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DC to receive more than $1.5 million in virtual learning project funding from Ontario government

Durham College (DC) is thrilled to announce that the Ontario government is providing the college with more than $1.5 million in funding to support 12 innovative virtual learning projects. From entrepreneurship and sales to health care, cybersecurity and more, these projects will help students gain access to new, high-quality post-secondary learning and retraining opportunities.

“The last 14 months are proof that virtual learning is flexible, accessible, and can offer boundless educational opportunities for students,” said Dr. Elaine Popp, executive vice president, Academic. “We are grateful for the Ontario government’s support and investment in these projects. This funding allows us to continue offering exceptional in-demand virtual learning experiences for students who wish to gain valuable skills that prepares them for workplace success.”

Of the 12 DC projects to be developed with the funding, four are micro-credentials that respond to specific industry gaps, including Corporate Training Specialization, Establishing a Construction Contracting Small Business in Ontario, Managing Responsive Behaviours in Older Adults and Sales for Small Businesses.

The remainder of the projects are a diverse selection of digital learning resources, programs and courses that will supplement learning taking place at DC and its collaborative partner institutions, including:

  • Case Management Workflow simulator
  • Cybersecurity courses – APSA upskilling course and Cloud Computing Fundamentals course
  • Fluid Power Trainer simulator
  • Five-course French language program
  • Health Technology Management Practice course
  • Indigenous Histories and Reconciliation: Moving Towards Reconciliation through Capacity Building course
  • Metrology Trainer simulator
  • Write it Again – Open Educational Resource

These projects are part of the province’s Virtual Learning Strategy that was announced last December and support key priority areas including creating or adapting digital content, equipping faculty and students with skills and resources to teach and learn online and identifying educational technologies to support online courses and programs.

HOM Drafting & Design offers rewarding opportunities for DC architecture students

Durham College (DC) architecture students experienced a unique opportunity to apply their skills as a result of the college’s new partnership with HOM Drafting and Design (HOM). Through their recent Architecture Placement Initiative competition, HOM challenged students from DC’s Architectural Technology program to design an accessory apartment (a secondary unit), within an existing basement structure, and produce a set of architectural drawings. DC’s Sara Sargent, Hayden Lam and Gregory Stewart – all third-year students of the program – were selected as competition winners, earning a monetary prize and the opportunity to complete a placement at HOM.

“As a distinguished member of the design community, HOM’s partnership provides DC students with vital hands-on experience in the industry. This placement initiative is a great pathway to connect our students with industry experts and recognize future employment opportunities available upon graduating,” said Michelle Hutt, executive dean, School of Science & Engineering Technology (SET).

This marks the first year DC has partnered with HOM, adding to the college’s diverse roster of valued community affiliations. Locally owned and operated for 13 years, HOM’s community ties and service offerings, from concept to design to construction, provide students exposure to a variety of areas within architectural design. HOM’s team was so impressed with the work of DC students, they decided to extend additional placement opportunities, one of which resulted in a full-time employment, demonstrating the calibre of the program’s graduates.

“This initiative challenges students to apply the architectural methods learned in the classroom in a real-life scenario. The competitive element and field placement opportunity act as the perfect incentives to fuel creativity and participation,” said Ali Taileb, professor, SET. “As an instructor, it is incredibly rewarding to see our students thrive in the field, and I am very proud of the contributions they have made at HOM.”

Focused on sustainable design, DC’s architecture programs provide the practical and design knowledge required to succeed in this exciting field. Partnering with HOM allows the college to continue exploring opportunities for students to gain relevant experience in the industry.

DC’s PREP 1000 course receives $25,000 Bell Let’s Talk Kickoff Grant for mental health module

Durham College (DC) is pleased to announce it has received $25,000 from the Bell Let’s Talk Post-Secondary Fund. As part of Bell’s commitment to the mental health of post-secondary students, the Bell Let’s Talk Fund Kickoff Grant is awarded each spring to select colleges and universities to cover start-up costs for specific mental health initiatives.

