Jocelyne Pelletier, an Indigenous student success coach at Durham College’s (DC) First Peoples Indigenous Centre, was recently granted a 2021 Pickering Civic Award in the Heritage category. Held annually for 17 years, this award recognizes individuals, groups or businesses who demonstrate a significant contribution to the preservation, conservation, education or promotion of the city’s heritage.

“I first learned about the award when one of my peers contacted me to ask for my permission to be nominated,” says Pelletier. “I was so excited to receive a letter from Mayor David Ryan, congratulating me and letting me know I had received my first Civic Award for outstanding achievements, including the work I did to plan and erect a memorial at City Hall honouring the first 215 Indigenous children found in Kamloops.”

As a member of the Indigenous Relationship Building Circle, Pelletier has played a critical role in providing guidance on community initiatives which acknowledge and celebrate the contributions, history and cultures of First Nations, Métis and Inuit Peoples. Pelletier is a member of Serpent River First Nation and the granddaughter of a residential school survivor; she has worked to educate others on the Intergenerational traumas experienced by many in the community and the systemic consequences of this country’s history of colonialism. As a result of her efforts, Durham Region has its first commemorative orange crosswalk, installed in October 2021 for the lost generations and to serve as a space to heal and learn.

When asked what this award means to her, Pelletier spoke of her recent accomplishments and her hopes for the future.

“This award allows me to reflect on my work and advocacy regarding social justice concerning Indigenous issues and the relationships needed to move forward in honouring truth before reconciliation,” says Pelletier. “For the City of Pickering, acknowledging Indigenous voice is crucial in those relationships. There is much work to do regarding Indigenous issues; this is a small step but a significant achievement. I hope to continue my role in the Indigenous Building Relations Committee with the City of Pickering in whatever capacity.”

Congratulations to Jocelyne Pelletier on receiving this well-earned award, and for leading the way.

On June 19, Durham College’s (DC) Enactus president, Heather Brown, and her international team placed first at the Hong Kong Global Social Innovation Summit. As part of the competition, teams gathered to compete in a 24-hour hackathon to solve mental health, funding, and workforce challenges for Hong Kong-based corporations. Heather joined students from Malaysia and China to create sustainable and impactful solutions for Teen’s Key, an organization that supports vulnerable young women by providing education, medical testing, and employment experience in a safe space.

Enactus is a global organization that provides opportunities for students to launch initiatives to improve the world. Always up for a chance to help others, Heather says, “When I saw the final registration call through the Enactus network, I couldn’t resist getting involved. The experience was well worth it.”

Competition at the Summit was fierce, with teams of talented and engaged students attending from around the world. Each participant brought unique skills and perspectives, leading to innovative ideas and cross-cultural collaboration. With Enactus Hong Kong as the host, the competitors had to ensure their solutions serve institutions which operate in a different country from their home, requiring a lot of research, not only on the corporations but on the country itself.

In addition to the competition, Enactus Hong Kong provided students like Heather with workshops on financial inclusion, compassionate communication and mental health, industry consulting, and networking.

“Through the real-world cases we were solving, I discovered amazing organizations making social impacts, which I would never have had a chance to learn about without attending the Summit,” says Heather.

After a full day of challenging work, Heather’s team presented their solution to the judges. Their project idea took first place in the case competition, after proposing a merchandise-based social enterprise which would empower women with new skills to give back to the community and support other women in need.

If you are interested in learning more about Enactus, the Summit, and Heather’s experience, please visit her DC blog.

The Durham College (DC) Board of Governors (Board) is proud to announce Gary Rose as the new Board chair and Dr. Gail Johnson Morris as vice-chair, effective July 1, 2022.

As chair of the Board, Gary Rose brings over 30 years of experience in Finance and Nuclear Project Management. Currently serving as the vice-president of the New Nuclear Growth team at Ontario Power Generation (OPG), Gary works nationally and internationally to support nuclear as part of the solution to achieve net-zero climate goals by 2050. As a devoted leader in the Durham Region community, Gary spent eight years as a trustee on the Whitby Public Library Board. During this tenure with the Whitby Public Library Board, Gary served on all committees and held the position of vice-chair and chair of the Board. Gary is also a Chartered Professional Accountant and holds a Bachelor of Commerce (BComm) from Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson University) and a Project Management Professional certification. Gary also has the ICD.D designation from the Institute of Corporate Directors. Gary first joined the DC Board in 2017.

