Posted on Oct. 25: Take Your Child to Work Day set for Nov. 6

Across Canada during the week of Nov. 4-11, an estimated 400,000 Grade 9 students will visit their parents, guardians or volunteer hosts in the workplace as part of Canada Career Week.

The program will also touch McMaster where a number of high school students are expected to join their parents –McMaster's faculty and staff – at work on Wednesday, Nov. 6 as part of Take Your Child To Work Day. Within the Hamilton-Wentworth area, approximately 5,000 students are expected to participate in the annual program.

McMaster wholeheartedly supports the initiative and is committed to providing the young students with an informative, enriching and exciting experience. It also wants the experience to be a safe one.

The health and safety of each student who visits the campus on Nov. 6 is a priority for the institution. “We want to make sure that children who are brought into the McMaster workplace have a safe experience. So we have developed guidelines for the community which are aimed at ensuring our young people are safe. These guidelines state that the only acceptable role for a child in the workplace is an observer,” says Ron Angus, manager, risk management services.

Faculty and staff who plan to bring a young person to work with them on Nov. 6 must complete a permission form and have it signed by a supervisor. The parent/guardian of the visitor must also conduct a safety evaluation of his/her workplace and in the event any mechanical, chemical or other hazards exist, specify how those hazards will be controlled or eliminated.

To download the permission form for Take A Child To Work Day, click here.

The workplace deaths two years ago of two high school students in southern Ontario have raised awareness of the importance of having guidelines and regulations for such visits. McMaster is among a number of institutions who have drafted policies to guide such activities.

“Things went very smoothly last year,” says Angus. “People were grateful for the work that McMaster did in advance to ensure that our workplace was ready for these students. It was a positive experience and one that we can repeat again this year with the support and co-operation of the community.”

As part of this year's plans for the student visitors, Human Resources Services (Working at McMaster program) and the Office of Student Affairs will be organizing a luncheon for program participants. It will be held in the Skylight Room, Commons Building, from 12 noon to 1 p.m. Pizza and pop will be provided. Last year, about 70 people (parents and students) attended the event.