DC will utilize this funding to infuse mental health resources into DC’s first-year experience course PREP 1000 – a self-guided, non-academic course consisting of seven modules designed to prepare students for their first day of classes.

The development of a mental health module within PREP 1000 is currently under way, and is expected to be completed for the upcoming fall semester. In addition to a dedicated module, wellness resources and mental health awareness will also be embedded throughout the entire course.

“Durham College is incredibly grateful to receive this funding from Bell Canada,” says Tara Koski, dean, Students. “Aligned with the college’s goal of building digital fluidity, the mental health module of PREP 1000 will provide students with their own toolbox, equipped with helpful information, coping strategies and support networks should they find themselves in need of help.”

DC is committed to ensuring mental health resources are accessible across campus to help prepare students for success. Through the updated PREP 1000 modules, students will learn about the various supports and services that exist within DC’s community as well as external resources, such as the Good2Talk 24/7 Post-secondary Student Helpline.

“PREP 1000 is a conduit which allows us to spread mental health awareness to the largest volume of students possible, during a critical point of transition,” says Tara. “Its systematic and comprehensive approach will support our goal to create mental health equity within the Durham College community.”

Led by the Student Development office, the design of the PREP 1000 mental health module features collaborations across a number of DC departments and services, such as the Access and Support Centre, International Office, Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion and the Campus Health and Wellness Centre, and includes valuable input from DC’s mental health professionals.

Learn more about DC’s mental health resources online or contact the Campus Health and Wellness Centre at chwc@durhamcollege.ca.

Durham College students win six medals at 2021 Skills Ontario Competition

Durham College (DC) is proud to share that six students reached the podium in multiple categories at the Skills Ontario Competition on May 12. Virtual this year, the competition and Career Exploration Showcase welcomed thousands of attendees to discover new skilled trade and technology careers, while students competed against one another in categories from numerous fields.

Three DC students took home a gold medal, including Cameron Billingham for Photography, Glesy Panaga for Baking and Mark Steele for IT Network Systems Administration. Receiving silver was Lucas Mawdsley for Coding, and bronze was awarded to Jared Toomey for IT Network Systems Administration and Logan Scott for Photography.

“We are incredibly impressed and proud of the level of talent and dedication our students have demonstrated during the Skills Ontario Competition this year,” said Dr. Elaine Popp, executive vice president, Academic. “This competition has allowed them to draw on the technical expertise, creativity and innovation that DC students are known for, while putting into practice everything they’ve learned in the classroom. If what they’ve showed us here is any indication of their future success, we know that they will go far.”

Good luck to gold-medal winners, Billingham, Panaga and Mawdsley, who will represent DC and Ontario in the 26th Skills Canada National Competition to be held virtually on Tuesday, June 15.

Skills Ontario is a non-profit organization dedicated to the promotion of the skilled trades and technologies as viable, first-choice career options to Ontario youth through programs and initiatives such as provincial skills competitions.

DC journalism students and alumni see success at Better Newspaper Competition Awards

Durham College (DC) students and alumni from the Journalism – Mass Media program won big this year at the Ontario Community Newspaper Association’s (OCNA) Better Newspaper Competition (BNC), an annual competition that recognizes the outstanding work produced by the OCNA’s member newspapers.

Taking first place once again in the General Excellence – College/University category, DC’s student-produced campus newspaper The Chronicle was praised for its professionalism, photography and layout, as well as its “solid stories and editorial”.  Durham also finished third in Best College/University Newspaper Website category.

Four DC alumni were also honoured for their stories, three of whom placed first, including Sam Odrowski (Fort Frances Times) in the Best Business and Finance Story category, Sarah Hyatt (Northumberland News) in the Best Rural Story (circulation over 10,000) category, and Reka Szekely (Oshawa This Week) in the Best Feature News Series (circulation over 10,000) category. Additionally, alumnus Chad Ingram (Minden Times) placed third in the Best News Story (circulation under 9,999) category.

DC’s journalism program was introduced more than 40 years ago and since then, our students and graduates have won dozens of OCNA awards, including the student-produced news publication The Chronicle, which finished first last year in the General Excellence Newspaper – College/University category and second in the Best College/University Newspaper Website category.

