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Durham College partners to support all-Indigenous Introduction to Millwrighting program

Durham College (DC) is helping break down barriers to entry into the skilled trades by partnering with industry on an innovative program aimed at helping to prepare people for millwrighting apprenticeships.

On December 6, an all-Indigenous group of 11 students successfully completed the UBC Millwright Local 2309 Toronto and Local 1410 Kingston Introduction to Millwrighting (ITM) program.

Participants in the five-week program received personalized support and training—including academic upgrading support from DC—to prepare them to write their millwright aptitude test so they could begin a millwright apprenticeship.

This program opens new doors to the skilled trades for graduates and offers a pathway to apprenticeships and careers built on excellence.

“At Durham College, we’re proud to support the success of the all-Indigenous Introduction to Millwrighting program,” said Meagan Quesnelle, Manager, Academic Upgrading and School College Work Initiative. “Through our Academic Upgrading program, we help students build the foundation they need to succeed in rewarding careers.”

Michaela Gervais is among the group of successful students who completed the program, and she said DC faculty made the experience memorable for her.

“Durham College played a crucial part in furthering our knowledge and success,” said Gervais. “Thank you for making this amazing opportunity possible.”

Quesnelle added that the initiative showcases the power of collaboration and the importance of creating pathways to opportunity.

“We’re honoured to be part of this journey, alongside our incredible partners.”

The Millwright Regional Council’s (MRC) partners for the Introduction to Millwrighting program included Durham College, Ontario Power Generation, Kagita Mikam Aboriginal Employment & Training, Aecon Group Inc., and Black & McDonald Limited.

DC has supported similar programs in the past including providing academic upgrading support for a cohort of women completing the ITM program.

Are you interested in a skilled trades career? Explore programs available at DC including our Mechanical Technician – Millwright program.

If you’re missing prerequisite courses for a college program, need help improving your grades or attaining your high school equivalency, consider DC’s free academic upgrading services. Learn more online or consider attending one of our upcoming information sessions.

DC and Bioenterprise Canada collaborate to strengthen cybersecurity in Ontario’s agri-tech sector

To enhance cybersecurity in Ontario’s agri-tech and agri-food sectors, Durham College’s (DC) Centre for Cybersecurity Innovation is collaborating with the Grow Ontario Accelerator Hub (GOAH) through Bioenterprise Canada’s Food & Agri-Tech Engine.

This partnership will to provide start-ups and small to medium-sized enterprise with robust cybersecurity measures to protect their digital assets and to foster innovation.

“Our collaboration with GOAH and Bioenterprise Canada is a significant step towards securing the digital infrastructure of agri-tech innovators,” says Sushant Katare, Senior Manager of the Centre for Cybersecurity Innovation at DC. “We’re empowering agri-businesses to protect themselves against cyber threats, to earn customer trust and to maintain a competitive edge in the digital marketplace.”

The collaboration leverages the expertise of DC’s certified cybersecurity professionals at the Centre for Cybersecurity Innovation in offering tailored solutions based on the CAN/CIOSC 104 standard—Canada’s national standard for baseline cybersecurity controls for small to medium-sized enterprises. This standard provides an accessible framework with up to 55 essential controls, making it an strong starting point for organizations looking to bolster their cybersecurity posture.

Digital transformation has increased vulnerability to cyber attacks in the agri-tech and agri-food industries and this collaboration addresses a critical need. By adopting the CAN/CIOSC 104 standard, businesses can mitigate risks associated with data breaches and ransomware attacks, safeguarding not only their operations but also the broader supply chain.

“Bioenterprise Canada is thrilled to support this initiative,” says Braden Kemp, GOAH Manager. “Cybersecurity is not just an optional activity for Canadian agri-food businesses; it’s imperative. By connecting our Engine members with top-tier cybersecurity expertise, we’re fostering a more secure and resilient agri-tech ecosystem in Ontario.”

With this strategic collaboration, DC’s Centre for Cybersecurity Innovation, GOAH, and Bioenterprise Canada are set to make a lasting impact on the security and success of agri-tech businesses across Ontario. This initiative not only strengthens individual companies but also enhances the overall resilience of the agri-food and agri-tech sectors.

