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DC helps more than 2,000 students gear up to get hired at its Virtual Career Fair

More than 2,000 Durham College (DC) students and alumni spent the first two weeks of March working to achieve their goals and launch their careers during the college’s virtual Gear Up to Get Hired at Home events and Career Fair.

From March 1 to 11, DC’s Career Development office organized numerous career-focused webinars and virtual events, which included valuable advice on how to create a personal pitch, resumé writing techniques, virtual interview tactics, and more, preparing them for DC’s largest Virtual Career Fair to date on March 11.

This year, the annual Virtual Career Fair brought in 142 potential employers for students and alumni to meet, including those currently hiring for part-time, summer and seasonal work. Over 2,700 job seekers accessed the event platform in the month leading up to the fair to visit virtual booths and research the participating employers.  Organizations involved represented a mix of economic sectors, including business, community services, manufacturing, skilled trades, information technology, engineering, health care, hospitality and justice.

In previous years, in order to participate, companies were required to be hiring within six months of the fair. Due to COVID-19, the event was open to companies not in a position to hire at the moment, but looking to build brand awareness among DC students, so they could begin to map out how they would like their career to look down the road.

DC’s Career Development office provides students and alumni with year-round support for all things career-related, including support for career exploration, resumé building and cover letter writing, interviewing skills and job search strategies. To learn more, please visit www.durhamcollege.ca/careerdevelopment.

Music Business Management students receive 2021 SHINE! Music Bursary

The School of Media, Art & Design at Durham College (DC) is pleased to announce three Music Business Management students – one graduate and two currently enrolled – are recipients of the 2021 SHINE! Music Bursary. Second-year students Whitney Otis and Kailey Haskell along with Alexa Michaels, who graduated from the program in 2017, received the awards at the 2021 SHINE! Concert on March 7.

Established in 2010, the SHINE! Music Bursary is an external financial assistance award aimed at supporting young musicians looking to further their study of traditional or folk music. Originally named the Jim Fay Music Bursary, the award has evolved over time in memory of four influential contributors to the Greater Toronto Area’s music scene, including:

  • Jim Fay – Irish-born guitar and mandolin player
  • James Gray – musician and long-time keyboard player for Blue Rodeo
  • Doug Queen – musician, singer and song-writer, and member of the bluegrass band Jughead (“Hockey Song”)
  • Bruce Adamson – lead guitarist of Staggered Crossing

Funding for the bursary is raised through the annual SHINE! Concert as well as generous donations from individuals and groups. Now in it’s 12th year, the concert was streamed virtually due to COVID-19. DC’s Alexa and Whitney were two of four recipients to join this year’s lineup and performed on the virtual stage.

“Quite often, financial barriers can cause disruptions in the continued practice or study of music,” explains Marni Thornton, professor, School of Media, Art & Design. “Financial assistance awards, such as the SHINE! Music Bursary, can make all the difference for those hoping to forge a future in music.”

Youth between the ages of 16 to 24 can apply to the bursary each year, with award amounts ranging between $500 and $2,000, to support opportunities for aspiring musicians to advance their careers, such as album releases and additional coaching.

“We are thrilled that the college and SHINE! found each other,” says Ian Newall, chair, SHINE! Music Bursary. “Durham College has an innovative program that produces keen musicians and I look forward to meeting new applicants in the future.”

To watch the 2021 SHINE! Concert, click here.

DC supporting Ontario’s workforce in acquiring in-demand skills with new micro-credential

Durham College (DC) is pleased to announce its latest micro-credential, Ultrasonic Testing Level II. Designed to meet the demands of industry by quickly teaching highly sought-after skills, DC is the only college in Ontario to offer this level of qualifying certification for the in-demand field of Non-Destructive Evaluation (NDE).

Offered through the college’s School of Science & Engineering Technology (SET), the development of Ultrasonic Testing Level II micro-credential is an example of the strong link that exists between post-secondary institutions and industry.

“Initially we were approached by Ontario Power Generation (OPG) to offer the ultrasonic testing training to its employees,” said Michelle Hutt, executive dean, SET. “As we anticipate the demand for qualified NDE inspectors will continue to grow based on expected retirements and, thanks to the college’s expert faculty and specialized laboratory testing equipment, we are well-positioned to teach these skills.”

