Scores of young Black male students experienced a life-changing day at Durham College (DC) on May 25.

400 students in Grades 7 to 10 from the Durham District School Board (DDSB) visited the Oshawa campus for The Cypher: Black Male Empowerment Conference. DC was proud to host the event, which is designed to provide Black boys with the knowledge and resources to overcome systemic barriers and achieve their full potential. Attendees met and learned from entrepreneurs, community leaders, educators and other role models.

The full day of activities included speeches, a community networking market, science experiments, engineering simulations and more. There was also fun to be had with basketball, sketching and a jam session. Workshops covered a wide range of subjects, from physical fitness to money management. The students also had the chance to get to know DC by touring the campus and exploring a range of programs and opportunities beyond high school.

The day’s master of ceremonies was a prime example of The Cypher’s life-changing potential. De-Mario Knowles attended the event as a Grade 9 student in 2019, where poet Randell Adjei was a guest speaker. Inspired, Knowles developed a passion for poetry and public speaking.

“The Cypher really helped me lay the foundation that allowed me to thrive and reach where I am today,” he said. “As a Black individual, it’s nice to see that there’s an event for people like me to develop their skills, and network with people, and see that they matter and their characteristics are beautiful.”

As the event got underway, a number of guest speakers addressed the students, including DC’s chief administrative officer, Dr. Scott Blakey. Though their messages differed, they all recognized the limitless potential in the young Black men.

“Some of you are makers, all of you are doers, many of you are dreamers,” said Camille Williams-Taylor, DDSB director of education, who emphasized that everyone in the audience was in a supportive and welcoming space. “Each of you is a genius. Some of you haven’t realised your genius yet, but your genius today, in this space, is assumed. You do not have to prove it.”

A highlight of the day was a Q&A with keynote speaker Boi-1da. The Grammy-winning record producer enthralled the crowd with stories of working with Drake, Rihanna, Jay-Z and more of the biggest names in music. But the Toronto native acknowledged his humble beginnings, and stressed that the path he took to success is open to anyone who works hard and believes in themselves.

“Nothing is unrealistic,” he said. “Whatever it is that you’re passionate about, stick to it. If you don’t love what you’re doing, and if you don’t put your all into what you’re doing, you’re not going to get the results.”

With plenty of opportunities ahead of them, DC might see some of the students again when they begin their own post-secondary journeys in the near future.

Event held in brand-new EV lab at DC’s Whitby campus

Durham College (DC) welcomed more than 540 participants to its new, leading-edge EV lab for an exclusive two-day battery electric vehicle (EV) training event hosted by General Motors (GM). Four half-day sessions were held on May 24 and 25 to provide hands-on training to first responders to learn how to respond to emergency situations involving EVs.

Participants included first responders and community partners, faculty members and 30 students from DC’s Firefighter – Pre-Service Education and Training program. The opportunity provided students the chance to network with industry experts as well as gain valuable experience in a growing field.

“Our primary goal is to provide key information directly to first and second responders,” said Joe McLaine, GM global product safety and systems engineer, and leader of the training effort. “This training offers unique material and hands-on experiences that can help increase responders’ awareness of procedures to help maintain safety while interacting with EVs during the performance of their duties.” 

The event was hosted in DC’s brand-new EV Lab – a state-of-the-art facility uniquely designed in a multi-purpose, modular format that allows students to gain hands-on experience with EVs and their electrical and computer programming components. The lab features advanced equipment that enables DC to offer more in-depth training on the battery aspect of EVs – including their handling, testing and rebuilding – an area the college anticipates will see a growth in industry demands as the number of EVs increase.

“As more Canadians make the switch to electric vehicles, Durham College is proud to be one of only a few Ontario colleges with a dedicated EV Lab that will lead the way for future automotive professionals to effectively respond to evolving industry needs,” said Don Lovisa, president, DC. “We’re pleased to host General Motors for this unique training and explore further opportunities to leverage our leading-edge facilities.”

Today, Durham College (DC) acknowledges the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia, which draws attention to the ongoing violence and discrimination that is still a reality for members of the two-spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, intersex and asexual (2SLGBTQQIA+) community.

At Durham College, we stand with members of the 2SLGBTQQIA+ community and reaffirm our commitment that everyone has the right to be safe and feel that they belong, regardless of their sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression. In recognition and support of this day and our 2SLGBTQQIA+ community, we have raised the progressive pride flag at both our Oshawa and Whitby campuses.

This year’s global theme – Together Always: United in Diversity – celebrates the many sexual and gender diversities and underscores the power of solidarity, community and allyship across different identities, movements and borders.

Join us in standing against homophobia, transphobia and biphobia and ensuring that Durham College remains a safe, welcoming and inclusive space for everyone.

Over 800 visitors flocked to Durham College (DC) on Monday, May 8 for Film Durham’s Film and Television Industry Career Fair.

