Centennial College (Centennial) will collaborate with Michael Garron Hospital (MGH) on a transformational education and workforce initiative to build the next generation of healthcare talent.
The partnership will create new opportunities for academic and professional exchange between Centennial students and faculty and MGH's clinical staff, credentialed clinicians and learners across several priority areas. These include workforce development in a healthcare setting, clinical placements for Centennial students, and strengthening learning and curriculum development with an emphasis on simulation-based education and practice-based research collaborations.
"Michael Garron Hospital is well known for providing compassionate and excellent care in both the hospital and within the community for almost 100 years. We admire Centennial's devotion to academic excellence and setting up the next generation of learners for success," says Dr. Melanie Kohn, President and CEO at Michael Garron Hospital. "This opportunity is about advancing a shared commitment to education and providing high-quality care to the communities we serve."
"The best place to learn healthcare is where healthcare happens. Through our new five-year partnership with Michael Garron Hospital, we're working toward a college within a hospital network - students learning on the floor, clinicians supporting that learning, and research that starts with the real challenges of patient care," says Dr. Craig Stephenson, President and CEO, Centennial College. "That's applied learning at its best and it's how we help build the health workforce our communities are counting on."
The partnership will prepare students for careers in fields where demand is growing. According to the Stokes Labour Market Study (2026), projections indicate strong and sustained demand for Health Occupations across Ontario, expected to generate approximately 133,942 job openings between 2026 and 2035 (Stokes Labour Market Study, 2026, p.31).
"Our community is growing, and so is the need for skilled healthcare professionals in every part of the hospital, from nursing and health disciplines to medical imaging," says Mikki Layton, Vice President, Professional Practice, Programs, Scholarship and Chief Nursing Executive, Michael Garron Hospital. "By combining simulation-based learning with hands-on clinical placements, we can help students build the skills and confidence they need to provide excellent care from day one."
Centennial offers a range of programs through its Faculty of Integrated Health and Community Care, from healthcare and public safety to child and family studies and community services.
"By opening their doors to our students, Michael Garron Hospital is enhancing Centennial's world-class healthcare education," says Véronique Henry, Dean, Faculty of Integrated Health and Community Care. "The opportunity for nursing students to participate in clinical placements in a hospital setting is just one of the possibilities we are exploring. Learning to care for the whole person involves the arts and humanities, as well as social and rehabilitative sciences."
Research collaboration will be supported through Centennial's Wearable, Interactive and Mobile Technology Access Centre in Health, also known as WIMTACH.
