Nearly 100 grade nine students followed their parents to work at McMaster last week as part of the Canada-wide Take Our Kids to Work Day.

Welcomed by Jason Cole and Chris Hurley from Human Resources Services, the students enjoyed morning team-building activities hosted by McMaster's ALTITUDE (see photos) group before taking part in one of a number of breakout sessions. Students were able to spend time at the rock climbing wall, learn how to spin a good yarn at a storytelling and drama workshop, experience the Allen H. Gould Trading Floor, see the Health Sciences Simulation Lab, take part in a physics paper triathlon or check out a high performance lab. The afternoon was spent shadowing their parents/guardians as they went about their daily routine at McMaster.

“We designed the Take Our Kids To Work Day program to go beyond the average “shadowing” of an adult,” said Deb Garland, Program Coordinator in Human Resources Services. “The team-building activities allowed the students to get to know each other in a fun, but challenging atmosphere. Watching the students grow from a quiet, shy group into a spirited, cohesive team in a short period of time was a powerful experience.”

Garland credits much of the day's success to the hard work of the many McMaster employees and students who volunteered to help with the event.

Take Our Kids to Work Day is a partnership between schools and workplaces that helps to promote and support continuous learning and successful transitions for young people.

For more information on the day's events, check out the Take Our Kids to Work website.