Diversity adds value
Diversity and inclusion are essential components of a welcoming, supportive workplace, benefiting employers and employees alike. Employers get to embrace a wide variety of different perspectives, ideas and lived experiences to contribute to the organization’s goals, and employees get to feel a sense of belonging and purpose in an accepting workplace environment that aligns with their values.
We are extremely grateful to McMaster Student Success Centre and their prioritisation and implementation of programming dedicated to equitable educational and employment opportunities and specifically, Katherine Hesson-Bolton, and her unique commitment to the “Inclusion Revolution”…
The allyship ASpectrum has cultivated with McMaster’s Student Success Centre, with Katherine’s guidance, has had a critical impact on ASpectrum and our ability to fulfil our mission to connect neurodivergent aptitude to supportive employment opportunities.
— ASpectrum
McMaster named one of Canada’s Best Diversity Employers for 2026
For the eighth consecutive year, the university is recognized for its commitment to fostering diversity and inclusion in the workplace.
Helping employers and employees overcome barriers in the workplace
The Career Access Professional Services (CAPS) program supports students and alumni who experience barriers to employment, as well as employers who want to diversify their workplace and increase equity and accessibility in working environments.
We offer a broad suite of employer-facing services, including:
- An individualized safe space to discuss your diversity and inclusion questions
- Recruitment services and resources to support your organization’s hiring goals
- Consultations to help you engage diverse candidates
- On-the-job or behind-the-scenes training, onboarding and retention services that are customized to meet employee and employer goals
Connecting you with diverse student and alumni candidates
The CAPS team promotes work opportunities to students and alumni that align with their goals and individual identities. This happens through student-facing newsletters, word-of-mouth referrals on campus and partnerships with key departments and services at McMaster.
Some of these groups include:
- Black Student Success Centre
- Indigenous Student Services
- Student Accessibility Services
- President BIPOC Committee
- Diverse student clubs
- Faculty career and co-op offices
- And more
Get started
If you would like to learn more about CAPS and how we can help you recruit diverse candidates, contact careeraccess@mcmaster.ca or set up a consultation appointment.
We can help you hire talented international students
The International Student Work Opportunity (ISWO) program is a joint initiative between the Student Success Centre and Student Financial Aid & Scholarships to help international students gain valuable Canadian work experience at McMaster and beyond. Through this program, we offer support and potential funding to help you diversify your workforce and hire international students.
Some benefits to hiring international students include:
- Access to a broader student recruitment pool to meet your recruitment goals
- A more inclusive workplace that engages employees with lived experiences adapting to new environments, cultures and teams
- Connection with eager, talented candidates who want to gain or increase their work experience in Canada
- Growth potential and perspectives on international markets
- Navigational services with immigration and funding supports from Student Success Centre staff
Learn more about hiring international students on the IRCC website.
Get started
Contact careers@mcmaster.ca with questions or to set up an appointment with the program manager.
Access funding to support diversity and inclusion goals
At the Student Success Centre, we connect eligible employers and organizations with funding opportunities to help them create more inclusive workplaces where all employees feel welcomed and supported. Plus, increasing workplace diversity allows you to leverage valuable perspectives and ideas to contribute to your goals.
Diversity and Inclusion Awards may be available for employers who engage eligible students and alumni from the Career Access Professional Services (CAPS) and International Student Work Opportunity (ISWO) programs. Funds may available to support students and alumni participating in co-op positions, internships, placements, volunteering and employment. Approvals are subject to budget availability.
Some of the areas the Diversity and Inclusion Award can support include:
- Accessibility services
- Accessibility equipment and assistive technology
- Job coaching
- Wage subsidies
- And more
The Student Work Placement Program (SWPP) is a partnership with the Information and Communications Technology Council (ICTC) and the Talent Opportunities Program (TOP). The SWPP can provide eligible employers with wage subsidies to hire eligible post-secondary students for paid work experience.
This initiative provides work-integrated learning opportunities, which are activities that combine education and practical workplace experience. Work-integrated learning encompasses a variety of terms, such as co-operative education, internships, entrepreneurship, service learning, mandatory professional practicums, clinical placements, field placements and work experience.
Which students can I hire?
