Stouffville, Seneca partner to strengthen municipal workforce development
The Town of Stouffville and Seneca Polytechnic have announced a new partnership designed to provide students with hands-on, applied learning opportunities while supporting the municipality’s focus on developing future workforce talent.
The collaboration centres on a work-integrated learning program that will see Seneca students—particularly those studying public administration—working directly with Town of Stouffville staff on real municipal projects. The initiative is designed to provide students with practical, career-relevant experience while enabling municipal staff to share expertise and benefit from fresh perspectives.
“We pride ourselves on giving our students exposure to the real world, and you are the real world, and so for the public administration students, I can’t think of a better place to hone their skills with the experts that you all represent in terms of the various departments and parts of this municipality,” said Seneca President David Agnew at the February 2 announcement. “This is, honestly, I think the most important part of their learning. No disrespect to the faculty who are in the theory classes and lectures and so on, but to actually get your fingernails dirty and roll up your sleeves and work with people who are facing these issues every day, that’s meaningful, and that’s what they remember from their program.”
Through the partnership, Seneca students will gain real-life learning experiences, while the Town of Stouffville benefits from added applied research capacity and a stronger pipeline of public-sector talent.
“I’m pleased to announce the town of Whitchurch-Stouffville and Seneca Polytechnic have partnered in a work-integrated learning program, whereby Seneca students, especially those in public administration, will work directly with our talented and experienced staff on real municipal projects,” Stouffville Mayor Iain Lovatt said. “Students will gain hands-on experience with practical realities, governing a growing town like Stouffville. And in return, our staff will have a chance to share their expertise, engage with emerging talent, and bring fresh ideas into our operations.
“This is a two-way partnership, one built on collaboration, learning and innovation…As many of you know, Stouffville is one of the fastest-growing communities in York Region. Our population continues to rise, our economy continues to evolve, and the demand for municipal services grows,” Lovatt said. “Our ability to attract, train, and retain skilled public services has never been more important than it is today. The partnership with Seneca directly supports this need. It strengthens our pipeline of future municipal leaders and introduces students to the dynamic, rewarding work that happens in local government, each and every day.”
The partnership reflects a shared commitment to applied education, workforce development and innovative collaboration between the town and Seneca.
For more information about Seneca’s Public Administration program, visit the Seneca Polytechnic website.