Students from Durham College’s (DC) Automotive Technician – Service and Management (Motive Power Technician) program participated in a live panel interview at the 2018 Canadian International Autoshow on February 23.

Sponsored by the Trillium Automobile Dealers Association’s Career Start education program, the interview was part of the Live Stage series at the show, featuring new, innovative and unique automotive programs at post-secondary institutions.

DC’s panel participants included first-year students Dan Howell and Marco Grande and second-year students Alorah Abell, Keeshan Sharma and Cass Varty.

The students’ interview highlighted DC’s unique Kit Car Build, a comprehensive learning experience exclusive to DC automotive students. Beginning in their first year, students build one of two Factory Five Racing kit cars — a 33 Hot Rod or MK4 Shelby Roadster — throughout their program, completing the vehicle prior to graduation. The project puts emphasis on mechanical hands-on training, critical thinking and essential employability skills.

DC’s two-year automotive program is designed to give graduates technical skills, theoretical knowledge and a solid understanding of business practices to confidently enter their careers at an advanced level. The program focuses on a diploma-to-apprenticeship path, giving qualified graduates the opportunity to register as a level-three apprentice.

Durham College (DC) graduate Victoria Rinsma earned a bronze medal at Chef Ireland 2018, part of the Chef Ireland Culinary Competitions, which took place in Dublin, February 6 and 7.

Representing the Institute of Technology Tralee’s (ITT) Hotel, Culinary Arts and Tourism Department, Rinsma was part of a four-person team that competed across three categories; she captured a bronze medal in the Irish Beef Fillet competition open class.

Rinsma is a graduate of DC’s Culinary Management program, where students develop their skills in the culinary arts while learning valuable management skills to take their careers to the next level. Rinsma’s win in Ireland is the latest in a series of culinary accomplishments she has received over the course of her academic career.

While studying at DC, Rinsma was part of the winning team at the 2016 Taste Canada Cook the Books competition, where she competed against top culinary students from across Ontario, and she received DC’s 2017 Gold Medal Award, which honours the college’s top culinary student.

Rinsma’s passion for cooking has taken her to ITT, where she is pursuing a three-year BA in Culinary Arts. ITT and DC enjoy a long-standing partnership that enables DC graduates of several of the college’s two- and three-year programs to enter ITT bachelor programs with advanced standing, allowing them to earn a degree in as little as two additional semesters of study. It is one of DC’s more than 450 academic pathways offered via agreements with universities in Ontario, Canada and around the world.

Congratulations, Victoria!

From life as a Toronto marketing executive to telling the city’s stories on the radio and from a career in the NHL to running three successful businesses, two Durham College (DC) graduates returned to campus on February 6 to share stories about their careers and life after graduation during the annual Alumni in the Pit event.

This year’s event featured Manjula Selvarajah, a 2014 grad of the college’s Journalism – Print and Broadcast program (now known as Journalism – Mass Media), and Brandon Nolan, a 2013 Business Administration – Marketing grad (now Marketing – Business Administration), who offered insights into how they’ve achieved success to the students and employees in attendance.

Manjula Selvarajah:

Now a Toronto-based freelance journalist and occasional on-air technology columnist and producer for CBC Radio, including the popular radio show Metro Morning, Selvarajah left her career as a marketing executive and headed back to school after being inspired by a story she heard on the news about Tamil refugees arriving in Canada. Driven by a desire to tell real stories that would not necessarily be told by mainstream media, she urged students in the audience to treat each day in class as if it is already their job and emphasized the importance of doing amazing work, regardless of whether it’s your dream role or not.

She also credits her DC professors and the field placement she completed as part of her program with preparing her for her current role. It’s a job that has taken her to the front lines of reporting the news and has given her the opportunity to give back, including co-founding the non-profit organization Tamil Women Rising.

Brandon Nolan:

Nolan has enjoyed a diverse career both on and off the ice. A proud Ojibway from the Garden River First Nation in northern Ontario, he grew up spending the winter months playing hockey on an outdoor rink, beginning his love for the game and eventually earning him a spot with the pros. After a stint in the Ontario Hockey League, he enjoyed a five-year professional hockey career that took him all over the world before being cut short by a serious concussion suffered while playing for the Carolina Hurricanes.

After recognizing a college education would give him the skills he needed to succeed in his post-hockey career, he headed back to school. Upon completing his studies, Nolan began down the path that now sees him running successful businesses with his father and brother, including 3N Clothing Apparel and the 3|NOLANS First Nation Hockey School, as well as the Ted Nolan Foundation, which supports and encourages Aboriginal youth to pursue academic growth for a better future.

