Employee tests positive for travel-related Coronavirus

Oshawa, Ont. – A case of COVID-19 has been confirmed in connection with a Durham College (DC) employee who works in its administrative building, Campus Corners, located at the south-east corner of Simcoe Street and Conlin Road in Oshawa.

Late yesterday, DC was advised the employee had tested positive for travel-related COVID-19. After returning to work on March 16 the employee began to feel ill and went home in the afternoon. Since that time, they have not returned to campus and have been in self-isolation.

The college communicated the development last night to students and employees via email.

“Our thoughts are with our DC employee and their family as they self-isolate and recover,” said college President Don Lovisa. “We are proud this employee followed the guidelines of monitoring their symptoms and subsequently staying at home because they felt unwell. As the COVID-19 pandemic evolves, we continue to work closely with public health authorities to stay informed of the latest guidance and directives so we can all work together to protect the health and safety of our students, employees and greater college community.”

Public health has identified and is in the process of contacting those individuals who had direct interactions with the employee and is providing further direction and instructions.

“From day one, doing our part to help control the spread of COVID-19 has been a priority,” said Lovisa. “The college has taken extensive measures to do so including implementing enhanced cleaning and disinfection protocols, transitioning to online course and service delivery for students, introducing a work-from-home model for employees and ultimately closing our campuses. I am inspired by the resolve of the DC community to help flatten the curve as we all navigate our way through this time of unprecedented change.”

Additional questions and answers, as well as the latest updates regarding the campus status can be found at www.durhamcollege.ca/coronoavirus.

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About Durham College

At Durham College (DC), the student experience comes first. With campuses in Oshawa and Whitby and a learning site in Pickering, we offer approximately 13,400 full-time post-secondary and apprenticeship students access to more than 140 full-time and nine apprenticeship programs, including the Honours Bachelor of Behavioural Science and Honours Bachelor of Health Care Technology Management.

We enable students to develop the career-ready skills required to meet the demands of today’s job market by connecting them with expert faculty and offering quality programs. With a focus on experiential learning through field-placements, applied research, co-ops and other hands-on opportunities, DC grads have the skills and knowledge employers need.

The Oshawa campus features DC’s newest building, the Centre for Collaborative Education, which represents the college’s commitment to working with local business and community partners while bringing together local, Indigenous and global communities and members of key business sectors.

DC’s Whitby campus is home to the Skills Training Centre, where students receive hands-on training and instruction in industrial-grade shop labs for carpentry, HVAC, welding, elevating devices and crane operation, among others. The campus also features the W. Galen Weston Centre for Food, which includes Bistro ’67, a full-service, teaching-inspired restaurant, and Pantry, a retail store featuring food prepared by students in the college’s culinary programs.

For more information, visit www.durhamcollege.ca or call 905.721.2000.

Studio blends physical and digital worlds to support organizations and student-learning opportunities

Oshawa, ON – Durham College’s (DC) Office of Research Services, Innovation and Entrepreneurship (ORSIE) is once again on the leading edge of technology with the opening of the Mixed Reality Capture Studio (the MRC Studio).

What is mixed reality? It’s the result of blending the physical and digital worlds and refers to the merging or combination of virtual environments and real environments where both can exist together.

“We are seeing a global trend toward industries turning to virtual reality, augmented reality, mixed reality and motion capture to enhance the user experience and to gain valuable market share,” said Debbie McKee Demczyk, dean, ORSIE. “That same trend is happening right here in Durham Region. Several companies and organizations approached ORSIE looking for this kind of immersive simulation training and the MRC Studio is our solution.”

Designed to offer organizations access to technical expertise, student talent and a state-of-the-art motion capture stage, and featuring one of only three Captury Live systems in Canada, the MRC Studio allows businesses to develop experiential applications that integrate motion capture, virtual reality, augmented reality and virtual production.