Durham College research links nutrition education to enhanced wellness and nutrition literacy

Does knowing more about nutrition help people make more nutritious choices? That’s the question that Dr. Erin Dancey, a faculty member in Durham College’s (DC) Fitness and Health Promotion program and research lead with the Social Impact Hub, set out to answer in a recent study evaluating the changes in nutrition literacy in students taking introductory nutrition courses.

Turns out, yes. In this case, the nutrition courses had a positive impact on students’ nutrition literacy, with both domestic and international students showing significant improvements in their ability to understand and apply information about healthy nutrition. The nutrition courses covered various aspects of healthy eating and dietary behavior in alignment with Canada’s Food Guide.

Other findings that stood out included an upward trend in wellness, especially among international students. However, the study also revealed food insecurity, referred to as a lack of consistent access to enough food for an active, healthy life, emerged as a negative impact on academic success. 

Supported by the Centre for Teaching and Learning, the study recruited students in the Fitness and Health Promotion program who were taking an introductory nutrition course, plus students from the Dental Hygiene program enrolled in a similar course. The study was inspired by the observation that a lot of international students seemed to struggle to navigate new food pathways, such as where to find nutritious food.

Students participated by responding to standard questionnaires on the topics being explored, including nutrition literacy, household food security and a wellness inventory. They took the questionnaires as a baseline at the start of the course and again at the end to measure growth in their knowledge.

Dancey says the findings of this study have important implications for educational planning and support systems at DC and beyond. “The biggest takeaway from this study was the negative correlation between food insecurity and academic success and the importance of increasing access to food resources for at risk students. Learning more about nutrition literacy, understanding what constitutes healthy food, where to access it, and how to prepare it are all important for students to know,” said Dancey.

At DC, Dancey notes that nutrition literacy resources are available at the Campus Health and Wellness Centre and The Barrett Centre of Innovation in Sustainable Urban Agriculture, for example through their FoodIQ campaign that includes a food security and literacy toolkit.  Calling attention to these existing resources and looking for places to develop more and increase nutrition content in courses will help to make nutrition literacy more mainstream.

Meanwhile, Dancey is also working on exploring nutrition literacy in other contexts, with a current study supported by DC’s Social Impact Hub that looks at the impacts of a newcomer community kitchen program created by the Community Development Council of Durham. The study will be published on the Barrett Centre Portal in the new year.

 

Want to take action now to support food security at Durham College? Donate to the Food Access Bursary! Last year, 1,150 students benefitted from generous donations from DC employees, alumni and the Durham College Student Association. This year, the Durham College Alumni Association will match donations to the Food Insecurity Bursary up to $10,000, and donations are welcome until December 31. Gifts of more than $20 are eligible for a charitable donation receipt for income tax purposes in the 2024 tax year.

 

Durham College students celebrate great showing at provincial marketing competition

Durham College (DC) celebrated a fine performance at the Ontario Colleges’ Marketing Competition (OCMC), held this year at St. Clair College in Windsor. The largest and most prestigious marketing competition for college students, OCMC has been running for over 30 years and features case competitions in a variety of sectors, as well as a Quiz Bowl that tests students on their knowledge of marketing concepts and current events.

DC saw wins all the way through the event. The DC Quiz Bowl team placed second overall, led by Mahalia Clarke, Tianna Walden, AJ Bello and Raven Sy. Several teams placed in the case competitions: Tyler Dunstan and Mason Wright placed third in the Entrepreneurship category, Rylee Poleon and Raven Sy placed fourth in International Marketing and Julianne Nascimento and Dianna Trevisan placed fifth in Direct Marketing.

For third-year Marketing students Mason Wright and Tyler Dunstan, this was their second trophy win at OCMC. Paired for last year’s OCMC by coaches who thought they would work well together, the two are now good friends. They will also compete for a second time in the Scotiabank Vanier College National Marketing Case Competition in February 2025.

Wright credited the team’s coaches for DC’s impressive showing at OCMC, as well as his and Dunstan’s success. “Our coaches did a fantastic job of putting us into categories where we could succeed. And we have our coaches to thank for pairing us together, because it has been an amazing experience with Tyler. We just seem to work very well together. OCMC brought us together originally, because we are very similar people, but we had never crossed paths as students.”

