Employer Champion Award presented to Cook Sheet Metal, Simocoe
March 12, 2010
Cook, of Cook Sheet Metal in Simcoe, was presented with a 2010 Passport to Prosperity Employer Champion Award on Thursday. The award recognizes his commitment to providing meaningful work experience to high schools in the community. It was presented to him at the conclusion of a student career fair held at the Brantford campus of Mohawk College.
Posted By VINCE BALL, QMI AGENCY
John Cook may not be an Olympic gold medalist but in the eyes of many he is a champion and an important part of the local community.
"Employers like John are a critical part of our community," Sherryl Petricevic, of the Ontario Business Education Partnership, said Thursday. "It's people like him who help kids pursue a career in the trades and help keep our economy competitive.
"And it's people like him who help keep our kids in our community by training them and helping them get jobs."
Cook, of Cook Sheet Metal in Simcoe, was presented with a 2010 Passport to Prosperity Employer Champion Award on Thursday. The award recognizes his commitment to providing meaningful work experience to high schools in the community. It was presented to him at the conclusion of a student career fair held at the Brantford campus of Mohawk College.
"I think it's important to recognize that he's one of only four employers across the province to be receiving this award. He's representative of about 40,000 employers across the province who participate in this kind of program," Petricevic said. "I think it shows the kind of work he (Cook) has done over the years.
"He has helped out a lot of students."
The company has been supporting specialized learning programs for students in the Simcoe Composite School manufacturing program for the past 10 years. The program gives students a chance to learn different skills within the fabrication field such as welding, sheet metal work and product design.
The employer champion award was established by the Provincial Partnership Council, which works closely with the Ontario Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities and the Ontario Business Education Partnership. The business education partnership represents business-education councils and local training boards across the province.
Cook was pleased and honoured to receive the award and said helping students has, for the most part, been very rewarding.
"There have been some kids over the years that were just looking for a co-op placement," Cook said. "But most of them, I'd say about 90%, really want to learn and are eager to pursue a career in the trades.
"Most of the kids I've seen have been really good kids."
Cook went to Simcoe Composite School and is pleased to be able to help out his community and the local high school.
His contribution to the program is also being lauded by provincial government leaders including Leona Dombrowsky, Minister of Education and John Milloy, Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities.
"I applaud the work of Cook Sheet Metal for giving young people an important insight into the skills and experience essential to finding work in today's economy," Milloy said in a prepared statement. "Helping students learn about careers and the education and training necessary for success will help build the skilled workforce Ontario needs."
Employers like Cook help young Ontarians make some of the most important decisions in life including setting career goals and choosing what type of post-secondary education and training to pursue, Dombrowsky said.
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