Here are just a few things clients can do at the MRC Studio:

• Build or import virtual spaces.
• Develop immersive and interactive simulation scenarios for multiple applications:
  • Use simulations for training.
  • Use simulation environments for performance optimization, safety engineering, testing education and within the entertainment industry.

The third applied research centre at DC, the MRC Studio has been established in collaboration with the School of Media, Art & Design (MAD). It joins the AI Hub and Centre for Craft Brewing Innovation in offering organizations opportunities to increase productivity, growth and market potential while also supporting student experiential learning.

“Each of the college’s applied research centre areas of focus – artificial intelligence, craft beer, and now mixed reality capture – are unique but there are also commonalities,” said Don Lovisa, president, Durham College. “These include innovation, addressing market needs and using the latest technology and research to help businesses solve challenges and grow their operations.”

DC’s School of MAD also offers academic programs that will utilize MRC technologies to train students, augmenting classroom learning and making them job-ready.

For more information visit www.durhamcollege.ca/mrcstudio.

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About Durham College
At Durham College (DC), the student experience comes first. With campuses in Oshawa and Whitby and a learning site in Pickering, we offer approximately 13,400 full-time post-secondary and apprenticeship students access to more than 140 full-time and nine apprenticeship programs, including the Honours Bachelor of Behavioural Science and Honours Bachelor of Health Care Technology Management.

We enable students to develop the career-ready skills required to meet the demands of today’s job market by connecting them with expert faculty and offering quality programs. With a focus on experiential learning through field-placements, applied research, co-ops and other hands-on opportunities, DC grads have the skills and knowledge employers need.

The Oshawa campus features DC’s newest building, the Centre for Collaborative Education, which represents the college’s commitment to working with local business and community partners while bringing together local, Indigenous and global communities and members of key business sectors.

DC’s Whitby campus is home to the Skills Training Centre, where students receive hands-on training and instruction in industrial-grade shop labs for carpentry, HVAC, welding, elevating devices and crane operation, among others. The campus also features the W. Galen Weston Centre for Food, which includes Bistro ’67, a full-service, teaching-inspired restaurant, and Pantry, a retail store featuring food prepared by students in the college’s culinary programs.

For more information, visit www.durhamcollege.ca or call 905.721.2000.

Media contact:

Meghan Ney
Communications and Marketing
905.721.2000 ext. 2197
meghan.ney@durhamcollege.ca

New building will support skilled trades education

Whitby, ON – Durham College (DC) is pleased to announce construction has begun on the Phase IV expansion at its Whitby campus, which has been designed to shine a spotlight on skilled trades training, innovation and education.

Given the skilled labour shortage at the regional, provincial and national level, the timing of this new project could not be better. Skills Canada estimates that one million skilled workers will be needed across Canada by 2020 and that 40 per cent of new jobs created in the next decade will be in skilled trades. Colleges Ontario forecasts that by 2030 the province will face a skilled labour shortage of more than 500,000 workers.

“The college continuously hears from its partners that they need more skilled workers and would like new programs developed to focus on emerging industries,” said Don Lovisa, president, Durham College. “Yet in spite of our current efforts, the ability to keep up with the demand remains a challenge due to the physical space constraints at the Whitby campus. For example, the student population has increased by 130 per cent increase in the past 10 years.”

When it comes to skilled trades at DC, data from the last three years was recently studied, looking at seats available compared to applications for nine trades programs. It was found there were approximately 2,400 seats available, yet the college received approximately 7,000 applications for these programs.

Industry needs and wants more skilled employees, and students want to develop those proficiencies, yet neither of those desires can be effectively fulfilled within the current campus footprint.

To address this demand, the college has been undertaking development and diversification in Whitby since 2009. Phase IV will result in a 60,000 sq. ft. expansion, allowing DC to increase its student intake in Whitby by 700 to 750 over three to five years.

