Field Placement Specialist - Appendix D/Temporary Assignment (June 2026 - December 2027)

Status: Appendix D/Temporary Assignment (June 2026 – December 2027)

Hours: Monday – Friday, 35 hours/week

Home Campus: Fennell (hybrid work arrangements available)

Rate of Pay: Payband I (Start Rate: $40.39 per hour, plus 8% in lieu of vacation and benefits)

Vacancy Status: 1 vacancy available

Posting Date: June 16th, 2026

Closing Date: June 22nd, 2026 at 7:00 pm EST

We believe the rich diversity among our students and the communities we serve should be reflected within our workforce. As educators, we believe it is important to act and show leadership in advancing the principles of reconciliation, equity, diversity, and inclusion in our community.

Job Summary

The Field Placement Specialist (FPS) is responsible for the facilitation and coordination of the field placement process for the assigned program(s). Collaborating closely with the academic departments and community partners, the incumbent oversees the alignment of the field placement experience with the academic program to ensure the applied learning opportunity enhances and is directly relevant to the student’s classroom learning. The FPS continuously oversees students to promote their success in placement and the acquisition of vocational and essential employability skills. Equally as vital, the FPS must establish and maintain relationships with community stakeholders that ensure the continuance of existing field placement opportunities and elicit new field placement opportunities.

The incumbent makes students aware of the Pre-placement requirements by supporting faculty in the field placement preparation courses and collaborates with program staff to determine placement eligibility. The FPS is responsible for sourcing, assessing, and procuring placement opportunities for students. The incumbent supports the overall field placement process, field placement interviews, agency expectations, and student essential employability skills, and is the principal point of contact for students, preceptors, and agencies. With a high level of critical thinking, the FPS identifies, responds to, investigates, and determines course of action for a diverse number of inquiries and issues from students, staff, faculty, other departments, and placement agencies. The FPS provides ongoing support and resources to students that promote student success and retention.

Some responsibilities include: building relationships, advising, mediating, mentoring, active problem solving, developing and coordinating agency outreach strategies, documenting, analyzing and reporting.

The FPS is responsible for sourcing and communicating accurate program standards. The FPS functions as a principal resource for students, faculty and agencies to consult with and provide direction regarding field placement related college policies and procedures.

What you’ll be doing:

Student Preparation and Development

Provide knowledge and expertise, direction and support to field placement students to promote student success and achievement of placement outcomes. To do this, the incumbent will:

• Organize, facilitate and support the overall field placement process. This includes providing knowledge, expertise, and insight regarding meaningful and available placement opportunities that will advance students towards the acquisition of vocational and essential employability skills to achieve goals and aspirations after graduation.
• Communicate with support staff and managers from the Continuing Education department, OYAP, Apprenticeship and Post-Secondary programs to oversee the field placement assignments for students from the assigned programs. Communicate with students, on an individual basis, to establish placement preferences and explore out of region placement opportunities that align with program and student goals to meet the needs of out of area students.
• Advise students on agency specific placement requirements and outcomes. Compile and review student and agency placement requests to assess and determine field placement suitability. Approve and notify students of their placement agency and monitor the security of their placement during interview process. When a student is unsuccessful in securing a placement opportunity, the incumbent will request feedback from agencies, analyze and review findings with the student and create and implement a course of action that will chart the student on a route to success.
• Inform students on the College’s placement protocol, policies, and procedures. Report and track student’s completion of required pre-placement documentation.
• Coach students in leveraging the connections they are making between placement opportunities, employability skills, program learning outcomes, institutional learning outcomes, program vocational outcomes, and ultimately future employment goals.
• Review and confirm accurate completion of placement documents and assignments, e.g., evaluation form, incident and/or accident reports, attendance form, placement logs, Placement Confirmation Forms, insurance forms and other program specific expectations.
• Document, compile, and analyze data to support sound decision making regarding student progression. Document student progression which may be used during appeal process
• Collaborate with Program Coordinator and/or faculty in program areas to determine suitability of new placement opportunities based on needs and/or issues of the students. In collaboration with program faculty, determine readiness, placement eligibility, and progression based on the completion of placement related activities, placement performance, and tasks effecting placement requirements such as logs and goals. Consult with Associate Dean to establish relevant guidelines.
• Oversee students in field placement settings. Initiate and guide field placement; monitor student’s progress; problem solve any placement agency and student issues. Apply fact finding techniques to coach students through self-reflection and self-evaluation. Collaborate with relevant parties, determine course of action with complex field placement issues, in conjunction with Associate Dean and Field Placement Coordinator.
• Promote student retention by providing outreach, advising, coaching, and guiding towards the utility of available College and external supports and resources. Identify and effectively resolve with a high degree of analysis potential or developing issues or concerns by either the preceptor and/or student. Assess placement issues and direct to appropriate college supports.
• Document and summarize student’s performance, determine the need for intervention and assist with student success agreements. Monitor student’s progression towards completion of placement hours/days, initiate alternative plan of action if student is not meeting requirements. Decide and institute changes to field placement experiences, e.g., sequence and duration. Identify potential student issues and implement strategies to guide students to success; take action to resolve student placement issues by meeting with student and creating a restorative plan for success. Use critical thinking and analysis to recommend, develop and implement contingent success agreements that are agreeable to all involved parties.
• Maintain confidentiality of student information and documents (i.e. CAAP, Success Agreements, medical documentation, vulnerable sector police checks).
• Respond to health and safety related concerns. In collaboration with the Occupational Health and Safety Office, facilitate health and safety process prior to commencement of placement, and/or in the case of a student incident or injury at their field placement. Coordinate the student's return to field placement in consultation with Occupational Health and Safety following an injury or illness at the placement.