The OCNA is a non-profit industry association focused on helping community newspapers prosper by promoting and enhancing the image of the industry among readers.

Congratulations to DC’s Journalism – Mass Media students and alumni on this recognition of their hard work and dedication to their craft.

YPAC launches DC Chapter for Young Pipeliners

Durham College (DC) is excited to announce that the Young Pipeliners Association of Canada (YPAC) has launched a new chapter for DC’s Mechanical Engineering Technician – Non-Destructive Evaluation (NDE) students and alumni. As one of only two schools in Ontario to offer the NDE program, the launch of YPAC’s DC chapter will expand opportunities for students to gain relevant work experience and training in the field.

The DC chapter joins YPAC’s community of 2,500 members across Canada who benefit from access to peer networking, scholarships and industry opportunities and events, such as the 2021 YPAC Conference. YPAC also has a number of technical committees for young pipeliners to collaborate on issues of design, production and distribution.

Compared to its fellow chapters across Canada, typically comprised of mechanical, civil, chemical and environmental engineering professionals, DC’s chapter will have a unique focus dedicated to protecting the integrity of the pipeline. This chapter will leverage its expertise in the latest methods and developments to promote ways in which NDE technologies can be used during pipeline construction and maintenance. Virtual chapter events will offer a platform for discussion and are open to all YPAC members.

“The Durham College chapter of the Young Pipeliners Association of Canada will create an exciting network for students and alumni to establish meaningful relationships and access to resources that will ease their transition into the industry,” said Michelle Hutt, executive dean, School of Science & Engineering Technology (SET). “The college’s unique focus on non-destructive evaluation technologies will add value to the membership while also raising awareness for important advancements in the field.”

The two-year program, which also has an available one-year fast-track option, requires students to complete in-depth training and gain relevant work experience before obtaining their license and entering the workplace. By connecting current students and recent graduates through YPAC, the DC chapter will work to create a network for early-career individuals in the pipeline industry.

“I am confident that this initiative will bring new networking opportunities for our students and position Durham College as a leader in Non-Destructive Evaluation nationally,” says Katy Zaidman, professor, SET and chapter mentor-advisor.

DC has elected the following Executive Committee, comprised of faculty and students to lead the chapter:

  • Lovlesh Kamudu, co-chair, fast-track NDE student
  • Jamaal Betts, co-chair, second-year NDE student
  • Maya Wijeratne, vice president secretary-treasurer, fast-track NDE student
  • Jim Cree, vice president events, second-year NDE student
  • Almigdad Ibrahim, chapter founding member, second-year NDE student
  • Simon Susac, DC graduate and industry liaison, senior lead NDE technician/pipeline specialist, NDT Group
  • Katy Zaidman, professor, program co-ordinator, SET

“Since announcing the DC chapter, we have had a positive response from students and alumni inquiring about the Young Pipeliners membership,” explains co-chair Lovlesh Kamudu. “On behalf of the executive committee, we look forward to building a membership base of like-minded individuals and engaging in meaningful discussions about how to successfully navigate the pipeline industry as young professionals.”

To learn more about YPAC’s Durham College chapter, please visit https://ypacanada.com.

DC faculty member receives silver CICan award

Durham College (DC) is proud to share that Shane Jones, faculty member in the School of Hospitality & Horticultural Science and program co-ordinator for the Food and Farming and Horticulture Technician programs, has been honoured with a Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan) Silver Leadership Excellence Award for Faculty at the association’s virtual annual conference on April 26.

Shane is a mainstay at DC’s W. Galen Weston Centre for Food (Weston Centre). Whether teaching and mentoring students in class, during labs or out in the centre’s urban farm, he has played a vital role in shaping the college’s horticulture and food and farming programs, as well as developing its living landscape where lessons come to life.

He has been the driving force behind the complete integration of the farm and horticulture production with curriculum, resulting in an immersive learning experience for students and thousands of pounds of food from the fields per year. Shane takes great pride in his work and is always willing to lead where needed to ensure the success of his students and colleagues.

