College’s Centre for Craft Brewing Innovation will use funds to purchase new equipment

Oshawa, Ont. – Durham College’s (DC) Office of Research Services, Innovation and Entrepreneurship (ORSIE) is pleased to announce it is receiving $133,000 in applied research funding via an Applied Research Tools and Instruments grant. Awarded by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, the grant is administered through the council’s College and Community Innovation Program and will be used to purchase a beer analysis system for the college’s Centre for Craft Brewing Innovation (CCBI).

Working alongside the CCBI’s existing Brew Lab and Brew Line, this basic version of a pressurized beer analyzing system, plus a dissolved oxygen module, will help researchers and consultants determine the core parameters of a beer, including alcohol content, original extract, real extract, degree of fermentation and dissolved oxygen from a single sample.

“Ontario’s craft brewing industry is experiencing major growth,” said Chris Gillis, manager, Applied Research Business Development, ORSIE. “However, it’s becoming increasingly clear that in order for this growth to continue, small and medium breweries, which make up 80 per cent of existing craft beer producers, need to deliver the quality and consistency demanded by consumers. We feel the solution is a scientific, technically sound approach to brewing in order to achieve better control over the end-to-end processes, which the new brewing analysis system will allow us to do.”

Building on the CCBI’s already established expertise, the beer analysis system will be used for applied research projects with craft brewers so they can better understand how their brewing processes function. This will allow them to develop and implement improved control strategies, which in turn, results in a consistent, higher-quality brew.

The equipment, which is being supplied by Anton Paar, a well-known manufacturer of high-quality high-accuracy lab instruments that find many applications in the food and beverage industry, is able to automatically carry out the analysis of various key parameters in parallel on a single sample. It can also correct sample filling errors, cross correct results to improve accuracy and self-calibrate against distilled water, making the analysis system an industry standard.

“We are looking forward to engaging our students in the applied research that will be undertaken using the new equipment,” said Dr. Elaine Popp, vice-president, Academic, Durham College. “Being able to work with the best instrumentation and systems hands-on really enhances the overall learning experience.”

The purchase of the new equipment, sees the CCBI join the ranks of the LCBO, as well as many larger breweries, all of whom have adopted the same system for their labs due to its superior reliability, ease of use and speed of analysis.

For more information about the CCBI visit www.durhamcollege.ca/ccbi.

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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, the college offers more than 13,600 full-time post-secondary and apprenticeship students access to more than 140 full-time and eight apprenticeship programs in a number of different disciplines, enabling them to develop the skills required to meet the demands of today’s job market. The college has also launched its first four-year degree program, the Honours Bachelor of Health Care Technology Management, in September 2018.

The Oshawa campus features the state-of-the art Student Services building and the Centre for Collaborative Education, a legacy project tied to DC’s 50th anniversary in 2017. The newly-opened facility brings together local, Indigenous and global communities, providing a new home for several of the college’s most innovative and ground-breaking programs.

The Whitby campus features the award-winning 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

About Anton Paar

Anton Paar develops, produces and distributes highly accurate laboratory instruments and process measuring systems, and provides custom-tailored automation and robotic solutions. It is the world leader in the measurement of density, concentration and CO2 and in the field of rheometry. Anton Paar GmbH is owned by the charitable Santner Foundation.

For more information visit https://www.anton-paar.com/ca-en/

Media contact:

James Orsini
Assistant Marketing Coordinator
514.788.4862 ext. 212
marketing.ca@anton-paar.com

More than 3,000 students received their credentials

Oshawa, Ont. – On June 10, 11 and 12, more than 3,000 Durham College (DC) students received their credentials during this year’s Spring Convocation. Friends, family, the college community and special guests celebrated students’ success and inspired them to keep reaching for their goals.
“Convocation is always a very special event,” said Paul Bishop, executive director of Strategic Enrolment Services and registrar at Durham College. “It is a celebration of the students’ credentials and the hard work it took to earn them.”

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 goal is to provide students with the best possible learning experience, so they are able to contribute to the social and economic well-being of the communities they live in,” said Dr. Elaine Popp, vice-president, Academic. “We’re sure their futures will be bright and wish them all the best as they build their careers.”

