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By: Sophie Geffros
Community members in Westdale and Ainslie Wood are right to be concerned about the continued growth of so-called “student ghettos” in those neighbourhoods. Given that an increase in student residents leads to higher rents, fewer single family homes and an increase in high-end expensive retail outlets, it is hard to see this growth in its current form as anything other than gentrification in a mortarboard.
One of the great tragedies of gentrification is the rate at which it forces the elderly out of homes they have lived in all their lives. This is partially caused by the fact that businesses no longer cater to them — why bother when there are thousands of young people with ample disposable income — and partially by the rapid increase in the cost of living in a gentrifying neighbourhood. Since 2006 the population of Westdale over the age of 65 has decreased dramatically.
Ainslie Wood encompasses the area east of Osler, south of McMaster, and west of Longwood. A longstanding working class neighbourhood, the majority of the low rises and single-family homes were built after World War II to provide housing for veterans and widows. Many of the single-family homes were sold to veterans in the post-war period for a dollar. Unlike Westdale, it remained a strong working class neighbourhood until well into the 21st century — only recently has the number of student occupants overtaken traditional residents. Many community members have expressed the opinion that the closing of Prince Philip School and the construction of a 15-room student house sound a death knell for the neighbourhood.
To understand how the 18 to 24 year old population of Ainslie Wood could increase from approximately 15 percent in 2001 to 45 percent in 2012, we first need to look at McMaster University’s full-time undergraduate enrollment numbers, which have increased by 129 percent since 2001. In that time, the student population has more than doubled. In the 2009 Campus Capacity Report, it was noted that there exists a 30 percent student housing deficit, meaning that there is not space for 30 percent of students who apply for student housing. In that same period, rents in Westdale Village increased by over 20 percent. In their rush to cater to wealthy students, Westdale landlords had effectively made it very difficult for students — or anyone else — to live there.
Rents have increased in Hamilton as a whole over the past five years, no doubt in part due to the two percent vacancy rate in the city. Since 2012, the waitlist for social housing in Hamilton has increased by six percent. At present, there are 6,000 households waiting for placement in city housing. Many of those households are currently waiting in shelters or in accommodation that is unsafe for human habitation. One of the most common complaints about gentrification is the way that gentrifiers move into a neighbourhood, raising the rents and changing the cultural landscape, and then leave. 35 percent of the residents of Westdale and Ainslie Wood moved there within the last five years.
Ironically, student renters are victims of this gentrification as much as they are perpetrators of it. It is not unusual to see single rooms in student houses be rented for 500 or even 700 dollars — rents that would fetch a onew or two-bedroom apartment on the East Mountain and in Stoney Creek. It’s no wonder that over the past ten years, the non-student population of Westdale and Ainslie Wood has decreased to one third of its previous size.
Students have a responsibility to our neighbourhoods, and to our city. It doesn’t benefit anyone to have the elderly and families with children pushed out of neighbourhoods so that unscrupulous landlords can charge outrageous rents to students. I cannot tell you how many times I have seen and heard these students express disdain towards living in the city centre or in the east end, and by extension, towards the residents who already live there. There is a pervasive perception of the downtown and the east end as dirty and dangerous, and not places where university students should even think of renting. It’s classism in its purist form.
Regardless of what neighbourhood you rent in, students must start thinking of ourselves as residents of a city. Neighbourhoods around the university are not de facto McMaster dorms, they are established communities with vibrant histories. Students must be more interested in integrating into communities, in supporting local initiatives around gentrification and transit justice, and in living with the local residents rather than displacing them. If we don’t, we can’t act surprised when locals object to more student housing in their neighbourhoods.
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By: Saad Ejaz
Despite cold temperatures, McMaster students stood in solidarity with the victims of recent tragic events around the world, including the Beirut bombings and Paris shootings.
On Nov. 8, the Political Action Committee of Overcome the Gap, an MSU club, held an open dialogue to commemorate the lives lost around the world.