“DC’s School of Science & Engineering Technology offers high-calibre training in an industrial setting, led by facilitators who ensure the training meets the type of performance excellence demanded by our industry,” said Scott Burns, Vice President, Emergency Services and Training, OPG. “The long-standing educational partnership between OPG and DC continues to add value to our training programs as well as to the skill development of our employees.”

After agreeing to train OPG’s employees, DC made the decision to offer the Ultrasonic Testing Level II micro-credential more broadly.

“It is important to teach students methods that industry demands they know,” said Hutt. “Within the NDE field, employers will not consider job applicants without non-destructive testing (NDT) certification from the Canadian General Standards Board. When compared to other non-destructive testing (NDT) methods, ultrasonic testing is the most cost-effective, however, it is a skill that requires a specialized learning environment.”

Designed to help those studying to be an NDE professional, as well as those currently working in the industry quickly develop their skills, successful completion of the micro-credential will mean that they meet the educational requirements to be eligible to write the Level II Ultrasonic Testing (UT) certification exam.

Developed following a rigorous quality assurance process, the micro-credential requires students to complete case studies and hands-on laboratory applications to build their competencies, confidence and employability. 

Durham College awarded two Mitacs Accelerate grants to support student research internships

Durham College’s (DC) Office of Research Services, Innovation and Entrepreneurship (ORSIE) is pleased to announce it has been awarded two Mitacs Accelerate grants totalling $120,000, in support of two new applied research projects creating eight internships for DC students.

Mitacs is a not-for-profit organization that fosters growth and innovation in Canada by solving challenges with research solutions from academic institutions. It is funded by the Government of Canada with support from provincial governments across the country.

Among the first colleges in Ontario to access the program, the grants are allowing DC to build research partnerships while also giving students meaningful experiential learning opportunities to participate in research as paid interns. Not only does this help partner organizations that need their expertise, it contributes to the training of highly qualified research personnel by providing work-integrated opportunities at DC that support students’ career readiness.

“Hands-on and real-world experience is a crucial part of a world-class post-secondary education. That’s why our Government is proud to support our colleges and universities through Mitacs to create more work-integrated learning opportunities for Ontario students,” said Ross Romano, Minister of Colleges and Universities. “By helping our students get new experiences in their field of study, Durham College and Mitacs are giving their students access to the skills they need to find a good job and succeed in the career of their choice.”

“The Mitacs Accelerate program is a unique funding model that brings researchers, students and businesses together to solve real-world challenges,” said Debbie McKee Demczyk, dean, ORSIE. “We are very excited to see the two research projects come to fruition and are grateful to be receiving support from our partner companies and Mitacs itself.”

Project One: Developing a unique inventory optimization model

Recognizing that manufacturing is a $174 billion industry in Canada, representing over 10 per cent of the total GDP and 68 per cent of merchandise exports, efficient inventory management plays a vital role in a business’s profitability.

Thanks to Mitacs funding, two DC students from the college’s Supply Chain and Operations Management – Business Administration (SOM) program have created an inventory optimization model that predicts factors affecting stock, as part of an internship with electronics manufacturer Creation Technologies LP.

Students worked under the supervision of Creation Technologies’ Supply Chain Leader Maura Kirby, who also sits on the SOM Program Advisory Committee at DC, and faculty researcher Brent Clemens, to create a system that can determine the optimal levels of supply needed to support customer needs, while meeting the company’s business targets. By creating significant cost-savings and improving customer satisfaction, the outcome of this project will support the company’s continued growth and the creation of high-quality jobs for Canadians.

During their internship, DC’s students applied the skills, theories, and concepts learned in their program in a workplace setting, while building their professional networks, and acquiring hands-on experience. Since the project ended in January, both students were hired by Creation Technologies.

“I am very pleased to be able to participate with Durham College and Mitacs on this project,” shared Kirby. “The students were able to apply their supply chain knowledge to help identify inventory factors contributing to the creation of the optimization model. Overall, this project has been a great success and has been a valuable learning experience for myself and the students.” 

