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Ontario Tech acknowledges the lands and people of the Mississaugas of Scugog Island First Nation.

We are thankful to be welcome on these lands in friendship. The lands we are situated on are covered by the Williams Treaties and are the traditional territory of the Mississaugas, a branch of the greater Anishinaabeg Nation, including Algonquin, Ojibway, Odawa and Pottawatomi. These lands remain home to many Indigenous nations and peoples.

We acknowledge this land out of respect for the Indigenous nations who have cared for Turtle Island, also called North America, from before the arrival of settler peoples until this day. Most importantly, we acknowledge that the history of these lands has been tainted by poor treatment and a lack of friendship with the First Nations who call them home.

This history is something we are all affected by because we are all treaty people in Canada. We all have a shared history to reflect on, and each of us is affected by this history in different ways. Our past defines our present, but if we move forward as friends and allies, then it does not have to define our future.

Learn more about Indigenous Education and Cultural Services

Future Leaders In Training Program

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We are proud to present our Future Leaders In Training program for high school students in Grades 9-12. With the world changing rapidly and the adoption of advanced digital technologies, this program aims to create a pathway to prepare youth for future work opportunities. 

Program Highlights

Equipping Youth with the Latest, Most In-Demand Skills 

Through engaging and hands-on workshops, students will gain important and essential skills in leadership, problem solving, financial literacy, and cultural competency. In addition, students will have experiential learning opportunities to hone and grow their STEM and digital skills with an understanding of how they can be applied to solve the world’s most pressing engineering challenges.

  

Be Inspired By Today’s Leaders

 In a community-oriented learning environment, students will be connected with current Ontario Tech undergraduate STEM students who will act as mentors and provide leadership to help with students’ professional and personal development, introducing them to new perspectives, people, and passions. Our team is composed of enthusiastic leaders from various disciplines in science and engineering who are happy to share their experiences with you!


Apply Your Skills By Volunteering With Us

 During this program, interested students will have the opportunity to volunteer with our Engineering Outreach team and gain skills and experience working in our programs for children and youth. Students will gain volunteering hours which can be used towards their 40-hour community involvement requirement to receive an Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD).

 
Be Prepared for Future Roles

The Future Leaders in Training program provides students with an excellent preparation for summer program instructional roles within our Engineering Outreach Office.

 

 

  • Program Information

    Program Information

    The program is open to Ontario Secondary Students (Grade 9 to 12) in the 2023/2024 Academic Year. 

    Students will participate in a series of hands-on workshops with additional arrangements to connect with Ontario Tech students and for volunteering opportunities. All Workshops will be held virtually via Google Meets. Students will receive a certificate of completion for their participation in the program. To be eligible for this certificate, students must attend at least three out of the four Essential Skills and three out of the four Digital Skills workshops. 

    Additional opportunities for in-person learning sessions will be offered, drawing on personal interest from the Fall 2023 / Winter 2024 cohort.

    Session Details

    Cost Per Participant: FREE

    Location: Virtual (Google Meets)

    Essential Skills Workshop

    Date and Time (EST)

    Digital Skills Workshop

    Date and Time (EST)

    Orientation 101

    Introduction to the Future Leaders in Training Program and Engineering Outreach

    July 10, 2023

    6:00 PM- 7:30 PM

    Engineering Essentials

    Introduction to the Engineering Design Process through Computer Aided Design

    July 11, 2023

    6:00 PM- 7:30 PM

    Cultivating Organization and Nurturing Cultural Competency in Your Life

    Setting Present and Future Goals and Building a positive and inclusive work environment

    July 12, 2023

    6:00 PM- 7:30 PM

    Programming 101 (Part 1)

    Introduction to Fundamentals of Text-Based Programming

    July 13, 2023

    6:00 PM- 7:30 PM

    Landing the Job 

    Building the Tailored Cover Letter and Resume for Your Dream Role and Preparing to Ace Your Job Interview

    July 17, 2023

    6:00 PM- 7:30 PM

    Finances 101

    Learn the basics of finances and how to start planning your future

    July 18, 2023

    6:00 PM- 7:30 PM

    Navigating Your Future

    Pathways to Post-Secondary STEM Education and Round-Table Discussions on University Life

    July 19, 2023

    6:00 PM- 7:30 PM

    Engineering Technologies

    Introduction to Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning

    July 20, 2023

    6:00 PM- 7:30 PM

     

  • Black and Indigenous Micro Internship Program

    Black, Indigenous, and Girls Micro Internship Program

    We recognize the importance of having representation in the classroom so youth can see themselves in multiple opportunities. To increase the confidence among Female, Black, and Indigenous youth in the pursuit of STEM education and careers, the Future Leaders in Training program is proud to offer an additional mentorship program to Female, Black, and Indigenous Identifying high-school students. Each student will be paired with a Female, Black, or Indigenous-identifying undergraduate STEM student who will provide them with advice and guidance toward their personal and professional goals and enable them to be future leaders within their community.

    Black and Indigenous Identifying high-school students will be able to participate in events such as coffee hangouts, design challenges, and additional professional development workshops created by our mentors. They will also participate in authentic tasks that apply their built skills from the program and are meaningful to engineering outreach. We aim to provide students with sustained engagement that is similar to an actual workplace and leave them with a social capital valuable for their future goals.

    This will be a four-week paid hybrid internship that will teach students to be a leader in the campus community. The internship will run as follows:

    Week

    Weekly Overview

    Week 1 

    August 08 2023 - August 11 2023

    Onboarding and Mentorship: Goal Setting and How to Support STEM and Coding-Based Programming 

     Week 2 

    August 14 2023 - August 18 2023

    STEM and Coding Content Development: Creating Innovating and Hands-on Curriculum for Youth

    Week 3 

    August 21 2023 - August 25 2023

    Leading a Classroom: How to Engage with Youth and Create a Positive and Inclusive Classroom Environment

    Week 4 

    August 28 2023 - September 1 2023

    Workshop Delivery: Delivering STEM and Coding Program Presentations for K-8 Youth

    Internship Wrap-Up: Workplace Reflection and Identifying Next Steps towards Your Future Goals

     

If you have any questions about the programs, please email engineeringoutreach@ontariotechu.ca

This year we are pleased to offer the Future Leaders in Training Program at no cost to families with the generous support of Actua and the Government of Canada’s CanCode program.

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