Durham College (DC) is thrilled to announce that the Ontario government is providing the college with more than $1.5 million in funding to support 12 innovative virtual learning projects. From entrepreneurship and sales to health care, cybersecurity and more, these projects will help students gain access to new, high-quality post-secondary learning and retraining opportunities.

“The last 14 months are proof that virtual learning is flexible, accessible, and can offer boundless educational opportunities for students,” said Dr. Elaine Popp, executive vice president, Academic. “We are grateful for the Ontario government’s support and investment in these projects. This funding allows us to continue offering exceptional in-demand virtual learning experiences for students who wish to gain valuable skills that prepares them for workplace success.”

Of the 12 DC projects to be developed with the funding, four are micro-credentials that respond to specific industry gaps, including Corporate Training Specialization, Establishing a Construction Contracting Small Business in Ontario, Managing Responsive Behaviours in Older Adults and Sales for Small Businesses.

The remainder of the projects are a diverse selection of digital learning resources, programs and courses that will supplement learning taking place at DC and its collaborative partner institutions, including:

• Case Management Workflow simulator
• Cybersecurity courses – APSA upskilling course and Cloud Computing Fundamentals course
• Fluid Power Trainer simulator
• Five-course French language program
• Health Technology Management Practice course
• Indigenous Histories and Reconciliation: Moving Towards Reconciliation through Capacity Building course
• Metrology Trainer simulator
• Write it Again – Open Educational Resource

These projects are part of the province’s Virtual Learning Strategy that was announced last December and support key priority areas including creating or adapting digital content, equipping faculty and students with skills and resources to teach and learn online and identifying educational technologies to support online courses and programs.

Durham College (DC) is pleased to announce it has received $25,000 from the Bell Let’s Talk Post-Secondary Fund. As part of Bell’s commitment to the mental health of post-secondary students, the Bell Let’s Talk Fund Kickoff Grant is awarded each spring to select colleges and universities to cover start-up costs for specific mental health initiatives.

DC will utilize this funding to infuse mental health resources into DC’s first-year experience course PREP 1000 – a self-guided, non-academic course consisting of seven modules designed to prepare students for their first day of classes.

The development of a mental health module within PREP 1000 is currently under way, and is expected to be completed for the upcoming fall semester. In addition to a dedicated module, wellness resources and mental health awareness will also be embedded throughout the entire course.

“Durham College is incredibly grateful to receive this funding from Bell Canada,” says Tara Koski, dean, Students. “Aligned with the college’s goal of building digital fluidity, the mental health module of PREP 1000 will provide students with their own toolbox, equipped with helpful information, coping strategies and support networks should they find themselves in need of help.”

DC is committed to ensuring mental health resources are accessible across campus to help prepare students for success. Through the updated PREP 1000 modules, students will learn about the various supports and services that exist within DC’s community as well as external resources, such as the Good2Talk 24/7 Post-secondary Student Helpline.

“PREP 1000 is a conduit which allows us to spread mental health awareness to the largest volume of students possible, during a critical point of transition,” says Tara. “Its systematic and comprehensive approach will support our goal to create mental health equity within the Durham College community.”

Led by the Student Development office, the design of the PREP 1000 mental health module features collaborations across a number of DC departments and services, such as the Access and Support Centre, International Office, Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion and the Campus Health and Wellness Centre, and includes valuable input from DC’s mental health professionals.

Learn more about DC’s mental health resources online or contact the Campus Health and Wellness Centre at chwc@durhamcollege.ca.

As a recognized leader in food, farming and horticulture science education, Durham College is pleased to announce it has received a $5-million donation, to be released over a period of five years, from The Barrett Family Foundation. Only the second college in Ontario to receive support from the foundation, the funds will be used to create The Barrett Centre of Innovation in Sustainable Urban Agriculture (Barrett Centre). 

Housed within the college’s Whitby campus, the Barrett Centre’s vision is to become an internationally recognized hub of excellence in urban agricultural practices, research, education and training, to address some of society’s biggest challenges including food insecurity, access to safe and stable supplies of fresh food, and economic stability and regeneration of land for local food production. 

This includes building a dynamic new urban farm that will be developed as a community-inspired living lab in the coming years. Leveraging the college’s horticultural, food and farming knowledge and experience, the farm will replicate and scale the successful farming operation already established at the college’s Whitby campus, within the community.

“We are extremely grateful to be partnering with The Barrett Family Foundation to bring this new centre to life,” said Don Lovisa, president, Durham College. “The immense successes we have enjoyed with our post-secondary programs and urban farm on our Whitby campus demonstrate the potential for further exploration and solving critical issues related to food access and security. In establishing the new community farm, we will refine and enhance the current model while also scaling up more broadly to support the local, regional and national urban environments.”

