[lorend]

From The Spec:

Student ingenuity at finding jobs has created some interesting enterprises tapping into the Hamilton market.

The 15 successful local candidates of the 2010 Ontario Summer Company program have businesses ranging from organic garlic growing to autism intervention for parents.

Autism intervention company PlayWorks is unique in that it trains and teaches skills and strategies to parents, says owner and sole employee Alexis Nelson.

"It's about empowering parents," says Nelson, 29.

While other autism support programs focus on the child, the one run by the McMaster University occupational therapy student trains parents one-on-one to tackle issues from bedtime problems to toilet training and everything in between.

"I really feel there's a need for the parents to understand what's going on when their children are treated," Nelson says. "With skills, they can help their children with what they learned at school or in therapy, and (apply it) in the home."

The early childhood disorders masters graduate from the University of Texas, Dallas, provides one-hour weekly sessions for $50 a session, often after 5 p.m. and on weekends for parents working full-time, so she can continue her occupational therapist practicum placement.

She was previously an intensive behavioural therapist for two years with the Toronto Partnership for Autism Services (TAPAS).

Robin Hallett, a McMaster University PhD biochemistry student, had a vegetable garden last year at his student housing when the idea struck to grow organic garlic as a business.

"Ontario imports almost 90 per cent of its garlic.

"What you get in grocery stores comes from China and Argentina ... which is on a boat for a month before it gets here."

It doesn't compare with fresh garlic, which has "way more taste," Hallett says.

So, the 26-year-old formed Solidago Farms to grow high-quality garlic, something he himself appreciates.

"It has a long history. It has medicinal value and almost every culture in the world uses garlic as part of its cuisine."

He chose to grow organic because "I just think it's important to respect the Earth, and also that if you are good to your body, it'll be good to you."

Hallett, a molecular biology and genetics graduate from the University of Guelph, expects to start selling the 4,000-plant crop he's farmed north of Waterdown in August at the Locke Street farmers' market.

But his goal is to sell to a restaurant interested in locally- grown, fresh organic garlic to season its cuisine.

Students 15 to 29 years old accepted to the Summer Company program are awarded up to $3,000 from the Ontario Ministry of Economic Development and Trade to help start up and run their own summer businesses.

The program includes bi-weekly meetings with mentors in accounting, marketing and law. It attracted more than 550 students in 2009.

The Hamilton program, run through the city's small business enterprise centre, is one of 58 in Ontario providing support to 600 student businesses across the province.

In Hamilton, their success often continues beyond summer, said centre manager Kristin Huigenbos.

"We've had 54 student businesses in the past five years; 85 per cent continue to run and operate, creating over 76 full-time jobs."

For more information about Solidago Farms, contact Robin Hallett at:

[email protected].

PlayWorks' Alexis Nelson can be contacted at [email protected] l.net or call 905-541-7704.