Like millions of Canadians, Durham College (DC) student Damien Haveliwalla was moved by stories of Syrian refugees who arrived in Canada in search a new life, and decided to do something to help the cause in his own unique way.

Haveliwalla, a third-year student in the Sport Management program at DC, was doing his field placement in the sales and sponsorship department of the Steelheads – an Ontario Hockey League team based in Mississauga, when an idea hit him. What about inviting some Syrian refugee families, newly arrived in Toronto, to get their first taste of Canada’s national winter sport; hockey?

“The Steelheads are really big on community involvement,” Haveliwalla said. “And I thought, what better way to help introduce these people to our community, and to Canada, than by inviting them to be our guests at a Steelheads game.”

He took the idea to his team’s management and, after getting their approval, he approached Lifeline Syria, a charitable organization that recruits and trains sponsor groups to help Syrian refugees who are settling in the Greater Toronto Area. The Steelheads supplied tickets to the organization and, as a result, more than 200 Syrian refugees were able to attend their first hockey game as the Steelheads claimed a 5-3 victory over the Peterborough Petes on Friday, March 18^.

Haveliwalla says he was busy with his regular duties during the game, so he didn’t have much chance to interact with the refugee families who were attending the match, but one story he later heard did stick in his mind.

“One of volunteers with Lifeline Syria told me she talked to one of the refugees who told her she was so happy and excited to be at the game and, after everything she’d been through, it felt like the best day of her life,” Haveliwalla said. “Something like that really sticks with you.”

Haveliwalla’s efforts garnered local and national media attention for the Steelheads, with stories on CBC, CITY, Global and CTV News. His teachers at DC had nothing but praise for his efforts to raise the team’s community profile while helping Syrian families get accustomed to their new home.

“Damien has exhibited leadership skills and professionalism in his role with the Mississauga Steelheads,” said Janice Robinson, professor, School of Business, IT and Management at DC. “This is a great example for all of our students on how to excel in their field placements and careers.”

As for Haveliwalla himself, he will finish his placement as a member of the Steelheads sales and sponsorship team, then begin the task of finding a job in his chosen field. With the solid grounding he received from his family, he hopes the lessons he’s learned while at DC will lead to a successful career in sports management.

“My parents always taught me, and this was reinforced at DC, that I should always do the right thing, no matter how much work is involved.” Haveliwalla said. “This really felt like the right thing to do, and I’m glad I was able to help.”

First-and second-year students from Durham College’s (DC) culinary and hospitality programs recently had the opportunity to show off their skills when they spent the weekend cooking and serving pancakes at the Purple Woods Maple Syrup Festival.  During the weekend of March 19th and 20th, students from DC’s Culinary Management, Hospitality Skills, Hospitality – Hotel and Restaurant Operations Management, Special Events Planning and Advanced Baking and Pastry Art programs took on the challenge of feeding festival goers with a wide range of products. Chef Peter Lee, program co-ordinator for the Culinary Management program at the College’s Centre for Food (CFF) says this was the first time DC students had been involved with the festival and, by all accounts, their work was extremely successful.

“The students did everything from providing front-of-the-house services to setting up and preparing pancakes in the kitchen,” said Lee.  “They also operated a pop-up bake shop while feeding about 1,000 people per day. With the festival’s organizers saying everything went very efficiently with almost no line ups to get food, it is clear that the skills our students are gaining in the CFF’s classrooms, kitchen and labs, are making a very real impact when it comes to working in the field.”

In particular, events like the festival give students an opportunity to learn more about the requirements of feeding a large number of people, in close quarters, under tight deadlines. Students were responsible for setting up serving lines, cooking dozens of pancakes at a time, estimating how long it would take each batch to be served and how many could be prepared in each hour. Once the morning and afternoon pancake events were concluded, the students cleaned up, washed up and got ready to do it all again a few hours later.

”There are a number of advantages in taking part in these festival-style events, despite the large volume of work involved for our students,” added Lee. “This includes offering young people who might be considering a career in the culinary, hospitality or events industries the chance to meet with DC students and staff and learn about our award-winning programs.”

And the need to connect is a two-way street, as returning students and new graduates from DC’s culinary and hospitality programs are already searching for either summer jobs to pay for next year’s classes, or looking for the first job towards a full-time career. As Chef Lee points out, being visible in the community pays dividends for DC students as they start their career search.

