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Steelway Receives 2011 Employer Champion Award

Steelway Receives 2011 Employer Champion Award

Aylmer, ON: March 17, 2011: Last night, Steelway Building Systems received a 2011 Passport to Prosperity Employer Champion Award in recognition of its outstanding commitment to providing high school students in the community with meaningful work-related experiences. From learning opportunities in fabrication and welding to a scholarship program to pursue engineering, Steelway Building Systems is helping to shape and guide future career paths.

Steelway Building Systems has been participating in school-work programs for local high school students for more than 8 years. With the desire to help students find their career paths, Steelway Building Systems provides extensive safety training and places students in the areas of the business that most interests them. More than half of the students at Steelway participate in the Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program (OYAP), gaining real-world knowledge that will help them to build a career in the skilled trades.

"Our motivation has always been to help students to find their way after they graduate. We have seen the value of matching students in areas that meet their interests, giving them their own projects to work on and providing the opportunity for general fabrication, welding, electrical and mechanical," said Bryan White, co-president, operations, Steelway Building Systems. "Experiential learning is a proven tool, in fact, we hired on our very first co-op student as an apprentice millwright and he is still with us today."

The Employer Champion Award was established by the Provincial Partnership Council (PPC) to recognize outstanding employers in communities across Ontario. The Passport to Prosperity campaign, led by the PPC, encourages Ontario employers to provide experiential learning opportunities for high school students.

"Steelway Building Systems is an example of a forward-thinking leader that recognizes the value of experiential learning both for the students involved and the organization as a whole," said Jon Hamovitch, chair of the PPC. "We applaud the dedication of its staff in helping local students develop practical work and leadership skills through dynamic assignments that best suit their educational backgrounds, learning styles and interests."

Today more than 40,000 employers have recognized the value of opening their doors to high school students, but more are needed. Without the commitment and dedication of employers, including the Employer Champion Award winners, high school students would have limited opportunities to explore their career options and gain valuable training as they prepare for the working world.

About Passport to Prosperity

Passport to Prosperity is a province-wide initiative led by the Provincial Partnership Council (PPC) that encourages and supports Ontario employers in providing high school students with experiential learning opportunities. The PPC works closely with the Ontario Ministry of Education; the Ontario Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities; and the Ontario Business Education Partnership, representing business-education councils and local training boards across the province.

About Steelway Building Systems

Steelway Building Systems is a Canadian owned company specializing in the design and manufacturing of steel buildings systems. Since 1976, Steelway has supplied steel buildings for a wide variety of applications including industrial, commercial, recreational, institutional and farm related structures.