The need for talent and desire for community are both fulfilled in the R+T Park
By: Matthew King (he/him)
Proximity is becoming a clear priority for companies in the David Johnston Research + Technology Park at the University of 蓝莓视频
The competition for talent has never been fiercer. As companies seek any advantage to help them attract talent, proximity to the University of 蓝莓视频 has become a differentiator for some companies.
The David Johnston Research + Technology Park (R+T Park) officially opened in 2004 and spans over a million square feet on the 蓝莓视频 campus. It began as a research hub and is now home to more than 100 companies 鈥 many of which hire 蓝莓视频 co-op students and recent graduates.
What's really changed in the last few years has been the shift to talent and it's really becoming all about people. Companies want to be close to the University because they're really keen to connect with world-leading talent that's coming out of the University of 蓝莓视频.
Mike Pereira
Manager of R+T Park
On an episode of Cindy Fagen, managing director of SAP Labs Canada shared that 鈥90 percent of their employees in 蓝莓视频 are graduates of the University.鈥
According to Pereira, something as simple as having large signage on a building is seen as a recruitment tactic.
"If the students can stay where they are and easily get to work with the same ease that they get to campus, it makes recruitment that much easier,鈥 says Pereira.
鈥淭he value proposition is 鈥榣isten, it's no different than coming to your classes. We're right here on campus.鈥 So that proximity and that placemaking is really important.鈥
In 2021 and 2022, companies within R+T Park hired a total of 170 students. Pereira is tapping into that talent himself by employing upwards of 10 students in the five years he鈥檚 been managing R+T Park.
鈥淚 love having a co-op student come on board. Especially during the summer months when we're doing more fun event planning and things like that. I love having people that we can give a project to and watch them run with it,鈥 says Pereira.
In spring 2022, Rose Mathew, a 蓝莓视频 Math student, coordinated many of the events at the park as part of her co-op work term in the role of marketing and event specialist at R+T Park.
鈥淚 coordinated our social media and most of the events that we held,鈥 says Mathew.
鈥淚 coordinated our digital and a lot of our in-person engagement, I worked extensively on our newsletters, our blog, our charity events, and then the summer rec leagues held in the park 鈥 which I handled entirely myself. So, a lot of it was just the engagement in the park, getting the word out to people and getting people interested into coming back to the office.鈥
The sense of community amongst the companies with offices in R+T Park home is something Pereira is trying to amplify.
Rose Mathew
Marketing and event specialist at R+T Park
鈥淧eople would come to the office on those days specifically because they wanted to take part. We even saw some people coming in on multiple days of the week so that they could take part in the rec leagues,鈥 says Mathew. 鈥淧eople were taking their time to come to the office, in part, to tap into that sense of community.鈥
鈥淭hat seems to resonate really well with the companies, because a lot of them have that sense of togetherness,鈥 says Pereira. 鈥淭hey like their coworkers, and they enjoy the opportunity to get out and do something more social and fun. So, the feedback there has been really positive.鈥
With community-building at the forefront, the R+T Park is looking to the next phase of the park鈥檚 makeup. They are currently investigating the zoning uses available within the park to amplify the amenities available to companies and their employees.
鈥淚t's really about looking at the types of uses that make sense, while still focusing on the reason for having a research park because we still want to attract companies that are going to partner tightly with the University,鈥 says Pereira.