“I’m fielding calls from a number of local restaurants who are seeking both summer staff and full-time cooks at their locations in Durham,” he added. “Being visible at events like the festival at Purple Woods Conservation Area gives us a chance to show potential employers what our students can do, while helping out in the community.”

Pollination provides a direct link between ecosystems and agricultural production systems, and is critical in the process of cultivating natural foods such as apples, bananas, berries, watermelon, and even chocolate. Without the aid of pollinators, such as butterflies, bees, hummingbirds and other insects, a majority of our food sources would disappear and our environment would begin to falter.

One important member of the pollinator family, the Monarch butterfly, has seen a steep population decline over several years. In an effort to help repopulate this species, Durham College (DC) has partnered with General Motors of Canada Company (GM) to support the Milkweed for Monarchs Program, a project launched to increase milkweed plants, the main food source for Monarchs.

On Monday, March 21, DC students and employees as well as General Motors Oshawa Assembly Plant employees made quick work of potting about 500 milkweed seedlings in the greenhouse located at DC’s Centre for Food (CFF) in Whitby.

“We are so pleased to partner with GM, and offer both space and volunteers to grow milkweed in our greenhouse,” said Shane Jones, professor, Centre for Food. “It’s also an excellent hands-on learning opportunity for students as they work with the plants, while understanding the importance of pollination.”

The plants will remain at DC’s greenhouse until late-April when they will be re-potted in larger four-inch pots. In May, they will be transferred to several locations throughout Durham Region where they will provide a safe habitat for endangered Monarch butterflies.

“The Milkweed for Monarchs Program is an example of GM’s commitment to environmental education and conservation through community partnerships,” said Bill Craig, senior environmental officer, Environmental Compliance & Sustainability, GM. “Our employees are proud to partner with Durham College staff and students to enhance the Monarch butterfly habitat.  The level of enthusiasm and engagement demonstrated by the students and staff was inspiring and reflects on the depth of commitment required to be effective environmental stewards.”

Some of the milkweed will be planted in DC’s own pollinator garden, which received a boost last summer with a large donation of plants from Dutchmaster Nurseries, including serviceberry, winterberry and butterfly bush. Students began populating the garden with the donated plants, and added in St. John’s wart and barrier foliage to create a semi-enclosed sanctuary for the bees and butterflies.

The pollinator garden does more than provide a safe haven for pollinators. It also provides learning opportunities for students in the Horticulture – Food and Farming and Horticulture Technician programs, where they can hone their horticulture and pruning skills and practice plant identification.

On January 21, Durham College (DC) Human Resources Management graduate certificate student Daniela Rojano was recognized with the Outstanding Student, HRPA Scholarship Award from the Human Resources Professionals Association (HRPA). The scholarship is presented to an outstanding student member enrolled in part-time or full-time studies in the association’s required academic courses who also demonstrates a financial need.

Rojano’s success spans from Mexico to Canada with Rojano deciding to further her post-secondary education at DC in 2015.

After obtaining her Bachelor of Business Administration from Technological University of Mexico in 2004 she gained significant human resources experience through a multitude of positions, eventually landing a leadership role as a human resources business partner and organizational development manager at PepsiCo. Despite holding a steady and rewarding job in Mexico, Rojano felt the need to expand her existing knowledge in the ever-changing field of human resources (HR).

After visiting the DC Oshawa campus, she became confident that the college’s Human Resources Management graduate certificate was the perfect fit. With the support of her husband and two young sons and with a commitment to continuous learning in mind she packed up her family and moved to Whitby, Ont.

“The role of human resource professionals has evolved since I began my career,” said Rojano. “In addition to being knowledgeable experts on topics such as compensation, labour relations, managerial accounting and occupational health and safety, HR professionals have the opportunity to add value to an organization by speaking the same business language to engage and influence business partners. I am inspired by the constant challenges in this field.”

In addition to maintaining high academic standards, Rojano also volunteers her time as a member of the Professional Development Committee of the HRPA Durham Chapter, a group committed to providing opportunities for learning and developing new competencies for HR professionals. After completing an internship at Teva Canada as part of her program, she was hired as a senior human resources generalist.

Rojano received her award at HRPA’s Annual Conference & Tradeshow, Canada’s largest human resources conference, attracting HR and business professionals from around the world. Taking place at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, the three-day event featured keynote speakers, informative sessions, more than 240 exhibitors and an opportunity to network with others in the industry.