“Durham College is a recognized leader in urban agriculture education,” said Bob Barrett, The Barrett Family Foundation. “The vision to modernize and replicate their current model of urban farming into a regional, national and global entity is very impressive and innovative. Our investment in the college and creation of the Barrett Centre will allow them to scale their operations into a global hub for urban agriculture knowledge and best practices.”

Over the coming weeks and months, the college will begin establishing the infrastructure for the Barrett Centre, including the new community farm which will be scaled and modelled based on the urban farm at DC’s Whitby campus gardens, greenhouses and agricultural fields. A progress update and launch event is planned for the summer, public health restrictions permitting. 

For more information about The Barrett Centre of Innovation in Sustainable Urban Agriculture visit www.durhamcollege.ca/barrettcentre.

Durham College (DC) is pleased to announce that it has been named one of Canada’s Greenest Employers for the fifth consecutive year, further emphasizing the college’s commitment to sustainability.

Awarded as part of the 2021 editorial competition 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. DC was evaluated on how it incorporates environmental values into its everyday culture, and how it attracts employees through its green initiatives.

This year, the college was recognized for its continued comprehensive approach to sustainability at both its Oshawa and Whitby campuses. From heating and cooling select buildings using geothermal energy, to growing and harvesting affordable food that produces little waste and few emissions at the W. Galen Weston Centre for Food (Weston Centre), DC continues to prioritize its green initiatives.

“As a leader in post-secondary education, it is our responsibility to pave the way for a greener future,” says Don Lovisa, president, DC. “Taking climate action through sustainable initiatives and capital projects is never easy – but as good corporate citizens, the positive impacts we’ve already made are worth the effort. While this award recognizes how far we’ve come, it also demonstrates our continued commitment to creating a culture of sustainability here at Durham College and beyond. Together, we are leading the way.”

Recent capital projects like the Simcoe Geothermal Field are recognized through this award as helping to reduce the demand for heating and cooling through natural gas, as well as electricity generation. The Energy Innovation Centre, which is also part of the geothermal field project, processes the power and is a living lab for DC students to learn about green energy, while the greenspace atop the geothermal field provides a relaxing and enjoyable atmosphere for all employees and students to take advantage of.

At the Whitby campus, the Weston Centre is home to numerous sustainable features. There are agricultural growing fields, an apiary, greenhouse, pollinator garden and an arboretum, as well as some experimental projects, such as an old shipping container that has been transformed into a vertical hydroponic garden capable of producing 700 heads of lettuce per week, all year round. This innovative growing space uses 90 per cent less water than traditional farming methods, features LED lighting for growing and eliminates food miles – the distance food travels from where it is made to where it’s consumed.

You can read more about why DC was selected for this award online.

Thanks to Fraser Ford and Ford of Canada, students studying in the Durham College’s (DC) Motive Power Technician – Service and Management program and Levels 1, 2 and 3 automotive apprenticeships will have the opportunity to develop in-demand skills, while also gaining valuable hands-on experience by working on a 2020 Ford F-150 Raptor.

Donated as part of Ford Canada’s nationwide initiative to provide 95 vehicles to automotive technology educational institutions across the country, the students will be able to put the skills they are learning in class to good use while working on the truck.

“Supporting our local community has been a core value here at Fraser Ford for our more than 26 years in operation,” said Carlee Fraser, vice president and general manager, Fraser Ford. “As a past board member for Durham College, I’m delighted to continue to support the students in this valuable program. We’re excited to see them continue to grow in this industry and continue to advance their knowledge with access to this new vehicle.”

While the truck had been damaged due to flooding last year, it has been given a new lease on life as the perfect training tool.

“On behalf of the students and faculty in our automotive programs at Durham College, I want to offer a heartfelt thank you for this gift,” said Dr. Rebecca Milburn, executive dean, School of Skilled Trades, Apprenticeship & Renewable Technology, and principal, Whitby Campus. “The donation of the 2020 Ford F-150 Raptor will enhance our ability to train students and support our primary goal of preparing job-ready graduates.”

In addition to hands-on learning opportunities, students will also gain access to Ford Canada’s online Automotive Career Exploration (ACE) training, a subset of web-based programs comprised of the same courses taken by current dealer technicians.

“Fraser Ford’s donation will be a great asset to our students’ practical experience,” said Ralph Ruffo, co-ordinator for DC’s Motive Power programs. “The addition of ACE is an added bonus and will allow them to become familiar with Ford technology, while also allowing them to participate in real-time factory training.”