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: Hospital for Sick Children program co-ordinator, field practicum advisor and professor, 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 from DC.
• Brandon Bird: Bird Mechanical chief executive officer, member of the Education committee for the Mechanical Contractors Association of Toronto, chair of the DC’s Mechanical Techniques program advisory committee, and 2012 graduate of DC’s Level 3 Plumber Apprentice program.

Over the course of the event, the college also awarded three Alumni of Distinction awards. Nominated based on their extraordinary contributions to society while achieving career success, the following alumni received the award

• Bev Woods: A 1986 graduate of the Dental Hygiene program and a 1984 graduate of the Dental Assisting program.
• Brandon Bird: A 2012 graduate of the Level 3 Plumber Apprentice program (now Mechanical Techniques – Plumbing).
• Cailey Jones: A 2010 graduate of the Early Childhood Education program.

For more information about Spring Convocation, including links to videos of each ceremony, visit www.durhamcollege.ca/convocation. To learn more about this year’s Alumni of Distinction winners visit www.durhamcollege.ca/alumniofdistinction.

 

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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 13,600 full-time post-secondary and apprenticeship students access to more than 140 full-time and nine apprenticeship programs including the new Honours Bachelor of Health Care Technology Management degree.

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. The Whitby campus 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

Conference explores the rapidly growing field of artificial intelligence

Oshawa, Ont. – On June 6, Durham College’s (DC) Hub for Applied Research in Artificial Intelligence for Business Solutions (the AI Hub) held the Enable AI Summit, the first conference of its kind within the Durham Region.

Showcasing the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) both locally and across the Greater Toronto Area, more than 120 industry professionals, students and faculty members converged around core AI applications, with a focus on solving complex business operational problems.

“As a leader in applied AI research, we know access to knowledge and resources are key to encouraging use of this technology,” said Dr. Elaine Popp, vice-president, Academic, Durham College. “AI has the power to accelerate sustainable economic growth within the City of Oshawa and broader Durham Region, making a real difference for small- and medium-enterprises and entrepreneurs.”

Hands-on workshops that focused on blockchain, compliance, machine learning in cybersecurity and solutions development were the core of the day’s programming. Participants developed the cutting-edge skills required to adopt and apply AI into business strategies to improve efficiencies.

AI phenom Tanmay Bakshi, provided the summit’s keynote address. Hailed as an “all-around tech extraordinaire”, ABC News has noted, “the Canadian teen has become a global force in programming”. The best part? He’s only 15 years old and is self-taught. With 298,000 subscribers to his YouTube channel Tanmay Teaches, he is also the world’s youngest IBM Watson programmer, an algorithmist, author and artificial intelligence expert.

Enable AI attendees were treated to an engaging presentation from Bakshi, which touched on how machine learning algorithms can be utilized in cyber security and health care innovations.

“We are excited about the skills the Enable AI Summit attendees developed, regardless of their field or background,” said Debbie McKee Demczyk, dean, Office of Research Services, Innovation and Entrepreneurship (ORSIE). “It really was an extension of the other work already being undertaken by the college’s AI Hub, driving innovation in this growing field.”

Housed within the ORSIE, the AI Hub offers industry partners access to technical expertise, state-of-the-art facilities and platforms, and student talent to uncover business insights while providing intelligent and autonomous solutions that increase companies’ productivity and growth.

Plans are already underway for the Enable AI Summit 2020.

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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 13,600 full-time post-secondary and apprenticeship students access to more than 140 full-time and nine apprenticeship programs, including the new Honours Bachelor of Health Care Technology Management degree.

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 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

Helping people make informed decisions when seeking urgent care

Durham Region – A new partnership between Lakeridge Health and Durham College’s (DC) Hub for Applied Research in Artificial Intelligence for Business Solutions (the AI Hub) will test the power of artificial intelligence (AI) to predict how long an individual will wait in the emergency department (ED), improving decision making and the patient’s experience in the ED.

The 40-week project, led by DC faculty researcher Amit Maraj and a team of four research assistants from the Computer Programmer Analyst program, will result in a prototype for an AI-infused recommender system. If successful, this system would make individual wait-time predictions for ED visits based on the person’s condition, what ED they are visiting and the time of day and year. The predictions would also take into account a person’s individual health status and other factors, including staffing, the number of people waiting for care and the urgency of everyone’s needs.