“The first time I visited Durham College I was impressed by the supports and services available to me on campus,” said Rojano. “In my experience as a student, I am continually amazed by the passionate and knowledgeable professors who are always willing to help.”

DC’s Human Resources Management graduate certificate is designed for individuals with previous post-secondary education or relevant work experience. Students enhance their knowledge and abilities, enabling them to contribute to business success in an increasingly competitive global marketplace.

The demand for mechanical engineers in the challenging industrial environment is growing. In fact, in 2014, 79 per cent of Durham College (DC) Mechanical Engineering Technology students found employment in a related field after graduation according to the college’s Graduate Employment Report.

Using the skills they acquired at DC, a number of these graduates are carving out careers at Thinkpath Engineering Services (Ontario) Inc. (Thinkpath), a global leader in engineering and design services. In 2013, Eddie Riby, an engineering account manager at Thinkpath met with several students in the third year of DC’s Mechanical Engineering Technology program. Impressed by their strong familiarity with the computer-aided design (CAD) software currently being used by Thinkpath, Riby has hired 14 DC graduates since that initial meeting.

“I find that Durham College graduates have a good foundation of 3D modelling and drafting skills,” said Riby. “During the program, students are trained using Siemens NX, the CAD software we use at Thinkpath Engineering Services. Having an understanding of this software before graduation is an asset they can build throughout their design career with Thinkpath.”

One of the DC alumni who joined the Thinkpath team is Riley Tomiuck, a 2014 Mechanical Engineering Technology program graduate. There he uses the skills he acquired during his time DC to provide mechanical design services to several clients. In addition, he delivers technical presentations outlining engineering issues he is responsible for discovering and resolving for clients. 

“The professors at DC really went above and beyond my expectations,” said Tomiuck. “In addition to facilitating hands-on training, they inspired us by sharing their extensive knowledge, personal experiences and advice. Our professors also passed along interview tips, which made me far more confident when job searching.”

The college’s Mechanical Engineering Technology program prepares graduates to work both independently and as part of an engineering team to provide technical support and service in fields such as manufacturing, construction and energy generation. In the third year of the program, students have the opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge and problem-solving skills in the college’s 8,000-square-foot Integrated Manufacturing Centre, a world-class training facility located at the Oshawa campus.

Each year, Durham College supports the York Region Secondary School Mock Trial Competition held at the Newmarket Courthouse. 24 high schools compete by conducing mock trials before Judges in the Superior Court of Justice.

This year, Stephanie Ball, executive dean of the School of Justice & Emergency Services and School of Interdisciplinary Studies, joined the coordinating committee comprised of the Chief Justice of Ontario, the Crown Attorney for York Region, Senior Regional Chief Justice of Ontario, and York Region Deputy Chief of Police. 

Durham College (DC) students from the Paralegal program were thanked by Ball for inspiring high school students as she opened the ceremonies. In her speech, she shared the stories of how students often pursue a career in the field of justice because of these mock trials.

Current DC student Andrew Keeping participated in the competition when he was in high school and credits the experience with leading him to DC and the Paralegal program.

“I would say that my experience with the mock trial was incredibly educational and beneficial in many ways. The most apparent way was that I benefited from the competitive nature of the event and I really enjoyed interacting with real legal professionals and real judges, in a real courtroom.  You can’t get more real than that,” said Keeping.

Tasif Chowdhury, also a DC Paralegal student was unsure as a high school student if pursuing an education in law was the right option for him, the mock trial helped convince him it was the correct choice.

“When I decided to join the Mock Trial team in high school I was unsure of how much I really enjoyed law. But, after having worked with lawyers to prepare for the trial and having the experience of being in a court room, I ended up changing my mind. Being involved with the mock trial was actually fun, and only confirmed my interest in pursuing a career within the legal field.  Now at Durham College, I continue to gain all of the skills needed to succeed. There is nothing more empowering than the knowledge I have gained in this program and looking back I now know I made the right choice,” said Chowdhury.

The mock trials were created to help high school students develop their interest in the legal field while exposing them to a fully integrated, hands-on experience. DC supported the event administratively through Professor Burger, a lawyer teaching in the paralegal program, and Nicole Davidson, Student Recruitment and Admission Services.