Dozens of students gathered outside at Mills plaza at 7 p.m. The event had a number of speeches, musicals and spoken word poetry that honored the victims of the tragic events that took place. Several students delivered an impromptu speech and also signed a banner to honour the lives lost.
Taaha Muhammad, President of Overcome the Gap, mentions that the focus of the event was to show equal solidarity to victims of the attacks in Baghdad, Beirut and France, and two earthquakes in Japan and Mexico.
“The goal was to raise awareness about all the issues going on in the world. It wasn’t to emphasize the ‘greater importance’ of any one tragedy, but rather to enlighten us of being more cognizant, understanding, and holistically knowledgeable and sympathetic individuals. We realized the Paris shootings resonated in the hearts of many as it was spread all over the web and social media, and we used this as an opportunity to get people together to discuss a common issue and how to move forward from there,” said Muhammad.
The aim of the event was to unite students to understand that there are more things we all have in common than it often seems.
Many McMaster and Hamilton organizations attended the event, including the Muslim Student’s Association, Assyrian Chaldean Syriac Student's Union, Grace Mandarin Alliance Church, LIFT Church and the Downtown Hamilton Mosque.
Umair Majid, cofounder of Overcome the Gap, emphasized unity and a progressive society. He stated, “Our objectives as an organization have been consistent with collective action …We wanted to use recent events as an opportunity to bring together individuals from different backgrounds, cultures and religions. Therefore, we held a shared and open dialogue called ‘#PrayforParis: #PrayforHumanity: Where Do We Go From Here?’”
The event was a great success, according to Muhammad. “There was a sound number of people there and all who came walked away enlightened by the perspectives shared,” he said. “I think having an outlet like this event for us to share our joint sincerities and condolences for those affected by the tragedies around the world really served as a catalyst for positive change. It brought people together, despite their differences, and students walked away having internalized a multitude of perspectives centred around one common theme: humanity.”
Photo Credit: Rehan Pervaiz
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The Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance recently published a report publicized as the largest-ever survey of LGBTQ+ university students in Ontario.
The report, which based its findings on a public survey from November 2014, identified both the positive progress and areas of improvement for post-secondary institutions to evaluate as well as improve upon.
The survey received 311 official responses over a one-week period, and was open to any student enrolled in a post-secondary institution in Ontario at the time. MSU VP (Education) and OUSA President Nestico-Semianiw noted that with the uncertain number of how many students specifically identify as LGBTQ+ in our communities, the amount of feedback they received was particularly valuable.
“[We wanted students] to describe their own personal experiences, because although one person's experience isn't going to be representative of everyone … I think it's important to be able to make sure that we're actually representing what those students would like to see in post-secondary education,” he said.
The overall culture and environment at universities had the most encouraging feedback from those surveyed, where 80 percent of respondents indicated that they felt comfortable and included on campus, and 81 percent also indicated that they felt welcome at large university events or activities.
However, 38 percent of respondents also reported that they sometimes were made uncomfortable in class by comments or assumptions regarding their orientation or gender by their professor. One in five respondents also noted that healthcare providers on campuses were not respectful or professional and “lacked the knowledge necessary to provide good care.”
While the majority of respondents who accessed on-campus services did not report having poor experiences, a general theme amongst the negative reports indicated that healthcare professionals were uncomfortable with the needs of LGBTQ+ students.
In addition, although the press release on the OUSA website touts the survey’s success, the report itself acknowledges the significant limitations in sample size as well as the bias inherent in the type of students who choose to participate in such a survey.
The survey results come on the heels of a recent Maclean’s article that ranked McMaster University number one in Canada for its mental health services. Although positive steps have been made on campus, Nestico-Semianiw reiterated the room for improvement in the way that the university provides a safe space for its marginalized students.
“I'm someone who likes to celebrate the progress we've made . . . but that being said, our number one designation [for mental health services] does not mean we are finished the race,” he explained.
Zachary Rose, Executive Director with OUSA, echoed many of Nestico-Semianiw's sentiments in an email to The Silhouette.
“Overall we were very pleased with the level of engagement in the survey,” he said.
