After months of preparation and mentorship from business experts at Trent University Durham Greater Toronto Area (GTA), three teams took home the top awards at the 2026 Business STRIDE Challenge, recognized for their novel approaches to hiring, hybrid work, and artificial intelligence. 

“We are so impressed by how all students tackled the issues facing today’s workforce and showed their creativity and skillsets in developing ideas that respond to them in practical ways,” said Dr. Ken Chen, professor in the School of Business at Trent University Durham GTA and STRIDE coordinator.

“The competition highlights the impact of applied, real-world learning – an approach emphasized in the Trent School of Business. Working with the students over the past few months, I saw how much they deepened their understanding of academic theory and the working world they will enter.”  

Hosted at Trent Durham, the first annual STRIDE Challenge showcased student examinations of real workplace challenges and shifts in how organizations recruit, operate, and evolve. The competition aimed to create a collective learning opportunity for students to engage with diverse perspectives, explore future pathways and take early actions in responsible leadership. Thirty students across nine teams competed in three distinct streams. for undergraduate students from the University’s Business Administration program, graduate students in Trent’s Master of Management program, and students from local high schools.  

Winning ideas at STRIDE
STRIDE teams competed for more than $10,000 in prizes, with three winners receiving both a cash prize and a charitable donation credit to give to the organization of their choice. First-place winners in each stream were: 

• T.Member: Master of Management Stream  
  Recognized for their proposal for an AI-enabled training system designed to help organizations retain knowledge and address labour shortages. Using a drycleaning business as a case study, their model captures practical expertise through AI sensor-based technology to support onboarding, improve workplace safety, and strengthen long-term skill development across workforce generations. 

• TAEQN: Bachelor of Business Administration Stream  
  Winning Business Administration team TAEQN designed a structured onboarding model for hybrid workplaces that tailors training and communication to individual employees using cultural dimension surveys. The model supports flexibility while addressing shifting workforce expectations, mentorship and professional development needs, and challenges such as employee isolation. 

• Triple Point: High School Stream  
  High school teams were challenged to rethink how employers hire for entry-level roles based on skills rather than credentials. Team Triple Point (Pickering) developed a multi-stage digital hiring platform that shifts focus from credentials on paper to performance. Combining AI-enabled blind screening with assessments, team exercises, and interviews, the model helps employers build a more complete picture of candidates and better match them to roles. 

“What impressed me most was how students combined analytical thinking with human insight to tackle some of the most pressing challenges in the future of work,” said Zabeen Hirji ‘25, founding sponsor of STRIDE and chancellor-designate of Trent University. “They showed that it’s not just about technology or policy—it’s about people. Experiences like STRIDE help build the human capabilities that will define leadership in an AI-driven world, one that is more human, not less.” 

Building skills, confidence, and career connections
Throughout the competition, students also engaged directly with judges and industry experts, including Stephen Harrington, national leader of Workforce Strategy & Insights at Deloitte Canada, and Omo Akintan, chief engagement and people officer at the University Pension Plan. 

“Through events like STRIDE, students get valuable experience tackling real-world issues and developing important skills like communications and strategic thinking that they’ll use throughout their careers,” said Dr. Scott Henderson, vice-president and head of Trent Durham and a member of the STRIDE judging panel. “These are also great experiences for students to make personal connections with future employers and get their foot in the door. As some of the teams discussed in their presentations, that is one of the hardest parts about the hiring process and building a career, and these in-person events linked to industry bridge those connections and create opportunities.” 

Speaking of the experience competing at STRIDE, Trent Durham Business Administration student Misba Arian said: “The chance to connect with the judges, during our presentation and at the networking portion, was really valuable as I look ahead to graduating this year. It was nice that they were interested in our presentation and ideas and I’ve made a career connection that I will keep for the future.”  

Students stepping up and giving back  
All STRIDE Challenge teams received a cash prize and funding for a charitable donation to their organization of choice, which they will present in the coming weeks. Giving back to charities is another step toward adopting and demonstrating responsible leadership and connecting students with people, organizations and ideas beyond the classroom. 

Learn more about the STRIDE Challenge and the Trent School of Business.