DC’s Paralegal program is accredited by The Law Society of Upper Canada (Law Society), the regulatory body governing professional paralegals in the province. The program prepares students for the Law Society’s paralegal licensing examination, enabling them to provide legal services within authorized areas of law practice and represent clients before Small Claims Court, Criminal Court (summary convictions), Provincial Offences Court and government tribunals.

Although Canada’s need for skilled workers is no secret, according to Statistics Canada women’s representation in the trades remains low, accounting for only five per cent of all skilled trades workers in the country. To help fill this gap, Durham College (DC) will launch a new, all-women Elevating Devices Mechanic (EDM) pre-apprenticeship training program at the end of February.

“Ontario is expecting to see a high demand for skilled workers such as elevator constructors/mechanics and crane operators over the next 10 years,” said Christine Murphy, manager, Access Programs and Employment Services, DC. “These professions offer exceptional opportunities for employment yet women are still not entering them in any significant number. We want to get the word out about these careers, encourage women to pursue them and prepare our students to seize these opportunities in the job market.”

The need for certified EDMs is high due to the ongoing high-rise boom in cities, aging infrastructure in need of modernization and increased safety and maintenance standards. EDM is also one of many skilled trades facing a transitioning workforce as baby boomers retire in record numbers.

As one of only two organizations in Ontario to offer an EDM apprenticeship program, DC is known for its training expertise in this area, making the women’s EDM pre-apprenticeship program a natural fit for the college.

Through the program, which will see up to 15 women enrolled in full-time studies, students complete the in-school apprenticeship training for EDM Level 1; gain exposure to a secondary trade through an Industrial Mechanic Millwright course; and gain industry experience through a placement opportunity. Students will also receive safety and workplace preparedness training tailored for women entering a skilled trade.

To deliver this training, DC is partnering with the Microskills Community Development Centre (MCDC). MCDC will instruct students on a variety of topics, including recognizing and responding to unsafe scenarios; personal integrity and ethical practices; maintaining personal and professional boundaries; forms of harassment and strategies to address the situation; problem solving for work-life balance conflicts; and job mobility and developing leadership potential.

The program is being funded through the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities (MTCU) Pre-Apprenticeship Training Program, which seeks to increase the number of new participants enrolled in apprenticeship programs while addressing skilled-trade shortages.

Firefighting doesn’t typically bring to mind snow, sleet and ice. Yet for first responders in Canada, treacherous, freezing conditions are as much a part of the job as smoke and flames. In spite of this, safety concerns and other limitations have made hands-on cold weather training tough to come by for firefighting students.

On January 26 and 27 that all changed for students in Durham College’s (DC) Firefighter Pre-service, Education and Training (PFET) program when they participated in an Environmental Stress Simulation Workshop. Held inside the climatic wind tunnel of the Automotive Centre for Excellence (ACE) at the University of Ontario Institute of Technology, the two-day workshop saw students execute a series of drills designed to test their physical and mental capabilities under intense environmental conditions.

With ACE providing simulated weather conditions in a safe, controlled setting, students executed several drills. This included dragging a 110-pound mannequin around an icy chamber; riding a stationary bike through blustering snow; performing hot room victim search-and-rescue procedures in the dark; and battling wind and rain while practising dismounts from a full-size firetruck, extending hose lines and performing forcible entries — all while wearing full personal protective equipment and a self-contained breathing apparatus. Lastly, they performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation in a simulated moving ambulance that took them on a winding, bumpy ride.

Seizing the opportunity to work in a setting unique to their field, students in DC’s Fitness and Health Promotion (FHP) program also got in on the action. FHP students outfitted their PFET peers with state-of-the-art body metrics compression shirts in order to measure their heart rate, breathing rate and breathing volume. The data was then used to determine how their bodies reacted under the adverse conditions.

“Firefighting has tremendous physical demands,” said Michael Williams-Bell, a professor with the FHP program. “Providing students with an understanding of how their body reacts to typical job tasks will enable our firefighting students to make better decisions when responding to an emergency.”

Emerging frost-covered from a sub-zero chamber, PFET student Tyler Austin was surprised by how the cold affected his performance. Even as a seasoned ski patrol officer used to working in frigid temperatures, Austin found the cold-weather drills challenging. “It was interesting to see how much the cold affects our equipment and breathing apparatus,” said Austin. “I realized I had to slow down and use my skip-breathing techniques. Being able to simulate what it will be like out there on a cold winter day was a great way to get hands-on experience that backs up all our theory work.”