Passionate about teaching and constantly looking to support and enhance the student experience, Shane incorporates hands-on learning in everything he does. Whether mentoring participants or volunteering as a judge in Skills Ontario competitions or guiding teams through installations at trade shows, he generously gives his time and energy.

Winners of the Leadership Excellence Award for Faculty are selected based on the following criteria:

  • Commitment – The nominee or team has shown a consistent commitment to student success and to developing methodologies, materials, and processes which have contributed to student success.
  • Leadership in teaching – The nominee or team has provided a leadership role model for teaching colleagues and students.
  • Impact – The nominee’s or team’s work has had a recognized and substantial impact on students (employment, success rate), colleagues (through professional development and example) and the institution (reputation in the subject area).
  • Sustainability – The nominee’s or team’s commitment has been broadly evident over their career to date.
  • Adaptability – One of the nominee’s or team’s strengths is the ability to adapt teaching styles, methodologies, or materials to fit student needs and available resources.

Shane, congratulations on your Silver Leadership Excellence Award. The CICan Awards of Excellence recognize best practices from more than 135 colleges and institutes across the country, as well as individual leadership and achievements, for more information on this year’s awards, please visit the CICan website.

DC receives $5-million donation from The Barrett Family Foundation to establish the Barrett Centre of Innovation in Sustainable Urban Agriculture

As a recognized leader in food, farming and horticulture science education, Durham College is pleased to announce it has received a $5-million donation, to be released over a period of five years, from The Barrett Family Foundation. Only the second college in Ontario to receive support from the foundation, the funds will be used to create The Barrett Centre of Innovation in Sustainable Urban Agriculture (Barrett Centre). 

Housed within the college’s Whitby campus, the Barrett Centre’s vision is to become an internationally recognized hub of excellence in urban agricultural practices, research, education and training, to address some of society’s biggest challenges including food insecurity, access to safe and stable supplies of fresh food, and economic stability and regeneration of land for local food production. 

This includes building a dynamic new urban farm that will be developed as a community-inspired living lab in the coming years. Leveraging the college’s horticultural, food and farming knowledge and experience, the farm will replicate and scale the successful farming operation already established at the college’s Whitby campus, within the community.

“We are extremely grateful to be partnering with The Barrett Family Foundation to bring this new centre to life,” said Don Lovisa, president, Durham College. “The immense successes we have enjoyed with our post-secondary programs and urban farm on our Whitby campus demonstrate the potential for further exploration and solving critical issues related to food access and security. In establishing the new community farm, we will refine and enhance the current model while also scaling up more broadly to support the local, regional and national urban environments.”

“Durham College is a recognized leader in urban agriculture education,” said Bob Barrett, The Barrett Family Foundation. “The vision to modernize and replicate their current model of urban farming into a regional, national and global entity is very impressive and innovative. Our investment in the college and creation of the Barrett Centre will allow them to scale their operations into a global hub for urban agriculture knowledge and best practices.”

Over the coming weeks and months, the college will begin establishing the infrastructure for the Barrett Centre, including the new community farm which will be scaled and modelled based on the urban farm at DC’s Whitby campus gardens, greenhouses and agricultural fields. A progress update and launch event is planned for the summer, public health restrictions permitting. 

For more information about The Barrett Centre of Innovation in Sustainable Urban Agriculture visit www.durhamcollege.ca/barrettcentre.

DC students help prepare our roads for self-driving cars and the future of innovative technology

Autonomous vehicles (AV) – also known as self-driving cars – are no longer ambitious predictions for the future; by 2030 the AV market is predicted to be worth nearly $60 billion USD. With big names like GM, Tesla and Google testing and bringing AV products to market, and news articles outlining the benefits or drawbacks, the wheels are already in motion when it comes to the future of transportation. But as organizations focus their efforts on making AVs a reality, municipalities have the responsibility of making sure their roads are ready for them – and that’s where Durham College’s (DC) electronics and civil engineering technology students provided their expertise this winter.