Coming together under the leadership of Faculty of Business professor Alison Sprayson, the teams trained for many months, practicing weekly on cases in their categories to produce a sample solution and presentation which was then critiqued by a specialist coach. While the extra-curricular requires a time commitment, Dunstan said he found a major advantage in developing closer relationships with his professors. “I love that one-on-one interaction that you get with the professors who are your coaches, sitting down and dissecting all that you’re doing,” he said.

In Wright and Dunstan’s case, professor Sheldon Koufman coached the team for their first OCMC where their focus was on Retail, and Jay Fisher for this year’s focus on Entrepreneurship, a topic that Dunstan said was an added challenge. “It was a big learning curve, just because the intricacies are different between marketing for a big company and a small business. Having those weekly practices with Jay really helped us to be comfortable with the subject.”

By the time they got to the event, all the teams had been through the format many times, which allows students 30 minutes to work on a solution and 15 minutes to make their presentation. Wright said that while the competition itself was intense, participating with so many fellow students who also shared his enthusiasm for marketing made the event special, with teams wishing each other good luck as they departed for their presentations.“ And then when we came back, we had people waiting for us, cheering, giving us hugs, asking us how it went. Throughout the day, the support, teamwork and overall collaboration was absolutely amazing. Durham College school spirit was at the forefront of everything we did on that weekend,” said Wright.

DC’s Centre for Cybersecurity Innovation partners with Cyber Security Canada

In our increasingly connected world, the need for reliable cybersecurity is paramount.

Since its inception in 2020, the Centre for Cybersecurity Innovation at Durham College (DC) has set the standard for providing applied research services and high-quality education in this crucial field.

That is sure to continue with the recent signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the Centre and Cyber Security Canada, a non-profit certification body dedicated to helping organizations become more secure online.

“Cyber Security Canada has done a phenomenal job of developing a standard that helps organizations enhance their cybersecurity posture. Through this MOU, we aim to leverage the Centre for Cybersecurity Innovation’s strengths to assist Canadian organizations in improving their security measures and meeting these national standards,” said Debbie McKee Demczyk, Associate Vice President, Innovation and Research.

Over the years, the Centre for Cybersecurity at DC has worked with over 40 organizations in a variety of fields, developing solutions to help them be more efficient and secure in the face of growing cyber threats. In one recent example, they conducted security assessments for the Town of Ajax.

Working with Cyber Security Canada will help the Centre reach even more companies that are keen to improve their cybersecurity.

“Everybody is thinking about cybersecurity, but they don’t know how to start and where to start. They don’t have the budget. They don’t have talent who can work on it,” said Sushant Katare, Senior Manager, Centre for Cybersecurity Innovation.

That’s where the talented minds at DC come in. By connecting with the Centre, companies get access to research expertise that will help them identify and address their cybersecurity issues and get them ready to apply for Cyber Security Canada’s certification.

In addition to certified professionals like Katare, the Centre also hires students from a number of DC programs to work on projects and gain real world experience.

“It’s a win-win situation for everyone,” he said.

If a career in this burgeoning field interests you, our Cybersecurity graduate certificate can get you ready!

DC recognizes the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women

Today, Durham College (DC) joins Canadians across the country in observing the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women. This date marks a somber anniversary when, on December 6, 1989, a shooter entered a mechanical engineering class at L’École Polytechnique in Montréal, and murdered 14 young women and wounded 14 others.

“The loss of these bright and talented women continues to deeply impact our post-secondary communities across Canada,” said DC President, Dr. Elaine Popp. “As we mourn them, we also reflect on all those whose lives have been impacted by gender-based violence.”

Memorial ceremonies will be held at both the Oshawa and Whitby campuses for students and employees to come together, remember and reflect. Flags at the college have been lowered to half-mast.

Durham College is committed to creating a safe campus community, free of all forms of violence. All members of the DC community are encouraged to speak out against harmful behaviours to help end gender-based violence in our communities.

“This day is a call to action to build a world where everyone can pursue their aspirations without fear of violence and where we can all thrive,” said Dr. Popp. “To achieve this, we must challenge the systems, attitudes, and behaviours that perpetuate gender inequality.

