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Co-Op Is Your Ticket to Exceptional Talent

For the next generation of graduates, co-operative learning (also known as “co-op”) reaps huge rewards – from a blend of higher learning and real-world practice to broader networking, and new career opportunities.

But the businesses who hire the students benefit too - something CCIL member lab, SGS Lakefield, knows very well. 

SGS Lakefield is a fully-integrated facility offering geochemistry, environmental, metallurgy and mineralogy (GEMM) testing services. It's a facility that provides the perfect atmosphere for Fleming College co-op students in the Advanced Water Systems Operation and Management program and the Environmental Technician program to engage in a wide range of interactive training, as just one example.

“Co-op programs are a mutually beneficial experience for students and the company,” says Michaela D’Angelantonio, Talent Acquisition Advisor, SGS. “We’re always looking for ​students who can join the SGS family, either locally at Lakefield or globally, and believe that co-op programs allow us access to exceptional talent before it reaches the open job market.”

​SGS is one of the world's leading testing, inspection and certification companies with labs in Canada around the world and its headquarters in Switzerland.

On the business side, co-op programs provide companies ​like SGS with fresh mindsets and new ideas. The students bring high levels of energy to the team and are eager to make a positive impact. Co-op programs help find future employees as companies can hire students who already have experience in the organization.

“When we hire students, it’s a very hands-on experience,” says Sheila Bowers, Leadership Team, SGS. “Our objective is to put the students on staff permanently, so we invest a lot of training into them, starting off with basic online training to get them up to speed on health and safety and quality objectives and then setting them up with a mentor and taking them into the lab within the first week.”

Students are given a rundown of expectations, told what area/division they’ll be in and are set up with a mentor who provides daily guidance. Once they’re in the lab, students will work somewhat independently with a normal workday involving using actual client samples such as weighing soil samples, checking the pH and sending cuts to the lab.

During the summer and fall when placements occur, there can be anywhere from 5-10 students hired at a time and each student is paid entry-level wage.

“It’s a win-win for Fleming College and SGS,” says Michaela. “The students benefit because it allows them to test drive their desired career and studies, get hands-on, technical experience, build connections with industry leaders ​in a global company where there are many opportunities and get a leg up on the competition.”

Michaela understands the benefits as both an employee and as a previous Fleming College co-op student who was hired after completing her placement six years ago. When she was hired on, there was a pre-existing relationship between SGS and Fleming College that she wanted to continue. 

“I had a great experience as a co-op student and now working for SGS, I  (see a very positive outcome and) have seen a lot of (know of) great success stories,” says Michaela. “Co-op programs help a company connect with the community and help students bridge what they learn in the classroom with real life.”

“It’s a good test run to see how students handle themselves within the lab and helps SGS determine if we want to keep them on as a potential employee,” adds Sheila. “I really appreciate the program. I can’t think of anyone I haven’t extended an offer to in my department. The students are determined and excited to start their careers.”

For students, co-op learning provides exposure to the workforce, the expectations of companies and overall qualities they would need to be successful in a lab. 

And for employers, co-op has become a critical bridge between conventional learning and the wider world.

Students at Fleming College can do their co-op placement anywhere in Canada. If you’re interested in hiring co-op students from Fleming College for your company, please contact:

Anne Torwesten
Co-op & Placement Officer
anne.torwesten@flemingcollege.ca



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CCIL Certification: The Gold Standard
 
A major milestone was reached this year with CCIL now certifying more than 1,000 laboratory certifications across Canada.

CCIL has become the largest laboratory certification organization in the country. It certifies asphalt, aggregate and concrete testing facilities and their technicians, and these programs are now widely considered the gold standard in the industry.

“CCIL certification demonstrates that the laboratory has the experienced and trained staff, the right equipment, and the most up-to-date systems and procedures that are necessary to consistently provide quality testing services,” says Nabil Kamel, CCIL Certification Programs Manager.

“Certification means that the customer can have confidence in the laboratory’s testing results.”

For further information, click here or contact:


CCIL Certification Office
Gigi Kermath
Administrative Assistant
gkermath@ccil.com
289-337-8888


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NRC Demonstrates Leadership on Issue of Competition
 
CCIL applauds the National Research Council of Canada (NRC) for its leadership in clarifying what testing and technical services fall within the NRC’s mandate, and which of these services are more appropriately and effectively delivered by private-sector laboratories.

CCIL reached out to the NRC to ensure that the NRC’s research centres do not compete with the private sector in the provision of routine testing. These efforts have now led to the issuance of a position statement from NRC clearly stating that it is “committed to acting diligently to avoid knowingly engaging in routine testing services that may be delivered through Canadian private-sector laboratories offering such services.” The position statement is posted on the NRC website (click here).

As well, the NRC has issued internal guidelines that the Directors General of its research centres must consider in carrying out this policy.  

CCIL commends the NRC for addressing this issue – a major concern for our members – in such an open, timely, and co-operative manner. 


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CCIL Forms New Regional Committee
 
We are pleased to announce the launch of The Manitoba Geotechnical/Construction Materials Regional Committee.

CCIL established the committee to meet member needs and help identify local issues impacting the Geotechnical/Construction Materials testing industry in Manitoba.

