How a Student Placement Created Lasting Value for a Small Manufacturer

At Coloursmith Labs, student placements have done more than add capacity. “We had one placement who had a great idea for a new method of encapsulating nanoparticles that ended up becoming a big part of our core business,” said Research Operations Manager William Curtis.

Based in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Coloursmith Labs develops optical filtration technology for the vision care industry. The company manufactures nanoparticles used in additives for eyeglasses, contact lenses, and thin films designed to improve vision and enhance optical properties.

For a team of about 10 employees, student placements add technical capacity, fresh thinking, and a practical way to introduce emerging talent to the company’s highly specialized manufacturing work. “Coloursmith has always been interested in getting the next generation into the workforce,” Curtis said. “We’ve had dozens of co-ops over the years, and they’ve always been excellent contributors to the team.”

Making student placements practical for a small manufacturer – using EMC’s WILWorks Post Secondary Program (SWPP)

For a company of Coloursmith’s size, student placements help the team move specialized projects forward. For a placement to add value, the program behind the placement has to be efficient enough for a small team to use without creating unnecessary administrative delays. “Before EMC’s WILWorks Post Secondary Program (SWPP), we used other programs to hire co-ops, and at times the process was a little slow, making it difficult to get employees in on time,” Curtis said.  “SWPP was a much better program to get the funding, get the employees in, and get the work done.”

Through the program, EMC supports Canadian manufacturers with wage subsidies up to $5,000 per placement for eligible student work placements, including co-ops, internships, practicums, and applied research projects.

Hiring co-op students and early-career employees can involve some uncertainty, especially in highly technical workplaces. For Coloursmith, the program helped reduce that risk. Curtis said the program made Coloursmith more comfortable bringing in students who were still developing their workplace experience.

“The program allowed Coloursmith to hire employees with much less risk,” Curtis said. “We were more willing to work with untested employees because we had the support of the EMC’s WILWorks program helping us along the way.”

EMC’s support also mattered when questions came up.  “EMC made the application process super simple,” Curtis said. “Anytime I had questions about whether something was applicable or an allowable expense, they created a very hands-on and helpful environment.”

Fresh ideas with real business impact

The value of these student placements has also shown up in day-to-day process improvements. “The placement employees at Coloursmith often came up with great new ideas,” Curtis said. “They’re doing work on the front lines, and they often find new efficiencies in the processes they’re working on to improve our workflow.”

In one case, a placement employee suggested a change to Coloursmith’s nanoparticle encapsulation technique. Curtis said Coloursmith tried the idea and now uses the approach as part of its core business. That kind of contribution is one reason Coloursmith continues to bring students into the company. Typically, Coloursmith hires an SWPP placement employee every term, then uses the placement period to determine whether there may be a longer-term fit.

A win-win for students and employers

For Curtis, the benefit of EMC’s WILWorks Post Secondary program is straightforward. Students gain workplace experience, and employers gain access to motivated early-career talent with less hiring risk.

“To anyone interested in the program, it has been highly rewarding for Coloursmith,” Curtis said. “We’ve been able to hire the next generation of talent and significantly reduce our risk.”

For manufacturers considering student placements, Curtis said the value of the program is clear: “The EMC WILWorks Post Secondary SWPP program is really a win-win for both employees entering the workforce and employers who get to have this next generation of talent join their team.”

For more information about EMC’s WILWorks Post Secondary Program, we invite you to reach out to Kristy McKee, Project Coordintor.