A new Ontario Tech rail partnership with Centennial College will connect engineering studies, hands-on technical training and industry research as the institutions work to expand access to careers in Canada’s rail sector.
The agreement, announced by Centennial on October 14, is formalized through a memorandum of understanding. It gives Oshawa-based Ontario Tech and the college a framework for developing education pathways, workforce training and research together.
Engineering and applied training
Ontario Tech brings engineering programmes, research facilities and railway-focused academic expertise to the collaboration. Centennial contributes applied technical education and transportation programmes developed around industry requirements.
The institutions say the partnership will support both people entering the sector and workers who need to update their skills. Their plans include interdisciplinary academic pathways and closer connections between training, research and employers.
For Durham Region, the direct connection is Ontario Tech’s role in a regional education and workforce hub. The announcement describes a collaboration under development, rather than a newly opened training centre or an immediate intake of students.
Industry connections already underway
The Canadian Mobility and Aerospace Institute is helping the institutions develop the hub and link their programmes with labour-market needs.
The collaboration is also being put into practice through the institute’s 2026 Competencies Forum, hosted at Ontario Tech with support from Centennial. The forum brings employers, educators and students together to discuss the capabilities needed in rail and related mobility work.
That activity follows a June roundtable at Centennial’s aerospace campus. Organizations involved included Metrolinx, Alto, Alstom, Transport Canada, the Toronto Transit Commission and several engineering and infrastructure companies.
The roundtable identified demand across several kinds of work: skilled trades, technology, engineering, project leadership and applied research. Participants also highlighted the need for better coordination between education providers, employers and government.
Building on an existing specialization
Ontario Tech introduced its undergraduate railway engineering specialization in fall 2025. The university says it was the first such specialization at an English-language Canadian university and was developed in response to industry demand.
The new agreement builds on that academic foundation rather than replacing it. Ontario Tech president Steven Murphy described the college partnership as a way to connect engineering education with practical training and employer expertise.
Centennial president Craig Stephenson similarly emphasized the need to develop the workforce alongside investment in rail infrastructure.
What the agreement establishes
The institutions plan to build a coordinated network that links employers with academic pathways, training, research and talent development. That includes raising awareness of rail as a long-term career option, not simply recruiting for individual construction projects.
The release does not set out a new programme’s admission requirements, application deadline or start date. Prospective students should distinguish the partnership announcement from a specific course offer and consult the institutions for programme information.
Featured image is an original conceptual illustration, not a photograph of either campus.
Source: Centennial College’s October 14 partnership announcement.