“Together, we can work to dismantle harmful stereotypes, support survivors, and advocate for policies that protect victims while holding perpetrators accountable. Education, awareness, and allyship are critical tools in the fight to end gender-based violence.”

Durham College is a Greater Toronto Top Employer for the 14th time

For a remarkable 14th time, Durham College (DC) has been recognized as one of Greater Toronto’s Top Employers.

This distinction recognizes DC’s supportive culture as well as our commitment to the growth and well-being of our valued employees.

“We take great pride in being recognized as one of Greater Toronto’s Top Employers,” said Dr. Elaine Popp, President. “Employees are the heart of our community. When they thrive, so do our students. We foster a culture that inspires our colleagues to do great things, and we are always pleased to witness their growth both individually and collectively.”

The innovation and dedication of our employees shone through in a number of ways in this year’s application, from our work in applied research to solve industry and social challenges; to our community connections and work which this year, helped more than 100 charities; to the launch of new scholarship opportunities and programs that support our students and help ensure career-ready graduates.

We also received commendation for the DC pension plan with employer-matched contributions, parental leave top-up, tuition assistance, and mentorship and development opportunities.

These are just some of the reasons why DC employees routinely express their commitment and enthusiasm for the work they do and the difference they make in students’ lives.

Looking ahead, Dr. Popp is determined to maintain DC’s well-earned reputation as an exceptional place to work and grow a career.

“We will continue to nurture, embrace, and most importantly, maintain this incredible culture where people care. This dedication is what truly sets us apart.”

For more on what makes DC a great place to work, visit our Greater Toronto Top Employers profile.

Durham College students set to gain work experience while supporting local shelter

Durham College (DC) is partnering with the Regional Municipality of Durham to support people experiencing homelessness, while providing valuable work experience opportunities for DC students.

The 1635 Dundas Street East project in Whitby aims to provide safe and inclusive housing solutions to help individuals and families who need it most. A 45-bed low barrier shelter with wraparound supports was opened in the building at the end of March 2024, and has provided a safe and supportive environment to over 100 unique individuals. Phase 2 will focus on creating housing units with onsite access to health and social supports and services.

A recent meeting in early November about DC’s role in the project focused on how students could be involved.

“It was a great meeting, lots of excitement and innovative ideas about how students on field placement can support shelter patrons,” said Lorraine Closs, a professor in the Faculty of Social & Community Services’ Social Service Worker program and research lead with the Social Impact Hub in the Office of Research Services, Innovation and Entrepreneurship (ORSIE). “We have a long-standing, strong partnership with the Region of Durham. We’ve done a number of multi-year research projects together.”

As well as sharing a formal conceptual design of how the housing space will be expanded in Phase 2, the Region also discussed the services that might be needed and how students across DC faculties could help work with them. With a vision to create a multidisciplinary, holistic support for the new shelter, the Faculties of Social & Community Services; Health Sciences; Hospitality and Horticultural Science; and even Media, Art & Design are all potential candidates for work-integrated learning opportunities. Closs is hopeful that one or two may even be able to start as early as January. A Steering Committee will decide which DC programs get connected first based on the needs of the shelter.

Lisa McIntosh, Social Services Director Income & Employment Support for Durham Region, says that having DC on board will help the region to achieve its goals for the project. “By fostering community partnerships, we create opportunities for individuals to support one another and work toward a deeper understanding of how we can collectively make a difference. Durham Region looks forward to working with Durham College to enhance 1635 Dundas Street East’s ability to help individuals regain stability. 1635 Dundas Street East exemplifies the strength of community.”

In addition to helping to support services and patrons at the low barrier shelter, the potential placements will offer fantastic hands-on learning for students, said Closs. “There are so many opportunities for students from many faculties to use the skills they are learning in class and put them in to practice in real life.” She added that a bonus will be the empathy that arises from this sort of practical experience. “Research has shown that students who do a work integrated learning experience with the homeless population really change their perceptions and overcome bias and stereotypes.”

The partnership will also provide applied research opportunities through the Social Impact Hub, one of five research centres at DC. Potential topics to investigate include the impact of these learning opportunities on students and their perceptions of homelessness, benefits of student interaction for shelter patrons, and the impact college involvement in service provision has on community member resistance to shelters. Closs, who has already been twice recognized with a DC Researcher Award of Excellence in 2019 and 2023, has submitted multiple research project applications, including for multi-year project funding. There’s also exciting research potential in documenting the pathway that the team is currently pursuing, to serve as a blueprint for other community collaborations.

