From simulation labs and skilled trades shops, to culinary kitchens, media studios and more, the state-of-the-art facilities and learning spaces at Durham College (DC) facilitate hands-on learning that enables students to develop career-ready skills for an ever-changing job market.

As prospective students begin to make their decisions about their post-secondary programs for the next academic year, DC has made exploring its campuses easier and safer for applicants by leveraging leading-edge technology to develop a new immersive virtual tour.

With 56 spaces to visit at the Oshawa and Whitby campus, prospective students, parents, and the public can experience what it’s like to be on campus and learn more about the innovative facilities available to students at DC.

At the Oshawa campus, users have access to behind-the-scenes at the massage room in the Durham College Spa, Global Classroom and Nursing Lab and can explore the industrial-grade equipment available in the flexible, fully automated Integrated Manufacturing Centre. While at the Whitby campus, those interested in hospitality and horticulture, skilled trades and more can learn more about the innovative service areas, labs, shops and training facilities that will help them develop career-ready skills through transformative education.

Take a virtual trip to DC and visit our campuses or learn more about the programs and services available at DC by attending our Virtual Open House on Saturday, March 27 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

FastStartDC is home to student entrepreneurship at Durham College (DC). Since early 2020, the team has been working one-on-one virtually with students to support them in launching their own small business. Using the free, online FS360 Course, students are able to embrace the tools and landscape of e-commerce and prepare to be virtual champions in response to COVID-19’s devastating impact on small businesses around the world. 

“Helping my peers develop a brand and business has been incredibly rewarding as a graphic design student,” says Alex Colella, who is studying in DC’s School of Media, Art and Design (MAD) and work-studies as FastStartDC’s graphic design specialist. “Like myself, they’re facing a post-graduation world that has truly changed. Through our FastStartDC experience, we’re helping each other prepare for that.” 

FastStartDC’s team of dedicated employees and work-study students celebrate the success of the program’s aspiring entrepreneurs. This year, with so many hardworking students to celebrate, they chose to share one story in particular, of a student who exemplifies true resilience, passion and ambition. Erin Malcolm, a second-year Business – Entrepreneurship and Small Business student, is working with FastStartDC to launch Methodically Yours, a multi-level wellness coaching business born from her personal history of suffering in the grips of trauma and addiction. She credits the help of reiki, formal therapy, yoga and irreplaceable mentorships and friendships for her inspiration to create the Whole-Hearted coaching program.   

FastStartDC has supported Erin during the last year with bi-weekly, virtual business mentorship meetings and weekly remote creative service support, including graphic design, videography and photography.

“My mission is to forge a path for those who suffer, helping them reconnect with themselves and those who love them,” says Erin. “My vision would be nowhere near reality if not for the guidance, support and encouragement from the FastStart program team. The resources, mentorship and time dedicated to this project has been crucial to my success.”

Lindsey Irwin-Jeremiah, manager, Entrepreneurship Services, knows the FastStartDC community thrives on challenge. The results of the pandemic have proven the need to act quickly to keep students motivated and encourage them to work remotely with the same passion and drive they would feel on campus.

“With awareness and sensitivity around student mental health, we have fostered a world of coaching and mentorship where we prize resilience and confidence and actively promote the development of durable skills as part of the 2021 toolkit for student entrepreneurs,” said Lindsey.

With today’s employment landscape, there’s never been a better time to embrace resilience, channel creativity and explore self-employment. FastStartDC is available to all current DC students. From tech and artwork to beauty products and software, the FS360 program teaches students how to create their own summer jobs, generate revenue and bring their business ideas to life.

For more information about FastStartDC, to access the FS360 program or to sign up for support, please email FastStartDC@durhamcollege.ca.

Durham College (DC) students in the Horticulture Technician and Horticulture – Food and Farming programs are continuing to expand their skill set with the recent launch of  commercial products fresh from their vertical hydroponic farm, The Leafy Green Machine. This vertical farm, from Freight Farms, is a welcomed addition to our campus thanks to the Weston Family Foundation farm expansion donation.

Operated by work-study students from both programs, the vertical farm provides DC students with the unique opportunity to integrate real-world experiences throughout their studies. From learning how to grow and produce crops, delving more into product development, and running a sustainable business, our students are truly becoming job ready.