“Our methodology means we have to be quite cautious about the claims we can make, but I'm pretty confident that the results give us good indications of where administrators and policy-makers can make improvements to increase inclusion on campus.”
Rose went on to say, “I think the results really demonstrate how broader problems like ignorance can make so many things difficult in so many different ways, that those of us who don't live through it would never be able to guess.”
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By: Eva Clark-Lepard
The Ontario sexual education (sex-ed) curriculum has not been updated since 1998. At that point in time, “My Heart Will Go On” by Celine Dion topped the charts and butterfly clips were actually fashionable. This was six years before Facebook, eight years before Twitter and 13 years before Snapchat. This was two years before current ninth graders were even born. This curriculum included information on body parts, STDs and puberty. It advised teachers to mention abstinence and decision-making skills.
This September, a new health and physical education curriculum document has been introduced to classrooms all around Ontario. This curriculum includes new additions, such as the mention of gender identity, sexual orientation and a focus on diversity. The curriculum consists of required material complemented by various teacher prompts, so as to assist teachers in answering any questions the class may have.
Despite the similarities between the two curriculums, the 2015 sex-ed curriculum has certainly caused a stir. While there are a large variety of complaints with regards to the curriculum, the recurring complaints are the following: that the curriculum’s inclusion of the topic of consent will allow children to consent to sex, that the topic of gender identity will cause children to question their own gender and become confused, that the curriculum will encourage LGBTQA+ identities rather than regarding them as “sinful” and that the inclusion of the words “oral sex” and “anal sex” in regards to STD/STI transmission will cause rampant promiscuity.
These grievances and many others have been the driving force behind many public acts of protest. These include various rallies at Queen’s Park with signs emblazoned with the phrases “Kathleen Loser” and “Let kids be kids—just say no!” More recently, only half of the students at Thorncliffe Park Elementary School in Toronto attended class on Sept. 8, while graffiti bearing the phrase “Shame On You” appeared on the school days later.
The resistance to the new sex-ed curriculum is multifaceted. Many are simply misinformed, believing some of the statements described above. Others believe that sex and homosexuality should not be discussed at all. Furthermore, some believe that the values represented in the curriculum do not represent those of their family. As an individual who wants to teach sex education and research reproduction for a living, I’ll try and address these three areas of complaints.
Firstly, to those parents who believe that their children will be learning how to perform oral sex in grade eight, I beg of you to please look closer than what your friend told you or what you read in a catchy 140-character tweet. The entire curriculum is online, please read it and realize that this curriculum is only going to help keep people safe and healthy. Just to clarify, this is what Health and Physical Education Curriculum does say about oral sex: “engaging in sexual activities like oral sex, vaginal intercourse, and anal intercourse means that you can be infected with an STI. If you do not have sex, you do not need to worry about getting an STI.” It goes on to say that students thinking about having sex should seek out healthcare professionals who can provide important information about protection.
Secondly, to the Ontarians who are sex-negative (the belief that sex is harmful or shameful) or homophobic, I’m sorry that the government of Ontario is trying to help raise your kids to have more meaningful relationships, less shame about their bodies and less hate for the members of their communities. Hopefully the kids that don’t skip those lessons will still create a community that celebrates diversity and body positivity for your child to grow up in.
Lastly, to those who believe that the sex-ed curriculum goes against their beliefs and values. I respect that Ontario is a diverse province with different religious and cultural belief systems. I respect that these systems may classify homosexuality as a sin and condemn various types of relationships and sexualities.
However, the values infused into the sex-ed curriculum are not random; they are the values of Canada. It has been legal for LGBTQ+ individuals to get married in Ontario since 2002 and there are Gay-Straight Alliances in middle schools. This curriculum is founded on the basis of kindness to our neighbours and the celebration of diversity—diversity of sexual orientation, of hair colour, of religious affiliation. In the words of Edward Keenan, “those values remain worth teaching.”