“More space will allow the college to focus on high-priority industries – DC’s post-secondary Electrical Engineering Technician, Electrical Techniques, Mechanical Technician – Elevating Devices and Mechanical Techniques – Plumbing programs, as well as the Electrician – Construction and Maintenance, Elevating Devices Mechanic and Plumber apprenticeship programs,” said Rebecca Milburn, executive dean of the School of Skilled Trades, Apprenticeship and Renewable Technology and principal at the Whitby campus. “Once complete, this expansion will significantly increase DC’s industrial skilled trades training capacity, while also creating more opportunities to participate in applied research projects to advance innovation and knowledge.”

The following are some of the unique features of the expansion:

• A double-height shop lab to address the specialized needs of both the mechanical and construction programs. Home to a two-storey building model, the lab will allow plumbing students to work underneath it while elevating devices students will be able to work in an easily accessible dual-level elevator shaft.
• Classrooms with moveable walls and furniture to accommodate various configurations.
• Training labs with dedicated space and equipment for a range of post-secondary and apprenticeship programs.
• Student touchdown spaces.
• A fitness centre.
• A food services facility.

Partnering with DC to help fund the expansion is the Town of Whitby, who is generously contributing $1 million over a five-year period to support the construction. A Building for Skills capital campaign will also be launched shortly to generate additional donations.

More information about the Phase IV expansion, as well as construction progress updates can be found atwww.durhamcollege.ca/skills.

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About Durham College

At Durham College (DC), the student experience comes first. With campuses in Oshawa and Whitby and a learning site in Pickering, we offer approximately 13,400 full-time post-secondary and apprenticeship students access to more than 140 full-time and nine apprenticeship programs, including the Honours Bachelor of Behavioural Science and Honours Bachelor of Health Care Technology Management.

We enable students to develop the career-ready skills required to meet the demands of today’s job market by connecting them with expert faculty and offering quality programs. With a focus on experiential learning through field-placements, applied research, co-ops and other hands-on opportunities, DC grads have the skills and knowledge employers need.

The Oshawa campus features DC’s newest building, the Centre for Collaborative Education, which represents the college’s commitment to working with local business and community partners while bringing together local, Indigenous and global communities and members of key business sectors.

DC’s Whitby campus is home to the Skills Training Centre, where students receive hands-on training and instruction in industrial-grade shop labs for carpentry, HVAC, welding, elevating devices and crane operation, among others. The campus also features the W. Galen Weston Centre for Food, which includes Bistro ’67, a full-service, teaching-inspired restaurant, and Pantry, a retail store featuring food prepared by students in the college’s culinary programs.

For more information, visit www.durhamcollege.ca or call 905.721.2000.

Oshawa, ON – Five Canadian colleges and a national advocacy body have formed the Canadian College Consortium for Cannabis, an entity that will serve as a first-of-its-kind in the post-secondary sector. 

Durham College (DC), a recognized leader in cannabis education programming, is joined by NorQuest, Niagara and Okanagan colleges and Collège communautaire du Nouveau-Brunswick (CCNB) as founding members. A sixth seat will go to Colleges and Institutes Canada (CiCan).

“When post-secondary institutions join forces everybody wins,” says Dr. Elaine Popp, vice president, Academic, DC. “This consortium clearly recognizes the inherent opportunities within Canada’s fast-growing cannabis industry. Members also understand the value of working together to uncover solutions, drive education and advance the industry’s economic impact to keep momentum going.”

An MOU has been signed by all partners.

“The MOU will see us advance and action four main areas of focus,” says Debbie Johnston, dean of DC’s School of Continuing Education. “Generating a cohesive picture of the cannabis market; developing workforce-relevant courses and programs; establishing a cluster of subject matter experts; and pursuing shared funding for applied research.”

The consortium is a natural extension of DC’s leadership in cannabis-related post-secondary programming. In 2017, the college launched the two-day, introductory-level Medical Cannabis Fundamentals for Business Professionals course, the first of its kind to be offered by an Ontario college. Most recently, DC announced its Cannabis Industry Specialization program – a series of five short courses, primarily designed to provide professionals who are interested in moving into the industry with solid insights into this complex and rapidly-evolving area.