Last week, the team officially launched their 150g sustainable lettuce mixes packaged in fully compostable plastic and recycled craft labels. This product is grown, harvested, washed, packaged and produced by DC students. During the first week of sales, the team sold 25 containers and sales have continued to grow each week. With this new experiential learning opportunity, students expand on course concepts and show how DC is leading the way.

To support this initiative, visit DC’s Pantry curbside menu or through the Kendal Hills Virtual Farmers Market.

Last month, Durham College (DC) welcomed City of Oshawa Mayor Dan Carter in a visit to the new Mixed Reality Capture Studio (the MRC Studio) for an interactive demonstration of the innovative motion capture applications and business solutions being developed at DC.

Joined by DC President Don Lovisa and John Goodwin, the lead researcher for the MRC Studio and full-time professor and program coordinator for the Game Art program, Mayor Carter’s tour included an overview of some of the projects and applied research taking place in the studio, like a custom controller developed for Bad Jump Games that simulates harness racing for an immersive game play experience.

Afterwards, Mayor Carter and President Lovisa spoke with several EnactusDC and FastStartDC students to learn about the meaningful social entrepreneurship projects currently taking place virtually out of the 360Insights Entrepreneurship Centre.  Some of these projects can be found at FastStartDC’s virtual Holiday Market, including 3eehive, an apparel company using clothing tags made from plantable , bee-friendly wildflowers.

Learn more about the MRC Studio and Mayor Carter’s visit in the video below.

Written by Lindsey Jeremiah, manager, Entrepreneurship Services
We may be giving up the crowded, frantic mall shopping experience this holiday season, but we think that’s actually not so bad! Staying home to stay safe has allowed the FastStartDC team to get creative with ways to share the holiday cheer this year!

So…  what did they do?

A team of student entrepreneurs collaborated to build a beautifully festive online marketplace to replace the in-person holiday market experience FastStart offers annually to support their student entrepreneurs during the holiday season. The new FastStart Holiday Store allows shoppers to browse products from more than 30 vendors anywhere, at anytime. The marketplace will be live until Monday, December 14 to allow for shipping time!

This online shopping opportunity allows our shoppers to purchase artisanal, handmade products online and have them shipped directly to their home, allowing for a safe and contact-free shopping experience this holiday season. The vendor roster includes products ranging from home décor, jewellery, woodworking, gourmet food, apparel, soy candles, beauty products, decorative mugs, art, and more. Perfect gift and stocking stuffer ideas!

The pandemic has had a double impact on small businesses and start-ups. Traditional storefront shops have been hit the hardest and have been forced to pivot to e-commerce, or close up shop. However, many of our student start-ups from Durham College are e-commerce based from the start. FastStart students build and launch businesses while they study and a key stage of the process includes the set-up of a Shopify platform to support the student so they can conduct business online.

FastStart students actually receive one year free on the Shopify platform, which gives them a chance to build an audience and customer base from their business and learn the ins and outs of digital marketing so that they can drive traffic and achieve conversions on their sites.

With a contactless option like the FastStart Holiday Store, you won’t miss the big box store shopping experience, with its mile-long lines at checkout, elbow throwing in aisles, and heavy winter attire making you sweat as you aimlessly drift with your list in hand.

Shopping online has never been hotter – and not just for its convenience. There has been a seismic shift in shopper mentality to support small business this year as a result of COVID-19. Entrepreneurs, side-hustlers, and modern makers are the new roster of go-to businesses we all love to support. They are local, they’ve been hurt by the impact of the pandemic, and they package their unique gifts with care and flair. We want to buy products that are made in Canada and we love to feel the glow of supporting our friends, family members, or neighbours with their small business. It’s a win-win.

Durham College (DC) and Precise ParkLink are thrilled to share the results of their long-term collaborative partnership through their online Artificial Intelligence Kiosk Case Study.

With a working relationship that began in 2015 when the college selected Precise ParkLink as its parking management services provider, this partnership has evolved beyond parking, as Precise ParkLink helps facilitate student learning as an industry partner for DC’s Office of Research Services, Innovation and Entrepreneurship (ORSIE).

DC’s applied research program, facilitated by ORSIE, solves industry and social challenges through innovation and collaboration. By engaging industry, faculty, students, and the community-at-large in research projects that address the needs of a technology-driven knowledge economy, ORSIE brings together multiple stakeholders and groups interested in mutually-beneficial solutions, leveraging the talent, facilities, and capabilities of the college and broader community to advance economic prosperity within Durham Region.