As Board vice-chair, Dr. Gail Johnson Morris steps into the role with over 30 years of corporate experience, including c-suite and director roles at global finance services and health sciences companies. Today, Gail is the president and CEO of LeaderLink, a boutique strategy consultancy that supports boards and executive teams in building strategic capacity. Throughout her career, Gail has established herself as an advocate of practical, applied education and life-long learning. Gail earned her Bachelor of Arts from York University, a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Royal Roads University, and a Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) from Walden University. Sharing her passion for learning, Gail also serves as a respected educator in the MBA program at Athabasca University and has taught many proud DC alumni at Trent University’s School of Business. Gail first joined the DC Board in 2018.

The Board is responsible for the governance of DC and is accountable to the students, employees and communities the college serves, ensuring the institution is effectively and appropriately managed to achieve its mandate.

As chair, Gary will be responsible for ensuring the Board meets its responsibilities and established directives through collaborative leadership, openness and transparency. To learn more about the roles of chair and vice-chair of the DC Board, read the Board policy.

Please join DC in thanking Kristi Honey for serving as the 2020-2021 chair of the Board. Congratulations to Gary and Gail on their new appointments.

With funding from the Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development (MLTSD), Durham College (DC) has launched three Pre-Apprenticeship programs to increase the number of Canadians who are job-ready in a skilled trade, and employment-seekers facing higher barriers to entry. The programs are offered at no cost to participants, as tuition, tools, textbooks and safety equipment are covered with the help of government funding.

“Predictions from Colleges Ontario show that the province will face a shortage of more than 500,000 skilled trade workers by 2030,” says Dr. Rebecca Milburn, executive dean, School of Skilled Trades, Apprenticeship & Renewable Technology. “In response to this anticipated gap, DC is proud to partner with YMCA Durham as we lead the way in growing Ontario’s skilled trade labour force with our Pre-Apprenticeship programs.”

The college has selected three trades facing an immediate demand for employable workers and developed programs to train students from marginalized communities who want the necessary qualifications to enter or advance in the skilled trades. The following programs are currently underway, with 60 anticipated graduates by November 2022.

Electrical for Indigenous Peoples

According to the Electricity Sector Council Aboriginal Participation Initiatives Project, attracting workers to the electrical sector is an ongoing struggle owing to limited awareness of the available opportunities. However, the report also demonstrates a need for increased Indigenous participation in the electricity sector to help fill skill gaps and build a workforce in remote locations.

Furthermore, creating trained workers in the electrical industry will be crucial in the coming years, as the Canadian Apprenticeship Forum’s (CAF) Apprentice Demand: 2021 Labour Market Information Report predicts that 61,000 Ontario workers in Red Seal trades will retire in the next decade.

DC’s Pre-Apprenticeship Electrical program will provide another pathway to directly address the unemployment and underemployment of Indigenous Peoples in the skilled trades, while simultaneously tackling the expected labour market shortage.

Plumbing for Newcomers

Reports from the MLTSD indicate there will be over 9,000 plumbing jobs available in Ontario from 2019 to 2028. While there is a demand for plumbers, increased challenges to receiving the credentials make it difficult for newcomers to enter the trades. In fact, research from the CAF indicates that despite representing 20 per cent of the Canadian population, newcomers only make up three to five per cent of all apprentices.

DC’s new Pre-Apprenticeship program will help newcomers succeed in the industry by providing quality training and addressing the barriers faced such as a lack of knowledge of skilled trade opportunities and limited access to resources such as business networks or employer connections.

Welding for Women

The Government of Ontario’s labour market research shows that men make up the overwhelming majority of workers in the welding (95 per cent) trade. As an increasing number of Red Seal trades employees are set to retire, there is a demand to train unrepresented and underrepresented groups of Canadians, such as women. With the help of DC, those interested in pursuing a welding career will be given the support required to overcome gender-related barriers of entry while gaining the technical knowledge and hands-on skills needed to pursue a career in the industry.

For those interested in learning more, please visit our Pre-Apprenticeship program page.