 Working together, the consortium member institutions will leverage their wealth of resources – including subject matter expertise and industry connections – to influence and advance both education and research across Canada’s cannabis industry.

It is expected that the consortium will grow in size as more colleges enter the world of cannabis programming.

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About Durham College

At Durham College (DC), the student experience comes first. With campuses in Oshawa and Whitby and a learning site in Pickering, we offer approximately 13,400 full-time post-secondary and apprenticeship students access to more than 140 full-time and nine apprenticeship programs, including the Honours Bachelor of Behavioural Science and Honours Bachelor of Health Care Technology Management.

We enable students to develop the career-ready skills required to meet the demands of today’s job market by connecting them with expert faculty and offering quality programs. With a focus on experiential learning through field-placements, applied research, co-ops and other hands-on opportunities, DC grads have the skills and knowledge employers need.

The Oshawa campus features DC’s newest building, the Centre for Collaborative Education, which represents the college’s commitment to working with local business and community partners while bringing together local, Indigenous and global communities and members of key business sectors.

DC’s Whitby campus is home to the Skills Training Centre, where students receive hands-on training and instruction in industrial-grade shop labs for carpentry, HVAC, welding, elevating devices and crane operation, among others. The campus also features the W. Galen Weston Centre for Food, which includes Bistro ’67, a full-service, teaching-inspired restaurant, and Pantry, a retail store featuring food prepared by students in the college’s culinary programs.

For more information, visit www.durhamcollege.ca or call 905.721.2000.

Media contact:
Melissa McLean
Communications and Marketing
905.721.2000 ext. 2952
melissa.mclean@durhamcollege.ca

More than 1,100 students received their credentials

Oshawa, Ont. – On October 30, more than 1,100 Durham College (DC) students received their credentials during Fall Convocation. Friends, families, college employees and special guests celebrated the post-secondary achievements of graduates, encouraging them to continue reaching for their goals and accomplishing great things. 

“Our students have worked incredibly hard to get to this day,” said Andre De Freitas, associate vice president and registrar, Student Affairs. “The exciting experience of walking across the stage in front of their family, friends and peers to receive their credential will be a moment they’ll remember forever.”

Held at the Tribute Communities Centre in downtown Oshawa, graduates from the Centre for Food and schools of Business, IT & Management; Continuing Education, Health & Community Services; Interdisciplinary Studies; Justice & Emergency Services; Media, Art & Design; Science & Engineering Technology and Skilled Trades, Apprenticeship & Renewable Technology received their diplomas and certificates.

“Our graduates may have received their credentials today, but the long hours they spent in labs, classrooms, field placements, and applied research have prepared them for the next step in their journey,” said Dr. Elaine Popp, vice-president, Academic. “We are confident that our graduates will succeed in anything they put their mind to and wish them all the best as they move towards their next accomplishment.”

Guest speakers at each ceremony were:

• Adam Hare: Petley-Hare Insurance Brokers president, entrepreneur and business leader, member of the Insurance Brokers Association of Durham Region board of directors, executive advisor to Lakeridge Health’s Launchpad committee, Young Broker of the Year in 2016 named by Insurance Brokers Association of Ontario, former professor in the School of Media, Art & Design, and 2006 graduate of Multimedia and Design program (now known as Interactive Media Design) both at DC.
• Melissa Farrow: program co-ordinator and child and youth counsellor at Hospital for Sick Children, field practicum advisor and professor at DC, member of a number of community child and youth agencies, 2009 graduate of Social Service Worker program and 2011 graduate of Child and Youth Worker program (now known as Child and Youth Care) both at DC.

For more information about Fall Convocation, including links to videos of each ceremony, visit www.durhamcollege.ca/convocation.

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About Durham College

At Durham College (DC), the student experience comes first. With campuses in Oshawa and Whitby and a learning site in Pickering, we offer approximately 13,400 full-time post-secondary and apprenticeship students access to more than 140 full-time and nine apprenticeship programs, including the Honours Bachelor of Behavioural Science and Honours Bachelor of Health Care Technology Management.

