Hydro One expands university partnership with $1.2M investment

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[From l to r] Sri Krishnan, Dean, Faculty of Engineering and Architectural Science, TMU; Gillian Whitebread, Executive Vice President, Head of Human Resources, Hydo One; Jon Ribbick, Vice President, Business Solutions, Hydro One Inc; Jeffrey Wood, Associate Dean, Undergraduate Studies, Western University; Hossam Kishawy, Professor and Dean, Automotive, Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, OTU; Mary Wells, Dean of Engineering, University of Waterloo; Vivian Yoanidis, Senior Manager DEI, Hydro OneEXT (Photo / Hydro One)

Hydro One has announced the renewal of its long-standing university partnership with Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU), the University of Waterloo, Ontario Tech University and Western University, including a $1.2 million investment over three years, reaffirming a shared commitment to building a more inclusive and diverse engineering workforce in Ontario.

The Hydro One University Engineering Partnership builds on more than a decade of impact, supporting programs that attract and advance talent from a wide range of backgrounds. The new funding will expand K–12 outreach, mentorship, student awards and career development programming across the education-to-employment pipeline.

As electricity demand continues to increase across the province, the need for a skilled, diverse and future-ready workforce has never been greater. Through this partnership, Hydro One is helping prepare students to contribute to a safe, reliable and sustainable electricity system.

“Continued investment from Hydro One reflects the kind of partnership that is essential in opening pathways for the next generation of engineers,” said Ken Coley, Dean of Western Engineering. “At Western, we are focused on opening the eyes of students in K to 12 to the opportunities offered by a career in engineering.

"We are actively creating opportunities that connect students to meaningful learning, mentorship and real-world impact, while expanding access for those who have been historically underrepresented in engineering. This partnership helps us strengthen those pathways, inspire young people to see themselves in engineering and support the talent Ontario will need for a safe, sustainable and resilient energy future.” 

Since its launch in 2012, the partnership has delivered strong results with an initial focus on increasing the participation of women in engineering, including a 220 per cent increase in female high school applicants to engineering programs at the partner schools over the past 13 years.

Building on this success, it has expanded into a broader, equity-focused initiative spanning youth engagement, mentorship, professional development and industry-connected learning, with an increased emphasis on students from underrepresented groups, including Black and Indigenous communities.

The partnership will continue from 2026 to 2028, reinforcing a shared focus on talent development, strengthening representation across the future engineering workforce, advancing innovation and inclusive growth across Ontario’s engineering sector, and helping build the skilled workforce needed to support the province’s evolving energy system.