This program connects you with students who are:
- Registered in a full-time or part-time program in any field of study (undergraduate, master’s or PhD program)
- Registered as a domestic student in a recognized Canadian post-secondary institution
- Canadian citizens, permanent residents or persons with refugee protection status under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act
- Legally entitled to work in Canada in accordance with relevant federal, provincial or territorial legislation and regulations
- Registered in a program or course with a work-integrated component as part of their study plan
Contact careers@mcmaster.ca to learn more about funding.
- Learn about support available to you through the Work Program | Office of the Registrar | McMaster University
- In some cases, additional funding is available under the Student Success Centre’s Career Access Professional Services (CAPS) or International Student Work Opportunity (ISWO) program.
Contact careers@mcmaster.ca to learn more about funding.
Mitacs Accelerate offers short and long-term funding internships for master’s students, PhD candidates and postdoctoral fellows. Projects can range from a four-month period to multi-year, multi-institutional and multi-applicant engagements. Recipients can also access professional development training that helps them ensure project success and gain in-demand career skills. Interested applicants can apply for the Accelerate program at any time. Learn more about Mitacs funding.
Application period: Typically, from November to December.
Funding amount: Not-for-profit employers can receive funding for up to 100% of the provincial or territorial minimum wage and public and private sector employers are eligible to receive funding for up to 50%.
Who can apply: Employers from not-for-profit organizations and the public sector, as well as private sector organizations with 50 or fewer full-time employees.
What this program offers: Canada Summer Jobs (CSJ) provides wage subsidies to support employers to create quality summer work experiences for youth aged 15 to 30 years.
Apply for diversity funding
Complete the form to be considered for funding, including the Diversity and Inclusion Award, Student Work Placement Program and more.
Have questions about funding?
Contact careeraccess@mcmaster.ca or book an consultation appointment.
Raise awareness and brand your organization on campus
We know that students are the future of the workforce. Whether you want to hire students, recruit volunteers or simply get more people talking about your organization, getting involved on campus is the best way to get started. It’s about more than networking. It’s about forming lasting connections that lead to future opportunities.
- Post positions on OSCARplus, McMaster job board.
- Attend job fairs to meet talented candidates.
- Host company information or recruitment sessions on campus.
- Offer workplace tours to share workplace culture with potential applicants.
Seeking Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility (IDEA) training or resources? Visit our partner and community resources to get started
Canadian Centre for Diversity and Inclusion (CCDI) is a national charity established in 2013 with the mandate of building a more inclusive Canada. Their vision is to help build a more inclusive Canada by bringing together and supporting people to become change agents through thought leadership, research, education and action.
Canadian National Institute for the Blind: Living with sight loss presents challenges. It shouldn’t present barriers. These are individuals who have plenty to contribute to the Canadian economy. These are Canadians who are ready to come to work.
Discover Ability Network is a free portal that helps job seekers with disabilities match with meaningful employment opportunities and offers employers resources to help them hire and retain persons with disabilities, foster inclusive workplaces, and benefit their bottom line.
Indigenous Works builds bridges between Indigenous communities and organizations across Canada. Rooted in trust, reciprocity, and respect, we co-create solutions that advance inclusion and shared growth.
Ontario Disability Employment Network ODEN is a province-wide organization that brings together businesses and Employment Service Providers to increase employment opportunities for job seekers who have a disability.
Pride at Work in Canada: Through dialogue, education and thought leadership, Pride at Work Canada/Fierté au travail Canada empowers Canadian employers to build workplaces that celebrate all employees regardless of gender expression, gender identity and sexual orientation. They private, public and non-profit employers to create safer, more inclusive workplaces that recognize the skills of 2SLGBTQIA+ people.
Ready, Willing and Able: A national partnership of Inclusion Canada, Autism Alliance of Canada, and their member organizations. Funded by the Government of Canada, RWA is designed to increase the labour force participation of people with an intellectual disability or on the autism spectrum.
Specialisterne Canada: To help Canadian businesses increase the neurodiversity of their workforce through the adoption of more effective methods for candidate recruitment, selection, on-boarding, employee education, and management.
We appreciate your partnership in supporting our students’ employment outcomes.
To help us better understand graduate pathways and strengthen our programs, we kindly ask that you let us know whether you have hired any of our students or recent graduates. We respect candidate and organizational privacy and are not requesting any sensitive or personal information. Broad updates (e.g., number of hires, general roles or departments) are sufficient and greatly appreciated.