Hamilton’s Mohawk College says it will set up new learning hubs and campuses in nearby Burlington, Ont., over the next several years.
The college and the city issued the joint announcement Wednesday in a media release.
“There are promising opportunities in Burlington in healthcare, in industry, and across the regional economy,” Mohawk College president Paul Armstrong said in the release.
“Students are looking for rewarding, fulfilling careers in desirable communities and employers are looking for well-educated and well-trained workers. Mohawk College is excited to create pathways to employment.”
Brock University does operate a satellite campus in Burlington with teacher education programs, but the city isn’t home to a publicly-funded community college.
Mohawk already has a presence in the city through a partnership with Schlegel Villages — a care provider for older adults — that delivers programs for personal support workers and practical nurses as well as occupational therapy assistants and physiotherapy assistants.
The college has its main campus in Hamilton but also has a site in Mississauga geared toward international students and partner locations in Six Nations of the Grand River.
In this week’s media release, Mohawk College said it needs to expand to address healthcare shortages, a growing need for people in trades and the tech sector, and its plans to launch a school of climate action next year.
The Bay Area Climate Change Council, which does climate-related research related to both Hamilton and Burlington, is already housed administratively at Mohawk’s Centre for Climate Change Management.
Armstrong said Burlington is an “ideal” place to grow because of its public transit and proximity to Hamilton.
Burlington, meanwhile, has been eyeing attracting post-secondary institutions, as noted in its strategic plan.
Mayor Marianne Meed Ward said she welcomes Mohawk wanting to set up shop in the city and said the college will “boost local employment and support business.”
More specific information will be provided in the coming months, the college said, as plans take shape and agreements are finalized.