“People waiting in the emergency department often feel frustration and anxiety because they don’t know how long they will be there or what to expect,” said Dr. Ilan Lenga, chief information officer and chief medical information officer of Lakeridge Health. “We are pleased to be able to harness the ingenuity of the students and faculty at Durham College to develop a system that will benefit the community and improve people’s experiences in the emergency departments.”

The program team will look at a set of actual, anonymized patient data from the past to build a system – using machine learning – that can predict with a high degree of accuracy their wait time given everything that was happening in the ED at the time that they visited.

“We are excited about this opportunity to collaborate with Lakeridge Health to optimize the use of our health-care system’s resources using artificial intelligence,” said Don Lovisa, president, DC. “The work we are doing in this project has the potential to be tremendously helpful for patients while showcasing the real-world application of AI in a health-care setting in a way that will positively impact the system as a whole.”

Personalized predictions are important because emergency departments must treat the most urgent patients first, and do not operate on a “first-come, first-served” basis.

About Lakeridge Health

Lakeridge Health is Durham Region’s acute health care provider. With five hospitals, four emergency departments, a residential treatment centre and more than a dozen community health care locations, the new Lakeridge Health is working to provide the best experience for patients and their families. Home to the R.S. McLaughlin Durham Regional Cancer Centre and Pinewood Centre, Lakeridge Health also provides regional mental health, eye care and nephrology services.

With a committed and dedicated team of more than 5,400 employees, more than 760 physicians and more than 1,600 volunteers, Lakeridge Health provides care to the more than 650,000 people living and working in Durham Region.

About Durham College

At Durham College (DC), the student experience comes first. With campuses in Oshawa and Whitby and a learning site in Pickering, the college offers more than 13,600 full-time post-secondary and apprenticeship students access to more than 140 full-time and eight apprenticeship programs in a number of different disciplines, enabling them to develop the skills required to meet the demands of today’s job market. The college has also launched its first four-year degree program, the Honours Bachelor of Health Care Technology Management, in September 2018.

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

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For more information, please contact:

Lindsay Cochrane
Lakeridge Health Strategic Communications
905.242.2801
communications@lakeridgehealth.on.ca

Shelly Kowalski
Communications and Marketing
905.721.2000 ext. 6219
shelly.kowalski@durhamcollege.ca

Unique learning opportunity for young innovators to explore the process of invention and prototyping in a summer camp environment

Oshawa, ON – Durham College (DC) is pleased to announce it has been chosen to host the first-ever Canadian offering of Camp Invention™. A program of the non-profit National Inventors Hall of Fame™ (NIHF), in partnership with the United States Patent and Trademark Office, Camp Invention provides a unique experience for children to learn about science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), and the importance of intellectual property, while exploring, creating and designing.

To bring Camp Invention to Canada, DC is working with non-profit organization the National Inventors Hall of Fame (Canada). Both parties are excited to introduce children to world-changing inventors in a relatable and enjoyable way by engaging them with a superhero storyline.

Running from Monday, July 8 to Friday, July 12, the college will welcome up to 60 young innovators, ages nine to 11, to learn about STEM disciplines while building resourcefulness and problem-solving skills, and encouraging entrepreneurship as they learn in an engaging, hands-on summer camp environment.

“We are absolutely thrilled to host the first Canadian offering of this dynamic program, thanks to the vision of our School of Continuing Education and its dean, Debbie Johnston,” said Don Lovisa, president, Durham College. “As a leader in experiential learning, we have seen firsthand the impact of exploration, investigation and physically working with materials and concepts. We also know it is important to expose learners to these ideas at an early age. When you can do so in a way that is more like play than work, it has a tremendous impact.”

Overseen by four teachers from both the Durham District School Board and Durham District Catholic School Board, and eight counsellors, the newly announced 2019 Supercharged™ program will have campers learning about ocean navigation and survival skills on a remote island, conducting mock DNA tests on farm animals, and learning to protect their own ideas. As an added bonus, at the end of the program, each camper will bring home a robot.