For more information on DC’s programs or apprenticeships, please visit http://www.durhamcollege.ca/start.

The Office of Research Services, Innovation and Entrepreneurship (ORSIE) and the Student Affairs office at Durham College (DC) are pleased to announce $492,654 in funding from Co-operative Education and Work-Integrated Learning (CEWIL) Canada to support eligible students enrolled in six of the college’s Work-Integrated Learning (WIL) programs this semester.

CEWIL Canada has a long history of supporting DC and its WIL-related initiatives. The new CEWIL Innovation Hub (iHUB), which is funded in part by the Government of Canada’s Innovative Work-Integrated Learning Initiative (I-WIL), is a program dedicated to developing career-ready students through quality WIL-training. Acting as a centre of expertise for grant-based funding, the CEWIL iHUB launched its first call for proposals in 2021.

DC students from a variety of programs will benefit from this funding, including:

• Practical Nursing and Personal Support Worker – Through the Financial Support Grant for Frontline Health Care WIL Requirements, frontline health care students at DC with winter semester placements – many of whom were impacted by COVID-19 closures– will be eligible to receive financial support for WIL-related expenses, including pre-placement requirements, transportation, technology and childcare. The goal of this program is to expand access to WIL opportunities, particularly to students in underrepresented populations.
• Chemical Engineering Technology – Students in their final year of the program will complete a high-impact field placement in chemical engineering technology laboratory enhancement and equipment repair. Students will benefit from access to current, industry-relevant technology, such as chemical process simulation software and hands-on experience developing standard operating procedures (SOPs) for in-house use of these technologies. The experience will enable students to employ practical troubleshooting techniques for equipment repair and calibration contributing to their career-readiness.
• Video Production and Photography – Students will partner with the K.M. Hunter Charitable Foundation to experience the arts and culture sector while producing communication materials centred around Ontario’s contemporary Indigenous arts community. The funding will allow students to leverage new technology, adapt to COVID-19 limitations and explore new approaches to remote digital film production using 360-degree angle cameras, lighting and sound enhancements.
• Fitness and Health Promotion – In collaboration with experts from Ontario Tech University, DC students will implement wearable technologies and use sports science techniques to assist in developing unique training programs for elite varsity athletes. This funding will foster opportunities for DC students to leverage the fitness industry’s leading-edge technology, such as the Kinduct training platform, used by over 450 professional and elite sports teams to analyze data from wearable technologies to customize training programs. This experience will familiarize Fitness and Health students with technologies used in their field, bridging the gap as they enter the workplace.

“This funding demonstrates CEWIL Canada’s dedication to the training of future professionals and the value work-integrated learning programs add to the student experience,” says Dr. Elaine Popp, executive vice president, Academic. “After an unprecedented year, this support will benefit many of our students whose academic paths have faced numerous challenges.”

“This investment will have an incredible impact on unique, experiential learning opportunities that ensure our students are better prepared with the skills required for today’s changing workplace,” says Debbie McKee Demczyk, dean, Office of Research Services, Innovation and Entrepreneurship. “We are incredibly grateful for CEWIL Canada’s commitment to student success.”

As part of DC’s commitment to provide unique experiential learning opportunities to students, WIL has been a vital part of DC’s framework and student experience for decades, embedded as a formal component in many programs of study.

More than 2,000 Durham College (DC) students and alumni spent the first two weeks of March working to achieve their goals and launch their careers during the college’s virtual Gear Up to Get Hired at Home events and Career Fair.

From March 1 to 11, DC’s Career Development office organized numerous career-focused webinars and virtual events, which included valuable advice on how to create a personal pitch, resumé writing techniques, virtual interview tactics, and more, preparing them for DC’s largest Virtual Career Fair to date on March 11.

This year, the annual Virtual Career Fair brought in 142 potential employers for students and alumni to meet, including those currently hiring for part-time, summer and seasonal work. Over 2,700 job seekers accessed the event platform in the month leading up to the fair to visit virtual booths and research the participating employers.  Organizations involved represented a mix of economic sectors, including business, community services, manufacturing, skilled trades, information technology, engineering, health care, hospitality and justice.

In previous years, in order to participate, companies were required to be hiring within six months of the fair. Due to COVID-19, the event was open to companies not in a position to hire at the moment, but looking to build brand awareness among DC students, so they could begin to map out how they would like their career to look down the road.

DC’s Career Development office provides students and alumni with year-round support for all things career-related, including support for career exploration, resumé building and cover letter writing, interviewing skills and job search strategies. To learn more, please visit www.durhamcollege.ca/careerdevelopment.