We enable students to develop the career-ready skills required to meet the demands of today’s job market by connecting them with expert faculty and offering quality programs. With a focus on experiential learning through field-placements, applied research, co-ops and other hands-on opportunities, DC grads have the skills and knowledge employers need.

The Oshawa campus features DC’s newest building, the Centre for Collaborative Education, which represents the college’s commitment to working with local business and community partners while bringing together local, Indigenous and global communities and members of key business sectors.

DC’s Whitby campus is home to the Skills Training Centre, where students receive hands-on training and instruction in industrial-grade shop labs for carpentry, HVAC, welding, elevating devices and crane operation, among others. The campus also features the W. Galen Weston Centre for Food, which includes Bistro ’67, a full-service, teaching-inspired restaurant, and Pantry, a retail store featuring food prepared by students in the college’s culinary programs.

For more information, visit www.durhamcollege.ca or call 905.721.2000.

For more information contact:
Shelly Totino
Communications and Marketing
905.721.2000 ext. 6219
shelly.totino@durhamcollege.ca

The public event also included a CareerXpo and EsportsX Tournament 

Oshawa, Ont. – On October 26, Durham College (DC), in partnership with The Regional Municipality of Durham, co-hosted the Global Cyberlympics at its Oshawa campus, welcoming 13 international teams from North and South America, Asia, Australia, Europe and Africa. Organized by EC-Council and SiberX, with assistance from DC’s Hub for Applied Research in Artificial Intelligence for Business Solutions (AI Hub), this is the first time that the highly competitive ethical hacking competition has been held in Canada.

“It was such a thrill welcoming talent from all over the globe and watching them compete in Durham College’s state-of-the-art Global Classroom,” said Don Lovisa, president, DC. “Our students and employees from the AI Hub worked hard alongside event partners to make this final competition a reality and I’m so proud of their involvement and effort.”

As teams battled it out for first place, two other events took place on campus. A CareerXpo was open to the public and an EsportsX Tournament was held at DC’s Esports Gaming Arena, which saw local teams compete for up to $2,000 in cash prizes. The day-long event and competition concluded with a gala at the Audley Recreation Centre in Ajax, where Team Jobless Hackers from the Netherlands was announced as the Global Cyberlympics winner.

“While the Global Cyberlympics finals were brought to Canada by EC-Council and SiberX, it was Durham College and the Regional Municipality of Durham’s effort as co-hosts that showcased the potential in business and tech that exists for cybersecurity professionals in the area,” said Mahdi Raza, co-founder of SiberX. “These games were just the first step in an exciting future for cybersecurity in Ontario.”

Since its inception in 2012, the Global Cyberlympics have seen more than 2,100 participants from 500 teams and 75 countries compete. Last year’s event included finalists from locations such as Brazil, Netherlands, India, Nigeria and Australia.

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About Durham College

At Durham College (DC), the student experience comes first. With campuses in Oshawa and Whitby and a learning site in Pickering, we offer approximately 13,400 full-time post-secondary and apprenticeship students access to more than 140 full-time and nine apprenticeship programs, including the Honours Bachelor of Behavioural Science and Honours Bachelor of Health Care Technology Management.

We enable students to develop the career-ready skills required to meet the demands of today’s job market by connecting them with expert faculty and offering quality programs. With a focus on experiential learning through field-placements, applied research, co-ops and other hands-on opportunities, DC grads have the skills and knowledge employers need.

The Oshawa campus features DC’s newest building, the Centre for Collaborative Education, which represents the college’s commitment to working with local business and community partners while bringing together local, Indigenous and global communities and members of key business sectors.