Each year the new curriculum is inspired the NIHF Inductees. For Supercharged, the hands-on modules include:

• Innovation Force™: Campers team up with the Innovation Force™ (NIHF Inductees who have been transformed into superheroes) to battle the evil Plagiarizer, a supervillain who is out to steal the world’s greatest ideas. As children create a device to retrieve the stolen ideas, they learn about the importance of intellectual property and the patent system.
• Deep Sea Mystery™: The children embark on a research adventure at sea to dig up fossils, but they soon find themselves stranded on an island. Using lessons and advice from NIHF Inductees, they invent island-survival tools and underwater equipment.
• Farm Tech™: Campers are put in charge of managing their own farm as they learn the basics of running a business. With the assistance of the Bot-ANN-E robot, they learn fundamental coding techniques to maximize their time and profits. Children also are introduced to DNA syntheses, where they perform their own mock experiment to check the health of their newly purchased livestock.
• DIY Orbot™: The children will explore frequency, circuit boards, motors and gears as they use real tools to reverse engineer a remote-control robot. Throughout the week, campers will adapt their DIY Orbot to perform increasingly challenging tasks.

“We are delighted that DC is hosting our first-ever Camp Invention program in Canada. Under the leadership of President Don Lovisa, the college is recognized as a leader in innovation and emerging technologies. Participants will have the unique opportunity to experience Camp Invention in DC’s state-of-the-art Centre for Collaborative Education,” said Shelley Jones, vice-president of NIHF Canada.

For more information about Camp Invention and to register for the Supercharged program at DC, please visit www.durhamcollege.ca/summercamps.

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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, the college offers more than 13,600 full-time post-secondary and apprenticeship students access to more than 140 full-time and eight apprenticeship programs in a number of different disciplines, enabling them to develop the skills required to meet the demands of today’s job market. The college has also launched its first four-year degree program, the Honours Bachelor of Health Care Technology Management, in September 2018.

The Oshawa campus features the state-of-the art Student Services building and the Centre for Collaborative Education, a legacy project tied to DC’s 50th anniversary in 2017. The newly-opened facility brings together local, Indigenous and global communities, providing a new home for several of the college’s most innovative and ground-breaking programs.

The Whitby campus features the award-winning 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.

About Camp Invention

Camp Invention is the only nationally recognized summer program in the United States focused on creativity, innovation, real-world problem solving and the spirit of invention. Camp Invention is a program of the National Inventors Hall of Fame (NIHF) and is being introduced to Canada by National Inventors Hall of Fame (Canada). Both the U.S. and Canadian non-profit organizations are committed to the curious minds and innovative spirits of the past, present and future. Since 1990, our education programs in the United States have served more than 1.5 million children, and 170,000 teachers and Leadership Interns. For more information, visit invent.org/camp. Through hands-on programming, Camp Invention encourages children to explore science, technology, engineering and mathematics curriculum inspired by some of the world’s greatest inventors. NIHF Canada is planning to formally launch Camp Invention across Ontario in 2020.
 

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

Oshawa, Ont. – Durham College (DC) is proud to announce that students David Paisley and Brett Harrison have won the gold and silver medals, respectively, in the Heating Systems Technician contest at the 30th annual Skills Ontario Competition held in Toronto from May 6 to 8. Both competitors are studying in the Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning Techniques program at DC.

Paisley and Harrison earned their medals by demonstrating practical and theoretical skills in heating system fundamentals with special attention given to health and safety regulations. They also demonstrated knowledge of controls, tools, and testers used in industry, and completed a job interview related to their technical career path.

Over the three-day event, DC students competed against more than 2,300 participants from across Ontario in over 68 unique contest areas.

“We’re incredibly proud of our students’ achievements at this year’s Skills Ontario Competition,” said Dr. Rebecca Milburn, executive dean, School of Skilled Trades, Apprenticeship & Renewable Technology, and principal of the Whitby campus. “Competing at this level provides students with an opportunity to actualize all of the career-ready skills and knowledge they have developed in their classes. Their success is a testament to the impact of DC’s focus on experiential learning and the dedication of our students and faculty.”

As the gold-medal winner, Paisley will represent DC and Ontario in the 25th Skills Canada National Competition that will be held in Halifax, Nova Scotia, on Tuesday, May 28 and Wednesday, May 29.

Skills Ontario is a non-profit organization dedicated to the promotion of the skilled trades and technologies as viable, first-choice career options to Ontario youth through programs and initiatives such as provincial skills competitions.