“One of the reasons organizations enjoy working with Precise ParkLink is because we offer the latest technology innovations available in the marketplace,” says Maria Lato, marketing manager for Precise ParkLink. “Being an ORSIE industry partner allows Precise ParkLink to tackle its large-scale research and development wish list faster.”

“Durham College and Precise ParkLink have engaged in five different applied research projects,” says Debbie McKee Demczyk, dean of ORSIE. “Each one of them involves DC students working closely with Precise ParkLink staff to address real-world challenges and create a solution that will then be introduced into the market.”

Working on Precise ParkLink projects, ORSIE students have the opportunity to gain valuable skills, such as “a chance to enhance their learning by working with industry professionals in the field,” says Lato.

“In addition, students gain hands-on experience while enhancing their communication, team-work, accountability and problem-solving abilities. These job-ready skills prepare students for future employment, making them valuable employees,” Lato adds. “The relationship is a win-win for Precise ParkLink, DC and its students.”

Discover how ORSIE and Precise ParkLink made AI in parking a reality and learn more about the partnerships in the Research at DC: Precise ParkLink video.

Durham College (DC) and Sheridan College (Sheridan), with support of up to $100,000 from the National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC IRAP), are pleased to announce that they will undertake university-industry projects by sharing their applied research centre services and by providing expert time to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the Canadian media industry. The contribution from NRC IRAP will help support projects with up to 10 high-potential, growth-oriented companies who are aiming to develop media production workflows.

DC’s Mixed Reality Capture (MRC) Studio, in partnership with Screen Industries Research and Training Centre (SIRT) at Sheridan College Pinewood Toronto Studios, will lead applied research and development projects with industry clients to help fuel the growth of Canada’s media industry by assisting SMEs in conducting the feasibility to create media content workflows, offering technical expertise and proof of concept for the inclusion of advanced technologies in the creation of media.

The colleges’ joint offering includes an integrated suite of the following technologies, all powered by leading-edge infrastructure technologies such as 5G and SIRTNET:

• Live performance tools for content creation using the film development kits for integration of all aspects of content creation.
• Virtual production techniques allowing content creators to plan, imagine, or complete a filmic element with the aid of digital tools to simplify content generation workflows.
• Integration of digital techniques such as AI, special sound effects and immersive experience using AR/VR techniques across all platforms.
• High-fidelity virtual human creation and aggregation to maximize productivity for content generation across all platforms.
• Access to Multi-National Enterprise (MNE) technologies such as leading-edge processor and graphics platforms from Advanced Micro Devices (AMD).

The MRC Studio and SIRT Centre are recognized for their demonstrated track records of success assisting SMEs with the development of proof of concepts in a variety of content generation projects. DC and Sheridan will use the funding to enable SMEs from coast to coast to gain technical skills, adopt new technology, commercialize innovations, create jobs and increase revenues within a globally competitive market.

Durham College (DC) is pleased to announce that it has been named one of Canada’s Greenest Employers for the fourth consecutive year. Awarded as part of the 2020 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 comprehensive approach to sustainability at both its Oshawa and Whitby campuses. From waste reduction initiatives to the way the college heats and cools its buildings, changes have been implemented at both a personal level and on a broader scale.

For employees this means using communal waste bins as opposed to personal garbage cans and removing individual printers in favour of centralized ones, all part of the in-house Green Office certification program, which encourages adopting sustainable practices in each office’s day-to-day operations.

At a macro level, capital projects such as the Simcoe Geothermal Field, which began running in the summer of 2019, help to reduce the demand for natural gas for heating and cooling, 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 learning about green energy.

At the Whitby campus, the W. Galen Weston Centre for Food (CFF) is home to numerous sustainable features. There are agricultural growing fields, an apiary, greenhouse, pollinator garden and an arboretum, as well as more 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 – by providing fresh produce to the community without having to transport it by plane or truck from elsewhere.

“Durham College’s sustainability story continues to develop with each passing year,” said Don Lovisa, president. “It is something we weave into every aspect of our operations as an institution, and we are incredibly proud to be recognized for those efforts as one of Canada’s greenest employers.”

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