Employer Co-Curricular Engagement Catalogue
Partner with us! Tap into the energy and creativity of McMaster Engineering students; innovators who are eager to bring bold ideas, fresh perspectives and a genuine desire to make an impact beyond the classroom. By partnering with us on cocurricular experiences, employers gain early access to emerging talent while helping shape the next generation of engineering leaders. Your organization’s goals drive our approach. Every offering in this catalogue is flexible and customizable. We work with you to design engagement opportunities that advance your business goals while upholding our commitment to meaningful, high‑quality student learning.
Ways to engage
The following section outlines a selection of opportunities to partner with us. Whether hosted on campus, at your site, or virtually, each option can be adapted to fit your needs, schedule, and capacity. Please note that some offerings may include a cost based on customization and resources required.
Technical Workshops Gain direct access to potential candidates for co-op and new graduate hiring while supporting students in strengthening their technical skills. Hands‑on sessions led by your team can include: Coding & software development Mechanical or electrical systems Emerging technologies Circuits, rapid prototyping, or product development and more
Hackathons & Engineering Challenges
Engage students in collaborative, problem-solving experiences through hackathons and engineering challenges. Whether you're looking for a fast-paced event or a longer-term challenge, we can help develop a meaningful experience centered on a real-world problem or opportunity from your organization. Challenges can span technical, strategic, or interdisciplinary themes, with support available for challenge design, event structure, and logistics.
Have Something Else in Mind?
We welcome creative ideas; whether it’s a mentorship series, product teardown session, innovation sprint, site visit, or a custom challenge unique to your industry/company. Inviting students into your workplace gives them the opportunity to experience your environment firsthand, meet your team and observe real-world engineering in action, while helping build early brand connections and spark interest in your field. EMPLOYER
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The Benefits of your participation Strengthen your organization’s impact by partnering with us.
Organizational Impact Show your commitment to real‑world learning and developing graduates with the skills your organization needs. Advance organizational objectives tied to academic collaboration and hands‑on learning initiatives.
Student Awareness
Talent Development Strengthen your student talent pipeline by improving hiring outcomes and supporting your broader recruitment goals. Access a highly skilled and diverse pool of engineering students. Engage with students across niche programs such as Biomedical, Nuclear, Biotechnology, Automotive, Mechatronics, and more. Observe student strengths and potential in real time through hands‑on collaboration. Receive a résumé book of participating students, giving your team a direct hiring advantage. Increase your physical presence on campus through follow‑up touchpoints supported by our office (info booths, drop‑ins, meet‑and‑greets).
Strengthen student awareness of your organization. Build early recognition and reputation among thousands of future engineers. Showcase your company as an employer that champions innovation, learning, and community partnerships.
Our commitment to you
We ensure your experience is streamlined, supported, and impactful. Dedicated partnership support to help plan, coordinate and execute your engagement. Full logistical coordination including venue booking, setup and technology needs. Intentional student outreach and event promotion to ensure strong participation. Connections to relevant programs, faculty members and departments. Access to on-campus spaces, including labs, classrooms and event venues. Assistance with feedback and assessment, including data collection and engagement metrics.
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Testimonials Here’s what our partners and students are saying
The SmartBuild Challenge gave me the opportunity to apply my classroom learning to a real-world engineering project while working closely with industry professionals. Through mentorship, technical guidance, and engagement with company leaders, I gained valuable industry insight and strengthened my research, design, prototyping, and presentation skills. The experience helped build a strong foundation for future co-op opportunities and my engineering career, while allowing me to contribute to a project I was genuinely passionate about.
Engaging in extracurricular activities can help with learning new skills and fostering new connections. Student-run clubs are a keyway to building skills that aren’t taught outside the classroom, which can be some of the most important skills employers are looking for. Participation in planning activities for clubs I was a member of was a valuable way for me to learn about myself, my peers, and the McMaster Engineering community at large. My experience with McMaster Engineering clubs was an important part of my career story.
Mitchell Pehora
Delina Mekonnen Woldeyesus
Mac Eng alumnus, former DeltaHack Co-President
Computer Engineering Student
I found the activity incredibly beneficial. Working on a small-scale engineering project allowed me to apply the skills I’ve developed in class and clearly see how they connect to real-world industry work. Connecting with the company was a genuinely positive experience; everyone involved, both externally and internally, fostered an encouraging and supportive environment that helped promote growth. Overall, the experience strengthened my confidence in my problem‑solving and prototyping abilities and has contributed meaningfully to my future development as an engineer.
SMARTBUILD engaged with the Faculty of Engineering on a product design competition, working closely with staff from the Centre for Career Growth and Experience as our primary point of contact. The experience exceeded our expectations from start to finish. From the outset, the team was highly engaged, proactive, and hands-on. They played a central role in coordinating all on-campus activities, ensuring clear communication between SMARTBUILD, faculty members, and students. Their ability to manage logistics, align stakeholders, and keep the process organized made the engagement seamless and effective.
Toluwatomi Emoruwa
Dr. Evan Lewis
Electrical Engineering Student
SMARTBUILD Construction Management Solutions Inc. EMPLOYER
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Ready to Explore a Partnership? Let’s discuss how we can build an opportunity that benefits your organization and our students.
Does your organization offer co-curricular opportunities for students (mentorship programs, hackathons, awards, etc.) that you would like us promote?
Let us know!
Connect with us Email us to discuss: engengagement@mcmaster.ca
Learn more about our co-op program Interested in sponsoring clubs & teams: click here to connect with them directly. Interested in supporting youth engagement in STEM? Partner with us and Connect with our Community Outreach Team to learn more about opportunities to get involved in youth outreach and early talent pipeline initiatives.