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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 13,600 full-time post-secondary and apprenticeship students access to more than 140 full-time and nine apprenticeship programs, including the new Honours Bachelor of Health Care Technology Management degree.

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 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:
Mauricio Cuellar
Communications and Marketing
905.721.2000 ext. 2807
mauricio.cuellar@durhamcollege.ca

Students will experience three weeks of essential industry training and paid work placements

Oshawa, Ont. – Durham College (DC), Ontario Power Generation (OPG), and the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers (IBB) are pleased to announce they have joined together to offer a three-week pre-apprenticeship program, providing essential boilermaker industry training.

Managed and delivered through DC’s Corporate Training Services (CTS), the pre-apprenticeship serves as an introduction to the boilermaker trade and provincial apprenticeship program. Its inaugural session begins on Monday, April 29, with four additional intakes scheduled throughout the summer which will train 100 new pre-apprentices.

The training program was created to help address the projected skilled trades’ shortage of boilermakers in Ontario. OPG, Bruce Power, and the Electrical Power Systems Construction Association (EPSCA) have been working on a province wide plan to mitigate the resourcing risks for contractors and owners, ensuring sufficient capacity exists to execute the volume and complexity of work at all the utilities, safely and on budget. Successful applicants will be referred for work at OPG sites, training with senior staff and learning their craft in the nuclear industry.  The program is also being supported by the Organization of Canadian Nuclear Industries (OCNI). 

“When we originally approached Durham College with the idea of partnering on pre-apprenticeship training, we thought of this program as a type of probationary apprenticeship,” said Jonathan White, International Rep, IBB. “It is our full expectation that all successful students will be welcomed into a paid boilermaker apprenticeship upon completion.”

“The college is pleased to play a role in helping to develop the next generation of boilermakers,” said Tara Brodie, Director, Corporate Training Services, Durham College. “This new approach to apprenticeship training comes at a time when there is incredibly high demand in the industry for skilled professionals with applicable knowledge and hands-on experience. CTS’s track record of providing custom training solutions, coupled with the college’s history of excellence providing first-hand learning opportunities for skilled trades, means we are perfectly positioned to address the skilled trades gap the boilermaker industry is currently facing.”

No one understands these challenges better than OPG. Canada’s largest infrastructure and clean energy project taking place at its Darlington Nuclear Generating Station and refurbishment work is being done at the Bruce Nuclear Generating Station. A 2018 report from Ontario’s Auditor General indicates that approximately 1,000 boilermakers are needed to complete these nuclear refurbishment activities.

“With OPG’s ongoing Darlington Refurbishment Project, the nuclear industry in Canada faces a looming supply gap in skilled trades and professionals,” said Dietmar Reiner, Senior Vice-President and Chief Project Officer for OPG. “This program will not only help create the next generation of skilled trades, it will also help secure Ontario’s electricity supply for many years to come.”

“OCNI is pleased to participate this important program which is a natural extension of the work that OCNI has been doing over that last year through Ontario’s Skills Catalyst Fund to attract and place young people and under-represented groups into skilled trades positions across the nuclear supply chain” said Ron Oberth, president and CEO, OCNI. 

“The Durham College boilermaker pre-apprenticeship program is a true partnership between the labour market partners.  Congratulations to OPG and the boilermakers union for taking a cooperative approach in recruiting the next generation of skilled trades people,” said Alex Lolua, General Manager, EPSCA.

Within the energy industry boilermakers build and maintain nuclear, hydroelectric and coal-fired generating stations, as well as oil-sands extraction plants, oil refineries, liquefied natural gas processing plants and other facilities. They also work in the mining, chemical, pulp and paper, cement and potash industries. The scope of a boilermaker’s work can include everything from specialty welding to hoisting, positioning and installing huge components of massive industrial plants, to project management and co-ordination of workers in other trades.

Those interested in a future boilermaker apprenticeship opportunity can visit www.boilermaker.ca/apply.

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About OPG:

OPG is one of the most diverse electricity generators in North America. It produces about half of the electricity Ontarians rely on every day, and its clean, safe, power costs an average of 40% less than other generators.  