The Manitoba Geotechnical/Construction Materials Regional Committee members include:
 

  • Paul Bevel, Laboratory Manager, H. Manalo Consulting Ltd.
  • Nelson Ferreira, Trek Geotechnical, Senior Geotechnical Engineer, Senior VP and COO
  • Tom Foster, Laboratory Supervisor, Wood PLC
  • Jason Thompson, Principal – Manager, Materials Testing Services, Stantec
  • Doug Otto, C.E.T, Vice President Technical Services TBT Engineering Consulting Group, CCIL Board Vice President and Board member
  • Geoffrey Uwimana, M.Eng, P.Eng, Vice President, Discipline Head – Geotechnical Engineering Services, Peto MacCallum Ltd., CCIL Geotechnical Construction Materials Division Chair and CCIL Board Member
  • Stephen Walker, CCIL Technical Director 


The Manitoba committee chair will be decided at the next meeting. 

We look forward to more input on local issues in Manitoba and thank our committee members for joining!

To get in contact about issues in Manitoba, please contact :


Stephen J. Walker, P.Eng.
Technical Director
(613) 290-0935
swalker@ccil.com




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Welcoming New Members
 
We are pleased to welcome six new CCIL Corporate Members – Kontur Geotechnical Consultants Inc., Saffa Engineering Inc.Tryon Professional GroupMcIntosh Perry, CARO Analytical Services and MWM Consulting.

 


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Bill C-208
 
Good news for small businesses, including owners of testing laboratories. The federal government passed Bill C-208 this summer, allowing most intergenerational transfers of businesses to receive the same tax treatment as if they were sold to a third party.

For years, if you sold your business to a family member, the difference between the sale price and the price originally paid was considered a dividend. But if you sold to an unrelated person, it was considered a capital gain and your taxes were lower. Business owners were effectively penalized for keeping their business in the family.

But now with the passage of Bill C-208, the same tax treatment will apply whether you sell your business to a family member or to a stranger – so you won’t have to pay a higher tax bill just for keeping it in the family.

This fairer tax treatment is the result of years of lobbying by the Canadian Federation of Independent Businesses (CFIB). CCIL and its members (those not publicly-traded) are proud members of CFIB.

For further information, go to https://www.cfib-fcei.ca/en/advocacy/succession.



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Gordon Leaman Honoured by CSA
 
Gordon Leaman, P. Eng., who led CCIL as President from 2015 to 2019, has been honoured by the Canadian Standards Association (CSA) for his long and distinguished service on various concrete standards technical committees. 

Gordon is a Director, CCIL Board of Directors, Principal, Geotechnical Engineering, Stantec Consulting Ltd. For the past 20 years, he has been a member of the technical committee for CSA Standards A23.1/A23.2 serving as first vice chair for the executive committee for the past and current publication cycle. He is also chair of the technical committee for CSA Standard A283, Qualification Code for Concrete Testing Laboratories. 

Congratulations, Gordon, for this well-deserved award!



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High School Graduate Scholarship Award Winners
 
We’re excited to announce the very first winners of our High School Graduate Scholarship Program who have each been awarded a $1000 scholarship.  

The first winner is the child of an employee with Wood Environment and Infrastructure in Nova Scotia and is pursuing a Bachelor of Science (Chemistry) degree at Acadia University in Nova Scotia.  
 
The second winner is the child of an ALS Environmental Canada employee in British Columbia and is pursuing an Electrical Engineering Degree at University of British Columbia in Vancouver.  

The third and final winner is the child of an employee with ALS Laboratories in British Columbia and is pursuing a BioMedical  Engineering Degree at the University of Victoria.

These scholarships are open only to children of families employed by CCIL-member firms, or employees at CCIL member firms. Candidates must have been accepted into a Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics (STEM) program at a recognized Canadian university or college, demonstrated academic excellence in high school, and shown leadership through extra-curricular or volunteer activities.

All of this year's applicants were outstanding and it was a tough decision for the Scholarship Committee to make.

“We’re so proud of this year’s scholarship recipients,” said Trevor Gluck, CCIL President. “The accomplishments of these young students are truly impressive.”

CCIL will continue to offer these scholarships in years to come. “We’re delighted to be supporting this program, and through it, the scientists, technologists and engineers of the future,” Gluck noted.

Applications for 2022 will be posted early next year. Watch for the announcement on the CCIL website.


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CCIL Congratulates Scholarship Winner
 
Charlotte Lemieux

We’re delighted to announce that Charlotte Lemieux has been selected as this year’s recipient of the $5,000 CCIL scholarship awarded through the Transportation Association of Canada (TAC) Foundation. The TAC Foundation scholarships go to students who are enrolled in full-time studies in transportation-related disciplines. Its goal is to develop the next generation of Canadian transportation leaders.

Charlotte Lemieux

Charlotte graduated from Université Laval in Civil Engineering last spring with the best grades of her cohort, and will be starting her master’s degree at Polytechnique Montréal this fall. “My studies will concern both transport and stormwater management. After my master’s, I plan to do a doctorate and then become a professor. Ultimately, my goal is to help cities design green infrastructure,” she said.

“I am truly grateful and honored to be chosen for this scholarship. It will allow me to focus on my studies and additional educational opportunities. Thank you CCIL for your support and investment in my future.”



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Let’s Hear From You
 
If there’s an issue affecting the testing industry or your business, we want to know about it. If you’d like to get involved in our various activities, or committees we welcome your input. If you have a story or comment for LabWatch, pass it along. We’re here for you. Please contact:
 
Francine Fortier Théberge
613-746-3919
ccil@ccil.com
 


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LabWatch is a quarterly newsletter produced by the Canadian Council of Independent Laboratories. By opening this ‘window’ on our sector, we hope to engage government, industry and other stakeholders in an informed discussion of the issues.


NEWSLETTER CONTACT:
Megan Stephens

mstephens@ccil.com  
416-777-0368
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