That’s exactly the kind of insight PFET instructor Rick Bowler hoped students would gain; in the 16 years he’s been teaching at DC, he’s never seen anything like the Environmental Stress Simulation Workshop.

“Firefighting is a fiercely competitive field, so offering students truly innovative experiences like this demonstrates how committed DC is to helping them gain a real, competitive advantage,” said Bowler. “I always have certain goals in mind for my students’ experience and this has surpassed any of them by far.”

As part of DC’s ongoing commitment to aligning its programs with the needs of students, employers and job market conditions, the School of Justice & Emergency Services and the School of Health & Community Services will now review the workshop and the possibility of making it an ongoing part of the PFET and FHP curricula.

Despite the cold weather happening outside, Durham College Horticulture Technician students recently had an opportunity to put their green thumbs to use when they showed off their skills at Landscape Ontario Congress.

Taking place from January 12 to 14, the annual event, now in its 42nd year, is Canada’s largest green industry trade show and conference, showcasing cutting-edge suppliers, educational sessions and keynote speakers. In addition, post-secondary students enrolled in horticulture programs at colleges across Ontario, are invited to build a student garden for the conference, allowing them to experience real-world timelines and pressures while adding green space to the event.

During their second semester, DC’s Horticulture Technician students collectively decided on the theme and design of their garden. To honour the first harvest of the fields at the Centre for Food (CFF), they chose an agriculture theme, which included vegetables and wild flowers grown in the college’s greenhouse. Using knowledge acquired during their studies, students planted the seeds and timed the growth of the various plants to ensure they reached maturity during the show. The evergreen components of the garden were generously donated by Kobes Nurseries Inc. in Bowmanville, Ont.

The students then pre-built some of the garden’s elements during the fall, giving them time to work out any kinks and prepare for the installation of the display in January. In keeping with the rural theme, the display’s structure and fencing was made of rough-cut Hemlock wood secured with mortise and tenon joinery in place of typical hardware.

“This project provides invaluable experience and networking opportunities to our students,” said Shane Jones, program co-ordinator of the Horticulture Technician program. “They thrive in a professional atmosphere year after year, uphold high standards and conduct themselves respectfully and professionally. It’s an honour to stand with them as representatives of Durham College.”

In addition to creating and displaying a garden at the event, the students also attended the tradeshow on January 14 as active participants before disassembling their garden. In addition to the hands-on experience of designing, growing and building their display, they also had the opportunity to mingle with industry professionals and students from other colleges.

“Once again, Durham College students have done an excellent job communicating the values of the college to an audience of more than 13,000 horticultural professionals,” said Tony DiGiovanni, executive director, Landscape Ontario. “The Durham College garden reflects the strong connection between the landscape and food.”

Students in the Sports Business Management (graduate certificate) program this fall were given the opportunity to complete a project in partnership with Maple Leaf Sports Entertainment (MLSE). As part of the Selling Sport course, they received the rights to sell discounted tickets for four Toronto Marlies games, using the skills they acquired in their program to put together a preliminary sales strategy proposal, sell the tickets and then reflect on their successes and challenges in a post-sales recap report. In addition, Marc Lira and Colby Pridham, two members of the MLSE sales team, shared their experiences with the students during an in-class guest lecture.

“The project provided an excellent opportunity for students to use the skills and knowledge they learned in class and apply to a real-life selling situation,” said Scott Campbell, professor in the School of Business, IT & Management. “They really benefitted from having an organization like MLSE to partner with.”

However, for these students, this project was about more than just making the grade. For each ticket sold, $5 was donated to Camp Oochiegeas, a summer camp exclusively serving children with cancer. Together, the students were able to sell 409 tickets, raising more than $2,000 for Camp Oochiegeas, which is free to campers and is staffed entirely by volunteers.

“This project, was extremely rewarding. I would consider it a highlight of the term,” said Heather Lloyd, the top-selling student. “We appreciated the chance to not only push ourselves to achieve our personal sales goals, but to also be able to make a meaningful donation to Camp Oochiegeas.”

As the top-selling student, Lloyd, who sold 40 tickets, was rewarded with a career counselling meeting with MLSE. In addition, the top four sellers in the class each received a pair of tickets to an upcoming MLSE event.