 

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 13,600 full-time post-secondary and apprenticeship students access to more than 140 full-time and nine apprenticeship programs, including the new Honours Bachelor of Health Care Technology Management degree.

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 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.

About Organization of Canadian Nuclear Industries

Organization of Canadian Nuclear Industries (OCNI) is an association of more than 200 Canadian suppliers to the nuclear industry that employ more than 14,000 highly skilled and specialized engineers, technologists, and trades people. OCNI companies design reactors, manufacture major equipment and components, and provide engineering services and support to CANDU nuclear power plants in Canada as well as to CANDU and Light Water Reactor (LWR) plants in offshore markets.

About Electrical Power Systems Construction Association

EPSCA negotiates and administers construction trade collective agreements on behalf of employers performing construction industry work for the Bulk Electrical System on Ontario Power Generation Inc., Bruce Power LP and Hydro One property.

For further information, please contact:

Ontario Power Generation
416.592.4008 or 1.877.592.4008
Follow us @opg

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

College’s School of Continuing Education to provide online training in coding, programming and computer software skills for retired military personnel

Oshawa, ON – Durham College (DC) is pleased to announce it is partnering with Coding for Veterans, a non-profit, industry-led initiative, to provide customized, accelerated online training in coding, programming and computer software skills through its School of Continuing Education.

Designed to equip retired Canadian military personnel with the skills required to enter and succeed in Canada’s technology-based workforce, the Coding for Veterans Durham College Certificate program provides veterans with sought-after skills in computer programming and web app development, augmented with learning about project management and organizational behavior to support the learners’ transition to civilian industry.

“We are very proud to be using our expertise and experience in offering online continuing education to support this vital initiative,” said Don Lovisa, president, Durham College. “In doing so, we are able to help Canadian veterans gain the skills they need to succeed in their lives after the military while also driving the innovation economy.”

Designed as an online-first organization, the ability to offer technical training regardless of location was imperative when Coding for Veterans was founded.

“We didn’t want location to be a barrier to accessing top-level tech training for veterans,” said Jeff Musson, CEO, Coding for Veterans. “By partnering with Durham College, we can assist retired military across the country, helping them discover IT careers and then teaching them the skills they need to launch them.”

Registration for the Coding for Veterans program will open in fall 2019.

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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 13,600 full-time post-secondary and apprenticeship students access to more than 140 full-time and nine apprenticeship programs, including the new Honours Bachelor of Health Care Technology Management degree.

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 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.

 

About Coding for Veterans

Coding for Veterans is a non-profit, industry-led initiative, designed to equip veterans from the Canadian military with the skills required to enter and succeed in Canada’s technology-based workforce. C4V will provide the men and women transitioning from Canada’s military with the necessary skillset required to excel in the Innovation Economy.

Coding for Veterans consists of three phases: the first phase focuses on assessing potential candidates for the appropriate stream of the Coding for Veterans Program. The second phase includes core educational components of technical skill and work culture. And, in the third phase, each graduate will further develop industry networking capacity with job placement support leading to meaningful employment within Canada’s innovation economy.

 

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

 

College will become the only college to offer Tower Crane Operator apprenticeship in Ontario

Oshawa, Ont. –Durham College (DC) has received approval from the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities to launch a new Tower Crane Operator (339B) apprenticeship program. With the new program, DC will become the only college, in Ontario to offer the Tower Crane Operator apprenticeship.

Developed by the college in direct response to requests by industry leaders, the program will help stem the shortage of qualified tower crane operators that is challenging builders in Ontario and across Canada.

“As an industry advocate, the Residential Construction Council of Ontario (RESCON) is proud to support Durham College’s new Tower Crane Operator program. The skilled trades – including crane operators – need the kind of grassroots support that this will provide. Educating eager young minds to help the residential construction industry ultimately will add supply to a region that faces a housing crisis. We need the skilled, knowledgeable tower crane operators that the Durham program will produce,” says RESCON president Richard Lyall.

The Tower Crane Operator apprenticeship program is expected to launch in January 2021 and will be offered at the college’s Whitby campus where two tower cranes will be mounted permanently, one a luffer and the other a hammerhead, to support the program. DC currently offers Mobile Crane Operator (339A and C) training to approximately 56 apprentices each year. The college also offers a one-year post-secondary certificate, Crane Operation, Rigging and Construction Techniques, to approximately 40 students per year, many of whom go on to become registered apprentices.