Photo Credit: CBC
By: Alex Killian
Welcome Week 2015 saw an innovative and important campaign on campus. From the social media platforms of Facebook and Twitter, to posters all across campus, to the buttons we still see today, the #Consent initiative represented a conversation many students were relieved to have on a safe, open and accepting campus. In the works since April 2012 and based on recommendations from the “It’s Time” project, it represented the first of three awareness campaigns aimed to reduce violence against women on campus.
The #Consent campaign was launched by the Sexual Assault Centre of Hamilton & Area and YMCA Hamilton. In partnership with many campus groups and services, these organizations took a challenging subject and started a conversation about the prevalence and impact of rape culture. The campaign explored what role we play as students and leaders in our school community in dismantling and reacting to our perpetuating harmful systems of oppression. They started a conversation about our generation’s impact on society and the new wave of Marauders on campus.
Yes, it is an uncomfortable conversation for some. However, it is extremely relevant for all as consent extends beyond sexual situations. It is crucial in every interpersonal interaction. In some situations, it is socially implied and expected, such as when we knock on someone’s door, symbolically requesting entry. The Welcome Week initiative on campus took the first steps to making the act of asking for and voicing positive and ongoing consent just as subconscious and normal as knocking on someone’s door before entering.
Welcome Week is supposed to be fun, others might argue. But, once again, the consent conversation applies outside of sexual situations. Positive and ongoing consent is fundamental to fun and enjoyment. Getting dragged to an amusement park against one’s will does not sound like a lot of fun.
The campaign could not have come at a better time in the school year. The first weeks of university are critical. There is a new, potentially vulnerable population on campus, which, by participating in the conversation, becomes more aware, more critical and ultimately safer.
Every Welcome Week is planned with strategic priorities in mind. For Welcome Week 2015, working to end sexual violence was one of those. The conversations throughout Welcome Week underline that understanding and practicing consent is an important part of this process. Social change always starts with education and awareness. As such, we have taken the first steps to creating a culture of respect and consent on our campus—let’s not lose the momentum.
Welcome Week was a chance to educate and raise awareness; Homecoming weekend is a chance to put in all into practice. Continue to ask open-ended questions and to listen for a response. Look out for your friends and make sure to keep checking in with those around you, particularly as the blood alcohol levels start to rise as the day goes on.
Like Welcome Week, Homecoming is an exciting, fast-paced event, with traditions and social expectations. Things can be memorable and enjoyable, when everyone is consenting and on the same page.
With that in mind, have fun this Homecoming! Demonstrate that beautiful maroon and grey Marauder pride while making your fellow Marauders proud by keeping the conversation on #Consent going.
About five per cent of school children are diagnosed ADD/ADHD. Though that number decreases as they reach adulthood, not all of us grow out of it.
If you're like me, you have trouble organizing your plans, your room, and anything else that you need to stay on top of. For me, navigating university with ADD/ADHD is kind of like being in a room full of people who all want your attention. I become so overwhelmed that I just turn around, walk out, and get some frozen yogurt in solitude. Without tactics in place to minimize disorganization, it can be quite stressful. Even if you don't have ADD/ADHD and are just a naturally disorganized person, the best way to ensure success is to find a tactic that works for you. Being in the 99th percentile of ADD/ADHD diagnoses, I've learned some tips and tricks along the way that keep me on top of things.
This can be a lifesaver. Whether you use an agenda, a wall calendar, or your phone, make sure you write down all your due dates, upcoming appointments, and even your plans with friends to avoid double booking. It's not enough to just write things in your day planner—make sure you actually look at it too.
By the second last week of August, I started settling into my daily routine. The transition from summer to school is easy for me because of a full-time job that requires me to wake up by seven and head to bed by eleven. However, if you, three a.m., and Netflix got very close during the summer months, you may want to decide on a wakeup time and a sleep time. For some, those two are enough, but you can also plan your wake-up, breakfast, medication, study, and bedtime. Even if you don't have class at the same time every day, I recommend waking up at the same time anyway. Though your schedule may be broken the morning after a couple of six packs, following a routine for the most part means there is less to think about.
