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 will gain an opportunity to 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 2021/2022, the second year of the program, we aim to provide funding for up to 20 positions. The employer recruitment process will begin in December 2021, and apprentices will start in their first career roles in early May 2022.

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 a minimum of 2 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 $35,000 annually
• Public sector organizations are eligible to 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 are able to hire a maximum of two apprentice employees

Funding Model

• Participating businesses will be reimbursed based on invoices submitted by the businesses
• The grant will cover the apprentice salary for 4-months up to a maximum of $4,000 per month
• All employer-paid premiums and benefits, including vacation pay are not covered by this fund.
• Other expenses that are not covered through this fund include travel expenses, equipment expenses including cell phone, and monetary bonuses.

Important Dates

• January 21, 2022 – Final deadline for employer posting
• January 26, 2022 – Postings open for student applications
• February 22, 2022 – Employers receive application bundles (electronic)
• February 28,2022 – March 18,2022 – Interviews take place    
• March 25, 2022 – Ranking submission deadline
• April 1, 2022 – Employer/students notified of rank/match result
• April 12, 2022 – Employers notified of student response to offers
• May 2, 2022 – 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 allows applicants to have a stronger understanding of your needs, and allows them to better match their skills to your position in their application documents
• Think about 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:

• Digital marketing and communications
• 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
• Arts and media
• Arts and cultural administration

Submit your Posting

Applicant Interview Process

Application bundles will be sent to you electronically on February 22, 2022.

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 during the weeks of February 28 and March 18, 2022. 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 who 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 is designed to ensure 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 25, 2022 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 loss of financial reimbursement.

Reporting

To receive the funds, employers must send an invoice on the first of each month in months 1, 2, 11, and 12 of apprenticeship employment to cfoley@mcmaster.ca

For questions prior to 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

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