DC’s Whitby campus is home to the Skills Training Centre, where students receive hands-on training and instruction in industrial-grade shop labs for carpentry, HVAC, welding, elevating devices and crane operation, among others. The campus also features the W. Galen Weston Centre for Food, which includes Bistro ’67, a full-service, teaching-inspired restaurant, and Pantry, a retail store featuring food prepared by students in the college’s culinary programs.

For more information, visit www.durhamcollege.ca or call 905.721.2000.

For more information contact:
Shelly Totino
Communications and Marketing
905.721.2000 ext. 6219
shelly.totino@durhamcollege.ca

Students in Grades 7 and 8 get hands-on experience at second annual conference

Oshawa, Ont. – On October 22 and 23, Durham College (DC) hosted more than 600 Grade 7 and 8 students from across Durham Region and Northumberland County for the second annual conference, Expand the Possibilities: Young Women in Science, Technology and Trades.

The two days of exploration and inspiration aimed to better connect girls with careers in the traditionally male-dominated fields of science, technology and skilled trades. Each day of the conference included a keynote presentation and a series of hands-on workshops held in the college’s industry-grade facilities and innovative learning spaces.

“These young women need to believe that they belong in a lab conducting experiments, operating a crane on a jobsite or deep in the code advancing cybersecurity,” said Dr. Elaine Popp, vice president, Academic, DC. “As a post-secondary leader in science, technology and skilled trades, our job at Durham College is to help students get there. This conference is an important first step in that journey.”

Students received practical advice and motivation from serial inventor Ann Makosinski and contractor-entrepreneur-TV personality Kate Campbell. Makosinski offered a compelling argument for how fewer distractions equal more creativity as she shared her experience as a young inventor who is now one of the most sought-after influencers of her generation. Sharing highlights from her own career journey, Campbell busted myths associated with skilled trades and encouraged students to consider pursuing an apprenticeship.

“Engaging more young women in the fields of science, technology and skilled trades is critical if we are going to conquer the skills shortage that is facing employers and industries across the country,” said DC president Don Lovisa. “Our hope is that at the end of each day, students leave this conference with a clearer vision of the incredible opportunities and careers that are available to them.”

On the second day of the conference, at the college’s Whitby campus, the Honourable Ross Romano, Minister of Colleges and Universities, brought greetings from the Ontario government. He also rolled-up his sleeves to participate in activities alongside students.

In addition to workshops led by DC faculty, sessions were also delivered and supported by several conference sponsors. Seven industry leaders partnered with the college on this year’s event: Gerdau, General Motors, OCNI: Organization of Canadian Nuclear Industries, Ontario Power Generation, RESCON: Residential Construction Council of Ontario, Siemens and Black & McDonald.

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About Durham College

At Durham College (DC), the student experience comes first. With campuses in Oshawa and Whitby and a learning site in Pickering, we offer approximately 13,400 full-time post-secondary and apprenticeship students access to more than 140 full-time and nine apprenticeship programs, including the Honours Bachelor of Behavioural Science and Honours Bachelor of Health Care Technology Management.

We enable students to develop the career-ready skills required to meet the demands of today’s job market by connecting them with expert faculty and offering quality programs. With a focus on experiential learning through field-placements, applied research, co-ops and other hands-on opportunities, DC grads have the skills and knowledge employers need.

The Oshawa campus features DC’s newest building, the Centre for Collaborative Education, which represents the college’s commitment to working with local business and community partners while bringing together local, Indigenous and global communities and members of key business sectors.

DC’s Whitby campus is home to the Skills Training Centre, where students receive hands-on training and instruction in industrial-grade shop labs for carpentry, HVAC, welding, elevating devices and crane operation, among others. The campus also features the W. Galen Weston Centre for Food, which includes Bistro ’67, a full-service, teaching-inspired restaurant, and Pantry, a retail store featuring food prepared by students in the college’s culinary programs.

For more information, visit www.durhamcollege.ca or call 905.721.2000.

Media contact:
Melissa McLean
Communications and Marketing
905.721.2000 ext. 2952
melissa.mclean@durhamcollege.ca