Project Two: Improving recruitment for employers and job seekers

In today’s highly competitive job market, the recruitment industry often struggles with information overload and the ability to effectively match potential candidates with available positions.

To help address this problem, DC faculty researcher Uzair Ahmad and six interns from DC’s Artificial Intelligence Analysis, Design and Implementation and Data Analytics for Business Decision Making graduate certificate programs will work with Reachout Inc., a start-up company that is building a diversified early career community for post-secondary students and an end-to-end virtual recruiting platform for employers, to develop a two-way hybrid recommendation system to support both employers and job seekers. The system will learn relevant content and rank candidates based on the job description. This will result in stronger candidate recommendations for employers while also promoting appropriate job opportunities to candidates.

It will also ensure increased accuracy and explainable recommendations—an innovation that will provide Reachout with a competitive advantage.

The students involved in this research will be integrated into Reachout’s technical team, with direct supervision provided by Thomas Liu, it’s CEO, and will benefit from the ability to leverage the skills and knowledge they’ve acquired in the classroom and apply them to solve businesses challenges in a real-world setting.

“Mitacs is delighted to support these exciting projects at Durham College. By enabling the creation of valuable academic-industry partnerships that provide students with meaningful, paid, experiential-learning opportunities, Mitacs is proud to contribute to innovation in Ontario. These internships are helping partner organizations access Durham’s rich expertise in AI and systems optimization, while contributing to the career development of college students,” said, John Hepburn, CEO and Scientific Director at Mitacs.

DC launches immersive virtual tour for prospective students to explore Oshawa and Whitby campuses

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.

DC and OPG renew successful longstanding partnership

Durham College (DC) is pleased to announce Ontario Power Generation’s (OPG) continued championing of skilled trades development and training thanks to a $500,000 donation provided through OPG’s Centre for Canadian Nuclear Sustainability (CCNS). The funds are supporting the ongoing construction of DC’s Whitby Campus Expansion project.

“We are excited to continue our longstanding relationship with OPG,” said Don Lovisa, President, Durham College. “As a key player in the skilled trades industry, they truly understand the importance of training the next generation of tradespeople. In choosing to direct funds to the college’s latest capital project, which will see an additional 750 seats added at the Whitby campus, they are helping DC continue our tradition of educational excellence, while also ensuring there is a pipeline of qualified graduates to support the success of the nuclear industry as a whole and help OPG achieve their organizational goals.”

OPG recently opened the CCNS, a world-class facility that will attract skilled jobs, innovative businesses, and economic development to the Durham Region. Whether working on collaborative research or planning for the decommissioning of the Pickering Nuclear Generating Station, one the CCNS goals is to create jobs to benefit Ontario’s economy, including a variety of skilled trades roles. As such, supporting DC’s efforts to increase its educational capabilities in those related fields, through capital development, is a natural fit.

“OPG and the CCNS, is extremely proud to support Durham College’s latest capital project,” said Carla Carmichael, Vice President, Nuclear Decommissioning Strategies. “Investing in this state-of-the-art facility, designed for hands-on learning, is just the latest milestone in our funding partnership with the college.”

In addition to the latest $500,000 contribution, the 15-year partnership with DC has resulted in more than $5.5 million to support numerous initiatives and programs throughout the college. These include the development of DC’s first-ever Boiler and X-ray labs, funding towards specialized pre-apprenticeship programs, purchasing of specialized equipment and instruments for numerous other technology labs, sponsoring the Young Women in Science Technology and Trades Conference, establishing paid internship and co-op programs at OPG, and funding student scholarships and bursaries.

In return, the college has been able to support OPG through training for its own employees, as they seek to find innovative solutions for the nuclear industry.

“For more then 15 years, DC has played a key role in meeting OPG’s needs for well-educated and enthusiastic people to join our company or work on our capital projects, such as the Darlington Station Nuclear Refurbishment Project,” said Carmichael. “We believe this investment is beneficial for both entities as it creates opportunities for students, who as graduates will help support the CCNS’ mission and sustain a skilled workforce needed for the industry’s future projects.”