External Community Partnership

Leverage an effective and meaningful working relationship between the College, placement students and community partners. To do this, the incumbent will:

• Develop and maintain significant, productive relationships at all levels with community partners/placement agency which elicit future placement and employment opportunities for students. Engage the community as an ambassador of the College, demonstrating leadership, and exemplifying the College’s strategic priorities, promoting positive working relationships with faculty, staff, students, and community partners. Inform preceptors on placement requirements, policies, and procedures to ensure their agency can meet the established protocol. Ensure placement agencies can provide learning opportunities that are aligned with learning outcomes.
• Engage and initiate strategic networking initiatives to cultivate and maintain a network of contacts in the wider community to enhance field placement opportunities. Create, promote and recommend opportunities outside of placement for students to engage placement agency, assist with on-campus simulated program interviews, and promote College wide initiatives to agencies such as Community and Employment Services job-fair, Destination College.
• Partner with local agencies and organizations to build awareness of the profession and to stay current with trends, training, and to provide opportunities to network.
• Provide outreach and respond to crisis, provide direction as requested, collaborate with the placement agency to determine how students can better meet the needs of the agency while still meeting their learning goals. This includes instances of mental health / behaviour, health and safety issues, placement injuries, WSIB reporting

Faculty and Institutional Engagement

Collaborate with faculty and contribute to overall Mohawk College engagement. To do this, the incumbent will:

• Research, source and inform trends/best practices concerning placement. Advise of relevant issues from faculty, agencies and students for program adoption of procedures and policies. Act as a bridge between theory to practice and the MAESD essential employability skills.
• Collaborate with database administrator to build and expand database to manage placement efficiencies and processes, develop electronic forms, and share relevant placement information.
• Attend and contribute to meetings and events as required. Collaborate with Faculty and/or Coordinator in meetings to review students’ progress. Provide recommendation to Faculty based on performance in the field and documentation. Use data to generate reports.
• Investigate and initiate contact with community agencies regarding placement opportunities and inquiries. Advise on updated procedures in place for community partners, preceptors, and new agency requirements.
• Contribute to the attainment of the college’s strategic priorities by leading and/or undertaking special projects approved by or assigned by the manager.
• Update community partner profiles and programs, gather and compile data to support sound decision making by the college and its partners in relation to placement trends/shifts.

Other duties as assigned

What you’ll bring to the role:

• A minimum of a two-year Human Services related diploma in Early Childhood Education, Recreation & Leisure, Recreation Therapy, Educational Assistant/Support, Social Service Worker, or Child & Youth/Social Worker, Special Needs Education, Autism & Behavioural Science.
• A minimum of three years of practical related experience in the designated field of placement, ideally serving a multi-diverse, multi-cultural community.
• Strong ability to handle multiple assignments at one time.
• Strong critical and creative thinking skills.
• Excellent communication and customer services skills (verbal and written).
• Solid negotiation, conflict resolution and team building skills.
• Familiarity with external professional organizations (e.g. regulatory, accreditation) and related legislation (i.e. WHMIS, Human Rights, Harassment Policy, Privacy Act, etc.).
• Advanced knowledge of MS Office.
• Demonstrated commitment and understanding of human rights, equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility.
• The ability to communicate and work effectively with diverse students, employees, and communities.

What we offer:

• Opportunity to gain experience and build relationships at a Hamilton/Niagara Top Employer.
• Access to professional development opportunities.
• Option to enroll in Defined Benefit pension plan (CAAT) with contributions matched by Mohawk College.
• Discounted rate for full-service athletic facility and instructor-led classes.
• Opportunities to engage in wellness events and activities.

To find out more about working at Mohawk College, including our Employee Value Proposition, please visit https://www.mohawkcollege.ca/about-mohawk/careers-at-mohawk

We are committed to reconciliation and nurturing an inclusive, diverse, equitable, and accessible (IDEA) environment for everyone who learns and works at Mohawk College. We welcome applications from racialized persons, women, Indigenous people, persons with disabilities, 2SLGBTQIA+ persons, and others who may contribute to the further diversification of ideas.

The College is committed to fostering inclusive and barrier-free recruitment and selection processes. If you require accommodation during any stage of the recruitment process, please contact Human Resources.

To learn more about Mohawk College’s commitments, please visit the Mohawk College strategic plan webpage: https://www.strategicplan.mohawkcollege.ca/