He shared his story of graduating from DC and taking jobs that, though not ideal, were integral to getting his foot in the door. He also encouraged students to remember that all the steps they take in their career can lead to their goals, echoing his co-panelist’s emphasis on doing good work and providing good service.

Alumni in the Pit is part of DC’s backpack2Briefcase program, a series of events designed to help students and recent alumni make a smooth transition from college to the workplace. Events and workshops are held throughout the year to offer opportunities for both personal and professional development that will enhance the skills and training students learn in the classroom.

Durham College (DC) Personal Support Worker (PSW) students kicked off the new year by learning skills that go beyond the classroom. In a new collaboration with DC’s Centre for Food (CFF), PSW students were able to gain practical experience in food preparation and safety, a valuable skill within their industry.

To enhance the curriculum, program faculty worked with CFF enabling PSW students to complete a Food Safety Certificate through the Durham Region. This opportunity gives PSW students the chance to prepare a meal in class, a daily task in both community living and senior living settings as well as provide instrumental experience for their future career.

Prior to attending their session, students reviewed a video created by the faculty at the CFF, providing them with an overview of safe meal preparation procedures and standards, filmed by DC’s Media Services.

PSW students were then able to prepare a budget-friendly meal developed by the CFF. After their hard work, students were able to enjoy their meal and reflect on the experience. For some, it was their first time operating a gas stove, for others, it was their first time cutting an onion, PSW staff and students thoroughly enjoyed their experience – and their meal!

Durham College (DC) was proud to host more than 400 of Ontario’s brightest young minds, along with their teachers, families and friends, on January 13 as they competed in the annual FIRST® LEGO® League Ontario East Provincial Championship.

Known by its acronym that means For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology, FIRST is a U.S.-based, not-for-profit public charity that inspires young people to be science and technology leaders. Leadership and innovation was on full display at this year’s competition, held in DC’s Campus Recreation and Wellness Centre at the college’s Oshawa campus, as teams of students, ages nine to 14, showcased their hard work and skills.

Teams first presented research projects to judging panels before unleashing their robots, which the students designed, built and programmed using LEGO MINDSTORMS® technology, on to table-top playing fields.

This year’s competition theme, Hydro Dynamics^SM, challenged teams to consider water – how we find, transport, use or dispose of it – and answer the question, what might become possible when we understand what happens to our water? Each team was asked to identify a real-world, water-related problem then create an innovative solution and share it with others. In keeping with the theme, the robot playing fields and challenges also focused on water.

While students were on campus, DC president Don Lovisa also encouraged them to think about the broader connections between the Hydro Dynamics theme and career opportunities on their horizon.

“Where could this year’s Hydro Dynamics challenge lead?” he asked. “How about Civil Engineering Technology, carrying out the design and technical functions related to our infrastructure and environment, which includes water resources. Or keeping water safe, both for consumption and returning to our lakes and oceans, as a Water Quality Technician. These are two of many post-secondary STEM options offered right here at DC.”

At the end of a day filled with fierce and fun competition, the Comet Warriors team from Kingston was crowned the winner and awarded an opportunity to compete at the FIRST LEGO League World Festival taking place in Detroit, Michigan, from April 25 to 28.

As a sponsor and host of FIRST LEGO League, DC offers students what is often their first experience in a college environment and helps them to envision where their passion for robotics, technology and engineering can take them to pursue a post-secondary education.

For more information about FIRST LEGO League, please visit www.firstroboticscanada.org.

In celebration of the ongoing partnership between Durham College (DC) and Parkwood National Historic Site (Parkwood), students from the college’s Horticulture Technician program have recreated Parkwood’s iconic Japanese garden. Designed by Canadian landscape architect George Tanaka in 1963, the recreation made its debut at the Landscape Ontario Congress trade show, which took place in Toronto from January 9 to 11.

DC has presented garden concepts before but given the college’s relationship with Parkwood, working together to develop and deliver educational curricula, and the fact Parkwood is celebrating its 100th anniversary, it was decided the college would recreate the Tanaka design.

Commissioned by Sam McLaughlin, to convert the estate’s existing greenhouses, Tanaka was well known for combining his Japanese heritage with elements native to the Canadian landscape. Designed to be “simple and unassertive”, his Japanese garden is a staple at the historical site, occupying one of five greenhouse spaces.

McLaughlin was in his 90’s when the Japanese Garden greenhouse was designed and it became a contemplative retreat for him, mere steps from the house. He was often found wandering and enjoying the space.

Using original elements retrieved from the garden, which will be restored back to its original exterior this spring, and working in tandem with the heritage docents at Parkwood, the students put together their interpretation of Tanaka’s vision.

Following a two-day installation at Congress, more than 13,000 visitors to the trade show were able to take in the students hard work, while enjoying a piece of local Oshawa history.