Reflecting on a year of challenge and change as DC shares optimism for the year ahead

Today marks the one-year anniversary of the World Health Organization declaring COVID-19 a global pandemic. In light of March 11 being named a national day of observance, we reflect on the past 12 months – the impact the virus has had on our world and the lives it has changed – and are reminded that despite the obstacles we’ve faced, we’ve still found a way to rise to every challenge.

Watch the video below:

In a year of change, our students, employees and community have donated their time and ingenuity, kept our frontline heroes safe while supporting vulnerable populations, and discovered new ways to work and learn. Durham College (DC) has kept the health and safety of our people at the forefront of all our decisions and has ensured our students continue to learn the theory and hands-on skills they need to be in demand.

Here are just a few of the ways DC has been leading the way this year.

DC puts 3D printers into action, making PPE for donation to workers on the frontline of COVID-19

Working out of their garages and basements, 16 DC employees, students and alumni embarked on an inspiring journey in March 2020 to create the frames for face shields used by health care workers on the frontline of the COVID-19 pandemic. In just a few months, the team grew to an impressive 62 volunteer members using 83 3D printers and raised nearly $16,000 in funds to support the initiative. Members produced 6,350 face shield headbands and 32,700 ear savers that relieve the pressure of elastic bands used to hold face masks in place.

Journalism students put learning to work, gain real-work experience creating COVID-cation podcast

Faced with COVID-19-related cancellations and postponements of their field placements, six DC Journalism – Mass Media students decided to create their own real-work experience. The result was COVID-cation, a weekly podcast produced by students for students. Each episode focused on a specific theme – from education and emotional well-being to finances – while exploring the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on students of all ages.

Virtual Open House engages 3,600 visitors in online experience

More than 3,600 prospective students and their families have explored DC digitally through the college’s Spring and Fall Virtual Open House events, both of which were huge successes. Providing guests with an inside look at the DC student experience, DC is gearing up to offer students a third Virtual Open House on Saturday, March 27.

DC on the Frontlines – meet our frontline heroes!

Last year, DC launched a new initiative, DC on the Frontlines, to honour and shine a light on our college community members serving and protecting others in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and well beyond. You can now meet some of our DC frontline heroes through a virtual gallery.

Durham College recognizes the class of 2020

They may not have crossed the stage at the Tribute Communities Centre, but more than 4,800 DC graduates were recognized through various online and physical festivities designed to acknowledge and celebrate their hard work and achievements. The class of 2020 will be invited to attend an in-person ceremony when it is safe to do so, however, DC recognized the importance of marking the accomplishments of its graduates upon completion of their credentials and created a Convocation Recognition website.

DC’s Working Across Borders project continues to make a global impact during COVID-19

Four years ago, Durham College (DC) started an innovative Working Across Borders (WAB) course for business students, which allows them to engage with various international institutions around the world through virtual collaborative learning. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, last fall more than 500 students from all over the world joined more than 120 DC students, many of which are international, from the Project Management and International Business Management post-graduate programs. Using the Rotary Global Classroom, DC’s live-stream venue, partners from Germany, Belgium, Slovenia, Netherlands, Russia, Finland, Italy, Ecuador, Bangladesh, and Indonesia came together for a kickoff session to discuss project details and to meet their teammates and 2020 WAB project partner and client, Seventh Generation.

DC launches two new degree programs and a graduate certificate for in-demand jobs

DC received consent from the Ministry of Colleges and Universities this year to offer two new degree programs which will address labour shortages being experienced in two of Canada’s hottest job sectors – construction management and artificial intelligence. Following the success of DC’s first degree programs launched in 2017 and 2019, the new Honours Bachelor of Construction Management (HBCM) and Honours Bachelor of Artificial Intelligence (HBAI) are currently accepting applications for September 2021. In addition to the degree programs, DC has also launched a new graduate certificate in Pharmaceutical Science for students with previous post-secondary experience.

DC celebrates successful Campus Food Drive

Thanks to the generosity of our campus community, the 2020 Campus Food Drive raised more than $22,000 to help 384 students in need. The food drive bursary supported qualifying full-time students (married/sole support) with families and students living away from home and experiencing food insecurity.