For students, Closs says the partnership will be a win-win. “This project can also help students become aware of their own privilege. It’s an opportunity for them to support a vulnerable group of people and make a difference in their lives.”

Students can graduate with a degree and a diploma with DC pathway into Honours Bachelor in Community Mental Health

Blending the hands-on learning of a diploma program and the academics of a degree, Durham College’s (DC) pathway programs into an Honours Bachelor’s Degree in Community Mental Health are the perfect combination of theoretical and practical knowledge setting students up for career success.

Students who already have an Advanced Diploma in Child and Youth Care or Social Service Worker from DC or another Ontario college can pursue a degree and enter the fourth semester of the Community Mental Health – Honours Bachelor (HBMH) program (second semester of second year), with only one additional course. With credit for completing the diploma, students fast track through the program to complete their degree in five semesters, plus the 420-hour placement opportunity.

The first cohort of pathway students will enter the Community Mental Health degree program at DC this January.

“The benefit of having a diploma and degree is the opportunity to combine hands-on training with academic and critical thinking skills,” said HBMH Program Coordinator, Jenny Andrus, adding that the degree also gives students the option to pursue future graduate-level studies. “It is a chance for the student to further distinguish their academic resume, and to graduate and enter the workforce with both academic and practical skills.”

Courses in the degree program allow students to learn more about a field that they have already demonstrated a passion for and gain additional employment-ready skills in the full-semester field placement.

“Having both a diploma and a degree broadens the student’s employability and the positions they can pursue in the workforce,” said Andrus. The degree builds on the diploma to offer a range of increasingly specialized courses in areas from psychology to communications skills to counselling skills. In the final year of the degree, a thesis project offers students the opportunity to engage in an area of mental health research that interests them, with the benefit of deeper expertise.

Besides the added learning, degree students also enjoy small class sizes and the opportunity to connect with others who share their passion for mental health.

“One of the biggest highlights about the HBMH degree program at Durham College is the class sizes and faculty-to-teacher ratio,” said Andrus. “Students find a community of like-minded peers and wonderful connections with their teaching faculty.”   

DC names Communicative Disorders Lab in recognition of Harmonize for Speech Fund

Students in Durham College’s (DC) Communicative Disorders Assistant (CDA) graduate certificate program will benefit from a $50,000 donation, contributed over the next five years, made by Harmonize for Speech (H4S), an official charity of the Ontario District of the Barbershop Harmony Society International. To recognize this generous gift, the program’s lab has been named in their honour the Harmonize for Speech Communicative Disorders Lab.

On November 8, members of the Ontario District including three members of the H4S visited the college’s Oshawa campus to celebrate the naming of the lab and hear from faculty and students in the CDA program about the impact their gift has made to students’ education and to the clients of the program’s Kids Speech Clinic.

During their visit, members of H4S and the Last Call quartet also treated attendees to a performance, which included their theme songs We Sing That They Shall Speak and Keep the Whole World Singing – and even engaged students in a brief singing tutorial.

“The support for Harmonize for Speech will enhance our ability to provide essential services to young clients in need,” said Gillian Dunn, Associate Dean, Faculty of Health Sciences. “The Kids Speech Clinic has been an important part of the CDA program since 2018, helping to meet the needs of children in our community with speech while providing our students with invaluable experiential learning opportunities.”

Founded in 1977, H4S provides funds and support for Ontario children and adults to improve their ability to communicate. In addition to directly supporting the Kids Speech Clinic, funds provided by H4S will contribute to the purchase of assistive technologies and tools that will enhance therapeutic outcomes and equip students with crucial hands-on experience. Equipment purchased through this donation allows students to create communication aids such as visual schedules and communication and choice boards. Funds will also contribute to procuring an Anatomage 3D digital anatomy visualization and virtual dissection system.

“Our number one goal as a charity is to see that individuals with communicative disorders receive the help they need,” said Jim Finlay, Co-chair of the Harmonize for Speech Fund. “We believe that if we see to it that more people are well trained to work with them, the better chance they have of receiving the services they require.”