As industries evolve faster than ever, Centennial College is redefining how education keeps pace – through Just-In-Time Training that’s built with industry to meet them in real-time.
Across industries and continents, employers are voicing the same concern: education isn’t keeping pace with innovation. In the face of rapid technological change and shifting labour markets, industries are no longer content to wait three or four years for talent to emerge from traditional programmes.
This isn’t about fast-tracking a degree or skipping steps – it’s about reshaping how education fits into the real-time evolution of work. At Centennial College, we’re embracing that shift with an educational model inspired by the global supply chain: Just-In-Time (JIT) Training.
Born from the efficiency-driven practices of supply chain management in the automotive industry, JIT delivery revolutionised production by ensuring parts arrived only when needed, reducing waste, and increasing responsiveness. Today, that same principle is transforming workforce development. Learners and industries are choosing training that delivers real-world skills — fast. Relevant, responsive, and outcome-driven, it’s an alternative to traditional multi-year programmes.
Jonathan Hack, Dean of Centennial Innovates, the applied research, innovation and entrepreneurship department at Centennial, said: “Industry isn’t waiting for a three-year diploma. They need skills today.
“Our job is to meet that moment. Colleges must seek to create graduates who are dedicated advocates for continuous innovation.”
At the heart of Centennial’s approach is a deep connection with the industries we serve. We are proud to offer various responsive training opportunities that provide learners with real-world, applicable skills they can use immediately – including applied research, microcredentials, and industry-facing contract learning.
Applied research at the speed of industry
Centennial College is the top college in Canada for student engagement in applied research, with 599 students in paid research internships last year. Through eight diverse innovation areas – encompassing aerospace, advanced manufacturing, digital health, transportation, energy, data analytics, social innovation and impact entrepreneurship – Centennial’s applied research programmes offer students the invaluable experience of working directly with industry partners on their real-world challenges.
Within applied research projects, our students deepen various technical skills required to operate the equipment needed to collect, organise, interpret and report the project’s data, making them prime candidates for the workforce. They also engage in regular presentations and project updates to their peers and industry partners, further honing their project management, time management, teamwork, and communication skills.
“Continued innovation is what delivers job-ready candidates to industry in a just-in-time manner,” said Jonathan Hack. “Our students are working on the same equipment industry uses every day. They’re not just ready for the future, they’re ready right now.”
Take Bipul Jha, an international student from Nepal in the Aerospace Manufacturing Engineering Technology programme. He became a student researcher and worked closely with Marsh Brothers Aviation to test and validate three different types of bushings for aerospace applications.
“Here, we are learning the tools, we are learning the machines,” Bipul shared. “We learn about them in our courses but, with Centennial Innovates, I am getting actual hands-on experience. In my project, I am using the Materials Test Systems (MTS) machine. That machine is an industry standard for stress and torsional tests, any test involving compression, tension, and torsion. We had a basic course in class on how the machine works, but right now I know how to operate the machine.
“I am learning a lot. I am also talking to other professors, who teach me what they do in the industry. These things are not in the books, it’s what you learn from experience. I’m learning from other people’s experience and that’s something I’m very grateful for.”
In the past two years, Bipul has been a part of three applied research projects with different industry partners in the aerospace and advanced manufacturing sectors. Technical skills developed include computer-aided design (CAD), finite element analysis (FEA), computational fluid dynamics (CFD), Siemens NX, mechanical testing, 3D printing, and more.
Microcredentials: Small modules, big impact
Another powerful tool Centennial College is using to deliver Just-In-Time Training is the microcredential – short, focused, and flexible programmes that reflect specific in-demand skills in the industry.
These credentials are an efficient way for workers to upskill or reskill without stepping away from their jobs. Whether it’s advanced hydraulics for aerospace technicians, cybersecurity governance for IT professionals, or applied digital graphics for marketing and media specialists, Centennial’s microcredentials are purpose-built to propel careers.
“Microcredentials are our agile toolkit,” said Michelle DeCoste, Dean, Centre for Online Learning & Microcredentials. “They allow us to move quickly and deliver highly relevant learning where it’s needed most.”
Currently, Centennial offers 17 microcredential programmes covering a wide range of industries including aerospace, manufacturing, technology, food and tourism, and business.
Contract training made for industry
Beyond applied research projects for students and microcredentials, Centennial College also offers industry-facing contract training solutions – customised learning that’s designed specifically for the workforce.
“With contract training, we meet employers exactly where they are,” said Virginia Macchiavello, Associate Vice-President, Global Business Development. “We create custom, high-impact training that fits their teams, their timelines, their technology, and their reality.”
Centennial College has delivered many contract training programmes to industry partners. For example, our School of Transportation – the largest transportation training facility in Canada – has collaborated with Bombardier, the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC), as well as other transit agencies and organisations to upskill their staff based on their specific needs.
Co-curricular entrepreneurial mindset development
At Centennial, entrepreneurship isn’t just about building businesses – it’s a mindset to create and deliver value, to identify opportunities to make change, and to turn ideas into action – a valuable accompaniment to any sector, field, or job.
Our Centre of Innovation and Entrepreneurship (COIE) delivers over 100 entrepreneurial mindset and skillset development workshops free of charge and virtually to Centennial College students and the greater community every year. They believe that entrepreneurship offers a unique channel to hone new essential skills – such as creativity, innovation, critical thinking, problem-solving, leadership, resilience, and much more.
Additionally, COIE’s Immersive Learning Innovation Lab leverages virtual reality (VR) and artificial intelligence (AI) to facilitate communication skills development, where participants can actively rehearse speeches and presentations in simulated venues – complete with audience interaction and automated feedback – to improve their confidence, body language and eye contact, storytelling, pitching, and public speaking skills.
Moving forward: Building for what comes next
In an era of accelerating change, Centennial College is redefining what workforce education looks like – applied, agile, and industry-connected. Our Just-In-Time Training opportunities span collaborative applied research partnerships, stackable microcredentials, contract training and embedded entrepreneurship education – all of which actively builds a learning ecosystem that is responsive to industry’s demands.
With Canada joining Horizon Europe, Centennial invites European institutions and industry partners to collaborate on impactful education that prepares the current and future workforce for whatever comes next.
Please note, this article will also appear in the 22nd edition of our quarterly publication.