I set up a three-goal reward system that helped me kill two birds with one stone. I'm the worst at delayed gratification. I’ll eat stale donuts even if I know there’ll be fresh ones in an hour. But I trained myself to set three goals for myself, from something as simple as "email professor about assignment" to "don't forget medication for a week". Your reward can be after however many goals and be whatever you want, but I find that three is usually the magic number.
Many people hate cleaning their room, especially when you just cleaned it a week ago and have no idea how all of your clothes got on the floor. When it comes to things we just don't want to do, having a friend over who doesn't mind just hanging around with you while you do your chores can make it a less sleep-inducing experience. If they're nice enough, they might even offer to help. If they're like my friends, they'll probably just keep telling you about the spots you missed.
Student Accessibility Services is in the basement of the student center and is very helpful if you have an ADD/ADHD or learning disability diagnosis. You can get accommodated to ensure you achieve academic success.
It's perfectly okay to not be able to focus all the time or feel like you just can't get organized sometimes. Take the steps that are right for you, but don't measure yourself on another's "ideal". Figure out how to manipulate external things like alarms and calendars so they can help you reach whatever goal(s) you set. Although school generally gets easier when you manage to organize, sometimes the restless and messy kids grow up to be the restless and messy adults, and that's totally okay.
Spotted at Mac followers may have gotten more than they bargained for when a post surfaced yesterday afternoon about an alleged sexual assault of a McMaster student.
An anonymous post made the claim that a student went to a bar with a man she met at Mills who then forced himself on her after a few drinks. She included a photo of the alleged assailant, which we have blurred to protect the identity of the involved, until a formal investigation is underway, and claimed to have made a report to the police afterwards.
Police cannot confirm whether any investigation is yet underway but urge students to come forward if they are victims of assault crimes.
“It would be difficult for us to identify that person, so unless we have a compliant victim, it is difficult for us to do our job. As difficult as it is, we do need victims to come forward and that’s part of our constant challenge of educating the public, of creating that awareness that we’re here to help. We would hope that it is not just done anonymously on those types of platforms, that they would please try and find the courage to call the police and report it, so it can be dealt with,” said Jenny McGreal, Media Relations Officer at Hamilton Police Services.
McMaster Security Services had not been contacted at the time of reporting by the police or the supposed victim.
The Spotted at Mac page has, as of late, become a platform for a form of vigilante awareness, with a post appearing earlier this year in which someone posted a picture their phone automatically took of a supposed thief, in an effort to try and get McMaster students to crowdsource an identification effort.
“News media is no longer the opinions of reporters and editors, it’s becoming more democratized,” said the Spotted at Mac admin of the anonymous Facebook group.
“Most people are thanking the original poster for keeping them informed of potential danger on campus. The benefits of the warning far outweigh the possible margin of error.”
The commenters on the post pointed out a potential danger that could occur with this kind of awareness, with one user saying, “technically anyone could post a picture of someone claiming they hurt them and we have no way to tell for sure. Now I’m not saying the person is lying but these matters are probably better handled by the police.”
The post can be seen under this article, and we will update as any potential police investigation comes to our attention.
TRIGGER WARNING: Victims of sexual assault should tread lightly as the post describes the encounter in fair detail.
A Change.org petition has been launched requesting that McMaster administration “withdraw discriminatory policies” against McMaster engineering students. The petition is a response to the University’s disciplinary actions against engineering student groups due to a violent, misogynistic songbook allegedly connected to members of the Redsuits.
“Currently, more than 4,000 McMaster Engineering students have been found guilty and incapable of operating in a professional manner; none of these students will be treated equally until an investigation is complete,” the petition reads.
In January, the University publicly denounced the songbook and barred the Redsuits from organizing campus events for the remainder of the year. Redsuits from the past two years are currently ineligible to help organize Welcome Week 2014.
The student-led petition, launched on Sunday March 2, argues that the University has taken severe measures that are unfair to most McMaster engineering students. As of March 5, the petition had garnered more than 1,000 signatures.
