Please do not make offers to candidates until the program has given you written confirmation that the match has been made. Failing to follow program guidelines may result in a loss of financial reimbursement.

Reporting

Employers will receive $5,000 after the apprentice has completed their first month of employment and $5,000 after the apprentice has completed their final month.

To receive the funds, employers must send an invoice after the apprentice completes the first full month of employment (typically May) and then again for the final month of employment (typically April).

For questions before submitting a posting or for receiving funding, please contact:

Karol Murillo
Senior Business Development Consultant
Economic Development, City of Hamilton
Karol.murillo@hamilton.ca

For questions once your position posting has been submitted, please contact:
Cristina Foley
Manager, Career and Experiential Programs
Faculty of Humanities
cfoley@mcmaster.ca