DC students, local high school students and curious community members filled the gym at the Campus Recreation and Wellness Centre to learn about all of the careers behind the camera in Ontario’s booming film industry.

By hosting the event, DC helps students build their networks by connecting them with industry professionals, while promoting the programs we offer that can help prepare them for a career in filmmaking.

The event kicked off with a panel discussion. After that, the guests were free to visit the booths and interactive displays filled with information on all the important elements of film production, from costume design and hair and makeup to prop creation and animation. 

Unions like the Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists (ACTRA) and the International Alliance of Stage Employees (IATSE) were also present to provide more information about what a career in the arts is like.

“Creating a movie or TV series requires a broad range of skills and interests and provides many well-paying, high-quality film jobs,” said Eileen Kennedy, film/tv specialist at Invest Durham. “These events allow a sharing of information and experiences between Film Durham and the students, which enhances their knowledge of the film and television industry and filmmaking in general.”

A number of productions have been filmed in Durham Region in recent years, including popular titles like Schitt’s Creek, The Handmaid’s Tale, Umbrella Academy, American Gods and more. With more films and series entering production every year, the opportunities are practically limitless.

Costume designer Tova Harrison was excited to share her experience with the attendees as she displayed costumes from two projects she has worked on: The Woman King and Star Trek: Discovery.

“It’s important that people at this age know what the possibilities are. The more knowledge the better, and events like this are great for that,” she said. 

DC has a number of programs that can help prepare students for a career in filmmaking, and hosting the event was a great opportunity to promote them according to Edin Ibric, a professor in the Faculty of Media, Art and Design.

“You see how hungry the students are for the knowledge to get into the industry, to gain some experience or at least some direction in terms of where to potentially go to be whatever it is they want to be,” he said. “If we see there’s a good fit with what we’re offering at DC, then it’s a great opportunity to talk about those courses and programs.”

Everything Durham College (DC) has to offer was on display during Program Information Nights this week.

The doors of our Oshawa and Whitby campuses were open on Tuesday and Thursday, respectively, to welcome in scores of visitors. Some were students who had already committed to DC and were eager to get a look at their future home, while others were still trying to decide where their college journey would take them.

Attendees had a lot to see and do during the event. Many got an early glimpse into life at DC by speaking to a variety of student services representatives. They also took the opportunity to explore our state-of-the-art facilities on campus tours.

Getting a feel for the Whitby campus was a priority for Marcus Cuaresma, a new student in the Mechanical Technician – Millwright program.

“I liked getting a feel for the facility and how big it is,” he said. “I want to make sure I start strong in the fall and get my career path on track.”

For those who had questions about their program of choice, representatives from all of DC’s Faculties were on hand to provide all the answers.

When all was said and done, more than 70 students had applied to attend DC, walking out with a new DC sweatshirt to help show their #DCpride. With everyone working together to show how DC is leading the way as a post-secondary destination, both nights were a resounding success.

“It was very helpful,” said Reed Schofield, who will enter the Trade Fundamentals program this fall. “I’m excited to be here.”

Students from across the province put their abilities to the test at the 2023 Skills Ontario Competition this week, which was held over the course of three days at the Toronto Congress Centre.

Thousands of elementary, secondary and post-secondary students took part in the event, including 29 Durham College (DC) students who competed in 14 categories at the competition. A wide range of disciplines were represented, from aesthetics and culinary arts to auto service and carpentry. In each category, they brought all of their skills and experience to bear on the different challenges set before them.

On Wednesday, the attendees and their supporters filled the convention hall to capacity for the awards ceremony. The atmosphere was electric as the medals for each category were handed out, with five of our DC students earning spots on the podium.

DC’s winning students were:

• Abigayle Hamilton and Emma Pace – Gold, Horticulture and Landscape (Team of 2)
• John Orecchio – Bronze, Industrial Mechanic
• Brandon Webster – Gold, Metal Fabricator Fitter
• Nicole Crossley – Bronze, Photography

“Everybody did a superb job, whether they medaled or not,” said Martin Jones, associate dean of the Faculty of Skilled Trades and Apprenticeship. “It’s always good to see people competing in the trades. We need more tradespeople.”

Competing at the event gave all of the students a preview of the potential future they could have in their respective trades, while proving they have the skills necessary to succeed at the highest level.

“It was a positive experience,” said John Orecchio, who was proud to take home his bronze medal. “There were a lot of good competitors there. I felt like I could have done better on a few things, but I’m happy to have made out the way I did.”

In some of the categories, including Horticulture and Landscape, the opportunity to compete at the Skills Canada National Competition was also on the line. By winning gold, the team of Abigayle Hamilton and Emma Pace punched their tickets to the competition in Winnipeg later this month.

“It’s unbelievable. We’re so happy,” said Hamilton.

“There’s nothing better than this,” added Pace. “We’re looking forward to the next step in this competition. Hopefully we can take gold in Manitoba. We’ll see what we can do there.”