DC launches Personal Support Worker Accelerated program

DC is launching a new Personal Support Worker (PSW) Accelerated program with start dates in April, May and June in response to a provincial government initiative. The tuition and ancillary fees for accepted students will be covered by the Ontario government and students will graduate with full credentials and ready for employment within six months.

These ways in which we have learned to adapt and thrive over the last 12 months, despite the challenges set before us, demonstrates the resilience, passion and innovation found in the DC community. As we look forward, we will continue to lead the way.

DC helps Vietnamese college develop new food and pharmaceutical science technology program

Durham College (DC) has been providing curriculum and program development expertise to Vietnam’s Hua Giang Community College (HGCC) since 2014 as part of the Vietnam Skills for Employment Project. Funded by Global Affairs Canada, the partnership and project has resulted in the development of the country’s first college-level food and pharmaceutical science technology program, and further aims to improve access and quality of skills training in Vietnamese colleges. DC will continue to celebrate this partnership as HGCC sees its first graduates of the program accept their credentials.

DC has been offering students access to its  Chemical Laboratory Technology – Food Science program (formerly the Pharmaceutical and Food Science) and previous Pharmaceutical and Food Science fast-track program for more than 40 years. With this expertise, the college was able to host capacity-building workshops to guide HGCC in the development and implementation of a new Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) curriculum, ensuring an emphasis on gender equality, environmental sustainability and entrepreneurship. As well, DC has provided guidance on marketing, recruitment, governance and student support services during on-campus trips from HGCC educators, offering expertise from DC’s academic leadership team, faculty, students services and career development offices.

“Our partnership with Hua Giang Community College gave us the opportunity to learn from one another and share best practices in student-centered teaching,” said Jacqueline Towell, manager, International Projects and Partnerships, DC. “The Vietnam Skills for Employment Project is an excellent example of post-secondary institutions coming together for students here in Canada and in Vietnam.”

To help HGCC’s students enhance a wide variety of pharmaceutical analysis skills, microbiology and food product development, DC helped HGCC to design and integrate three new labs, including an instrumentation lab, food science lab and microbiology Lab.

Project components also included strategies for increasing student recruitment and retention; improving access to marginalized groups through career guidance, enhanced programs and services; and building long-term, sustainable relationships with local industry. Instructors developed 29 new competency-based courses, including the integration of gender-sensitive pedagogy, industry standards and environmental sustainability.  

“All of our delegates felt truly at home when we were visiting and working with DC,” said Trinh Nguyen, international project co-ordinator, HGCC. “We continue to apply the valuable lessons learned every day to further develop Hua Giang Community College.”

FastStartDC virtual services support launch of student wellness entrepreneur

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 now accepting applications for PSW Accelerated program

Following the Ontario government’s recent announcement, Durham College (DC) is pleased to share it is accepting applications for the new Personal Support Worker (PSW) Accelerated program, with start dates offered in April, May and June.

The tuition and ancillary fees for accepted students will be covered by the Ontario government and they will graduate with full credentials within six months; the standard PSW program at DC takes eight months to complete.

With more study hours per week, the accelerated program will use a hybrid model that combines remote learning with in-person practical experience, consisting of taking courses virtually and participating in laboratory classes and in care settings. After three months, students will also be able to participate in paid work placements, in long-term care homes and other settings.

“This accelerated version of the college’s PSW program is going to have a positive impact on students and the community,” said Dr. Elaine Popp, executive vice president, Academic, Durham College. “Demand for graduates with these vital skills has never been higher and we are happy to partner with the province to help meet it.”

PSWs serve as front-line workers whose responsibilities focus on providing compassionate, client-centred care to enhance and maintain the quality of everyday life for client populations across all institutional, community care and service settings.

Through dedicated faculty, enhanced curriculum, skills and certifications obtained in the course of study, and implementation of several interprofessional education and simulation opportunities, students will graduate well-prepared and job-ready to support the community.

Students who are currently enrolled in the winter 2021 intake of the traditional PSW program, as well as those planning to enroll for fall 2021, are eligible to receive a $2,000 bursary to support their studies.

More information about the PSW Accelerated program, including admission requirements, answers to FAQs, and details to apply can be found online.