As the COVID-19 pandemic impacted field placements and capstone for some programs, the Office of Research Services, Innovation & Entrepreneurship (ORSIE) leveraged their community partnership with the Ontario Good Roads Association (OGRA) to provide a unique opportunity for DC students. Tasked with creating the foundational elements for a standardized roadway rating tool, seven engineering technology students worked in project groups to create a theoretical model and concept of what constitutes a “good road” for autonomous vehicles.

Considering speed and traffic volume, as well as the number of defects found on a road (the students defined up to 80 types), this tool will help OGRA and its municipality members determine whether their current infrastructure can support autonomous vehicles.

“Providing students with opportunities like this is what innovation and applied research at Durham College is all about,” says Chris Gillis, manager, Applied Research Business Development. “This project allows our students to put their knowledge into practice while also working on an incredible initiative that will have a real and lasting impact on their communities and the future of technology.”

During the project, students compiled research, developed checklists, created reports, and visited busy roadways in-person to manually test the preliminary rating tool they developed. For some, this project helped them to meet the report writing requirement for certification as a Certified Engineering Technologist under Ontario Association of Certified Engineering Technicians and Technologists (OACETT).

With that first phase complete, OGRA will bring the tool to their municipalities to test and provide feedback that will help take the students’ work to the next level. After that, the process can be automated through artificial intelligence and roads can be mapped to get our streets ready for the future.

Experiential learning like this is available in numerous ways to most DC students, allowing them to test their capabilities and enhance the knowledge they’ve learned in the classroom, network and make industry connections and gain real-world work experience that will help them stand out in a competitive job market. To learn more, please visit www.durhamcollege.ca/experiential-learning.

For more information on DC’s autonomous vehicle applied research (AVAR), please visit www.durhamcollege.ca/avar.

DC’s autonomous technology players join panel at Future of Transportation and Mobility Virtual event

As autonomous technologies continue to evolve and change our concepts of driving, Durham College (DC) joined industry leaders at the third annual Future of Transportation and Mobility Series. Held virtually in March, the event drew close to 400 attendees across 25 different countries.

With Ontario preparing its infrastructure to accommodate autonomous vehicles, experts explored new challenges to security, highlighting key areas for consideration, such as privacy and compliance. Danny Aniag, professor for DC’s Cybersecurity graduate certificate program and Ali Hirji, project manager, Hub for Applied Research in Artificial Intelligence for Business Solutions, discussed the role of existing cybersecurity frameworks and their application to new trends in the autonomous vehicle industry.

“Technical advancements in the autonomous vehicle field are strong and consistent, however, end users must be educated on the new frontiers of cybersecurity threats,” explained Ali. “As connectivity increases, there will be an exponential increase of vulnerabilities, and security by design will be a fundamental framework to securing code on the go.”

DC is a member of the Durham Regional Technology Development Site (RTDS), alongside Ontario Tech University and Spark Centre. The college was a presenting sponsor of this three-day event, which was a joint collaboration with Innovation Factory, Centre for Integrated Transportation and Mobility (Hamilton’s RTDS) and the Autonomous Vehicle Innovation Network (AVIN).

“Discussing these advancements with members of the autonomous technology community helps raise awareness and encourage safe and secure practices for the future,” said Danny. “As the autonomous vehicle sector emerges, new cybersecurity challenges will surface, which pose new threats without appropriate proactive measures.”

Since 2018, DC has been a proud partner of the Ontario Centres of Innovation’s AVIN project. The initiative brings together industry, academia and government to capitalize on the economic opportunities of connected and autonomous vehicles, while supporting the province’s transportation systems and infrastructure in adapting to these emerging technologies.

“Engaging with members of the autonomous technology community provides DC’s subject matter experts insight into the latest industry challenges, which can then be addressed through new collaborations with partners to develop meaningful solutions,” said Debbie McKee Demczyk, dean, Office of Research Services, Innovation and Entrepreneurship.

DC’s continued collaborations in the emerging field of autonomous technology will support the identification and implementation of necessary cybersecurity and data protection measures in order to better prepare for connected and autonomous vehicle adoption.

To learn more about DC’s Autonomous Vehicle Applied Research (AVAR), please visit https://durhamcollege.ca/avar.