An external investigation is underway regarding the involvement of students in the songbook, which contains references to rape, mutilation, sex with minors and other graphic material. In response to possible unsanctioned alcoholic events that have come up during the investigation, the University has banned alcohol at events hosted by engineering student groups, including the annual Kipling formal for graduating students. The event is held off-campus every year following an iron ring ceremony.
“This event has had significant oversight from the Faculty of Engineering in the past, and deeming it ‘unsafe’ to serve alcohol at a rather expensive, licensed banquet hall is unprecedented,” the petition states.
Simon Almeida, a graduating student in chemical engineering, started the petition with input from other engineering students and representatives from the McMaster Engineering Society, though the MES has not officially endorsed the petition.
“It’s dangerous precedent if we say that, regardless of any evidence, the University can just single out a single faculty of 4,000 students and completely ban students from doing what’s in their civil liberties to do,” Almeida said.
“I know that there’s definitely been a shift in how other students view us and how the public views us. Even on the petition we have alumni stating that it devalues their degree to have the university step this far and associate all engineering students with the actions of four students. It really puts a black mark on a program that I’m really proud to be a part of,” he said.
“Although the MES never officially supported [Almeida’s] decision to create the petition, we wholly support our students’ rights to voice their opinions and stand by their beliefs,” said Ben Kinsella, vice-president (academic) of the MES.
In response to the petition, McMaster provost David Wilkinson said the University’s ban on alcohol for engineering student events is a necessary measure that will continue to be in place.
“The unsanctioned events that we’re investigating do have a connection with alcohol, so this seemed like an appropriate thing to control during the period that the investigation continues. We’re clearly wanting to move forward and clear the air as quickly as we possibly can but we also want to make sure we do the job thoroughly,” Wilkinson said.
“I guess I’m somewhat surprised at the importance the students place on the ability to consume alcohol at what is a great celebratory event like the Kipling formal,” he said. “I know from my own experience that engineering students have tremendous spirit and joie de vivre, and I wouldn’t think that the inability to drink at an event like that would diminish the ability of the students to have a great time.”
The petition also criticizes the University’s “decision to forego serious relations with engineering student leaders,” which Wilkinson said was an unfair comment.
“The dean of students has been meeting on a regular basis with leaders in the MES, so we are involving student leaders in the whole process and that will continue to be the case. The student leadership may wish for a broader consultative process but we’re somewhat restricted in what we can do there,” he said.
“We’re continuing to do our work and we’re doing it as quickly as we can. The petition isn’t going to have an impact on that,” Wilkinson said. “What the petition does is it brings to the fore some of the concerns brought to us by members of the student body and some of the MES leaders. I will say, however, that we’ve also gotten feedback from students who are very supportive of the approach the University is taking to address certain cultural concerns. In fact, the MES itself has outlined in a number of documents over the past few years its own concerns about certain aspects of culture within the student body.”
There is no exact date by which the external investigation is expected to be finished, though Wilkinson said he hopes a conclusion will be reached “within the next couple of months.”
This article was updated on March 5 to include comment from a MES representative.
Every month, the Canadian University Press (of which The Silhouette is a member) facilitates a #cupchat using the platform ScribbleLive. This month's topic is transgender inclusivity and the discussion will begin at 5 p.m. EST. Join the discussion by posting your thoughts below.
As gender and sexual diversity become more openly acknowledged, universities must acknowledge the needs of their LGBTQ students. Though many university students have experienced some form of discrimination on campus, transgender students experience a unique set of obstacles. From bathrooms to dorm rooms to professor interactions, we want to know how Canadian universities are addressing (or not) the needs of transgender students. Are there universities that are explicitly trans inclusive? Are they implicitly inclusive? Are there other institutions doing a better job than others and can universities replicate those institutions?
CUP’s Queer Issues coordinator Lee Thomas will facilitate our discussion along with a panel of Canadian experts on transgender issues who will be participating in the chat including Gabrielle Bouchard and Jan Lukas Buterman.