“The addition of the Tower Crane Operator apprenticeship program to DC’s School of Skilled Trades, Apprenticeship & Renewable Technology is a natural extension of both our current crane operation programs and the college’s ongoing commitment to supporting and growing the skilled trades and the industries that depend on them,” says DC president Don Lovisa.

Buildforce Canada projects a growth in demand for tower crane operators of 7 per cent between 2013 and 2020. This increase coupled with the number of operators retiring combined with an average of 32 operators currently completing their apprenticeship each year indicates the industry will face a shortage of approximately 548 operators by 2020.

“In the more than 15 years that DC has been offering crane operation training, our programs, faculty and, most importantly, our students and graduates have developed strong relationships and outstanding reputations with industry,” says professor and program coordinator Kevin Keays, who has been an in-demand operator himself for 35 years. “With this program, DC will be able to produce qualified operators to help keep the region and province building and growing.”

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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 13,600 full-time post-secondary and apprenticeship students access to more than 140 full-time and nine apprenticeship programs, including the new Honours Bachelor of Health Care Technology Management degree.

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 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 further information contact:
Melissa McLean (she/her/hers)
Communications and Marketing
Durham College
o: 905.721.2000 ext. 2952
m: 647.880.6363
melissa.mclean@durhamcollege.ca

Award recognizes college’s commitment to environmental sustainability for third consecutive year

Oshawa, ON – Durham College (DC) is pleased to announce that it has been named one of Canada’s Greenest Employers for the third consecutive year. Awarded as part of the 2019 editorial competition that is organized by the Canada’s Top 100 Employers project, this designation recognizes employers who create remarkable workplaces that minimize the environmental impact of their operations.

Winning employers are those that incorporate environmental values into their everyday culture, and attract employees because of such values and are evaluated on the following criteria:

1. The unique environmental initiatives or programs they have developed.
2. Whether they have been successful in reducing their own environmental footprint.
3. Whether their employees are involved in these programs and contribute any unique skills.
4. Whether their environmental initiatives have become linked to the employer’s public identity, attracting new employees and customers.

This year, DC has been recognized for its sustainability focus related to infrastructure and supporting behavioural changes among its employees and students. At a planning level, both new construction and renovation decisions are made through a sustainable lens. This includes LED lighting being the only option at the college, working towards 100 per cent LED use, including in its parking lots. In addition, hydration stations have been installed in every wing of the college to offer cooled, filtered water, thus reducing the use of plastic bottles.

The college’s Green Office Certification Program began last year, providing guidelines to incorporate sustainability into daily operations. Supported from the top down, the program focuses on energy and water conservation, waste diversion, purchasing habits and creating a green-focused office culture. Using a checklist as a guide, individual departments are encouraged to undertake sustainable actions in a variety of categories. These include using alternative transportation or using mini bins as a replacement for personal garbage cans. Across DC there has also been a move towards using centralized printers as opposed to personal ones, reducing overall paper use.

“It makes us very proud to once again be listed as one of Canada’s greenest employers,” said Don Lovisa, president, Durham College. “We are really starting to see the impact of our sustainability efforts across our campuses and learning site for the betterment of our students, employees and the broader community. As the college continues to evolve, we will do so with sustainability at the forefront of our decisions and plans.”

The new Simcoe Geothermal Field project, which is currently underway at DC’s Oshawa campus, is a prime example of the college’s sustainable efforts in action and was substantially complete on March 31, 2019.

For more information on living green at DC please visit www.durhamcollege.ca/livinggreen.

 

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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, the college offers more than 13,600 full-time post-secondary and apprenticeship students access to more than 140 full-time and eight apprenticeship programs in a number of different disciplines, enabling them to develop the skills required to meet the demands of today’s job market. The college has also launched its first four-year degree program, the Honours Bachelor of Health Care Technology Management, in September 2018.

The Oshawa campus features the state-of-the art Student Services building and the Centre for Collaborative Education, a legacy project tied to DC’s 50th anniversary in 2017. The newly-opened facility brings together local, Indigenous and global communities, providing a new home for several of the college’s most innovative and ground-breaking programs.

The Whitby campus features the award-winning 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