Gabrielle Bouchard is the peer support and trans advocacy coordinator at the Centre for gender advocacy; a fee-levy organization affiliated with Concordia University. Gabrielle participated in the creation of a name of common usage policy at Concordia and is coordinating part of the ongoing struggle to bring legal equality for trans people in Quebec. She’s the instigator of a complaint to the Quebec Human Rights Commission (CDPDJ). The complaint, made on behalf of trans people in Quebec, aims to end legal discrimination enshrined in the Civil Code of Quebec. She also provides training and workshops on trans issues to social actors, front-line workers and in post-secondary institutions.
Jan Lukas Buterman is pursuing his Master’s in Educational Policy Studies at the University of Alberta, specializing in Adult Education. His thesis research looks toward the intersections of law, identity and modern information system technologies. Jan holds degrees in Education and History, as well as diplomas in Adult Education and Public Relations. Jan is an activist and educator focusing on issues of relevance to trans-identified people in Canada.
Michael Ryu
The Silhouette
A recently published study called “Bridge That Gap: Analyzing the Student Skill Index” puts into the spotlight a critical problem: students who have graduated from post-secondary education are unable to uphold the quality of work that employers expect. In fact, employers are experiencing an increasing divide between the standard of work they expect from students and the standard that students actually provide.
The study interviewed 2,000 18- to 24-year-old students enrolled in two- or four-year college programs, and 1,000 hiring managers. Students were asked whether they felt qualified to work in a professional environment while hiring managers were asked to evaluate the readiness of recent college graduates.
The results demonstrated that students tended to overestimate their abilities. 50 per cent of students answered that they felt completely prepared for professional environments, while hiring managers answered that they believed only 39 per cent of recent graduates were prepared to work in their respective fields.
Students and hiring managers were then requested to name factors they found to be most important in the hiring process. 45 per cent of students thought the name of their institution was a large factor, whereas only 28 per cent of hiring managers thought it was important. 77 per cent of students believed that personal connections would help them secure a job, while only 52 per cent of hiring managers stated that it was significant.
Qualities that most hiring managers held in high regard were the demonstration of an initiative to lead, participation in extra-curricular activities and the completion of a formal internship prior to graduation.
Lynn Stewart, the director of Outreach and Community Engagement of McMaster’s Engineering Faculty said, “For engineering students. The divide is less about technical work than… the ability of students to interpret and navigate… the professional workplace. When students are on an engineering internship, many will identify dealing effectively with people in the workplace as a more significant challenge than dealing with technical problems.”
This problem was not exclusive only to the engineering community but applied to students as a whole. 63 per cent of hiring managers found that graduates were very prepared to apply technical skills to the task at hand but were relatively lost when they had to apply soft skills.
“The communication, the team-building, the prioritization and time management skills are… skills that employers are wanting more from students,” explained Lisa Barty, manager of McMaster’s Science Career and Cooperative Education office.
“Employers have changed their expectations of new hires,” said Sandra Preston, Assistant Professor and Director of Experiential online pharmacy no prescription Education of Social Sciences. “Employers want students to be job ready for their specific job and aren’t as willing to invest in young people who are just learning to navigate the work world… I do believe the discrepancy [between employer expectations and student performance] exists, but it has more to do with students not fully understanding how their skills do relate to the ‘real world.’”
The responsibility of diminishing the divide does not fall upon only the academic institutions but also the students themselves. The study highlighted the lack of soft skills that most graduates demonstrate.
“Students are under immense pressure to succeed academically, and maybe what we’re seeing is that students are coming out of post-secondary institutions lacking some of these skills because they have not found that balance between academics and all the other available [opportunities] that are going to help develop those [soft] skills,” explained Barty.
Preston pointed out that, “there are many opportunities on campus for students to gain the kind of experiences that will help them translate their skills from the academic to the employment world.”
Stewart agreed, and said “[We should] encourage students to develop these professional skills, as much as this is possible while they’re in school: participate in extracurricular activities, push outside of the comfort zone to interact with people from diverse academic backgrounds… it’s not just about getting good grades, it’s about both personal and professional growth.”
