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DC marketing students place multiple times at the Ontario College’s Marketing Competition

For nearly four decades, students from across the province have brought their ideas and competitive spirit to Ontario College’s Marketing Competition (OCMC) to demonstrate their practical skills and employability while networking with industry professionals.

In November, 15 students from Durham College’s (DC) Marketing – Business and Marketing – Business Administration programs travelled to Niagara Falls, Ont. to compete against more than 250 other students. There, they were coached by six faculty volunteers from the School of Business, IT & Management and challenged in an array of marketing categories, including retail marketing and entrepreneurship.

Seven DC students placed in their respective categories, including:

  • Brendan Scott – first place, Quiz Bowl Competition and third place, Entrepreneurship Competition
  • Kaitlyn Braisier – third place, Job Interview Competition
  • Youssef Zaki – third place, Entrepreneurship Competition
  • Malcolm Hooper – fourth place, Quiz Bowl Competition
  • Chin-Ting Sherwin – fifth place, Direct Marketing Competition
  • Nicholas Bowman – fifth place, Direct Marketing Competition

Kaitlyn Braisier also received the prestigious Lydiatt Award, which is presented to a student who demonstrates commitment to the OCMC, supports others while working hard and has shown outstanding character and leadership in their college and community. A two-time OCMC participant, Kaitlyn doubled the number of DC students who tried out for the competition this year by organizing new recruitment efforts, like a mentor event where previous OCMC competitors shared their experience to inspire students and foster a sense of community within the team.

Congrats to Kaitlyn and all of our DC students on their achievement!

DC’s Centre for Professional and Part-time Learning launches seven new programs

To meet the demands of multiple rapidly-growing sectors, including artificial intelligence and construction management, Durham College’s (DC) Centre for Professional and Part-time Learning has launched four micro-credential and three certificate programs for the fall 2020 term.

These new offerings include:

  • Artificial Intelligence Privacy and Compliance – micro-credential
    Artificial Intelligence (AI) has and will continue to impact all industry sectors globally, from small businesses to multi-national corporations. This short, three-course program is designed for managers and leaders within all industries, exploring AI essentials, data privacy and compliance.
  • Coding Essentials – certificate
    The Coding Essentials program equips students with the fundamental skills needed to enter and succeed in careers in the Canadian knowledge economy. This program provides sought-after skills in computer programming and web app development, augmented with perspectives on project management to support the learner’s ability to work successfully in a team environment.
  • Construction Management – certificate
    This certificate program provides practical training in the commercial construction management field. The program emphasizes two key areas of construction management: the interpretation and understanding of commercial project documents (working drawings, specifications, soils reports, contracts, etc.), and the preparation of estimates and construction schedules. By developing these foundational skills in the construction management field, students will gain the knowledge to begin assisting or managing the construction process, from initial planning to project completion. Some courses are Gold Seal Accredited by the Canadian Construction Association.
  • Construction Jobsite Readiness – recognition of achievement
    Consisting of two micro-credentials, this program was developed in consultation with industry experts and is geared to youth who have an interest in working in the construction and trades industry. Graduates who complete both micro-credentials will hold a Jobsite Readiness Recognition of Achievement, preparing them for entry-level jobs in the construction industry where demand is high and earning potential is exponential. Successful graduates of this program may also explore opportunities to pursue further development in the trades or other related areas.
  • Medical Terminology – micro-credential
    This short, three-course program is designed for those who already have an administrative background and want to build entry-level medical language skills to communicate effectively within healthcare settings. There is a focus on medical terminology and terms related to common medical conditions, diagnostic tests, anatomy and physiology, and pharmacology.
  • Veterinary Office Assistant – certificate
    Veterinary office assistants are professionals who contribute to the effectiveness of a veterinary office environment in fundamental ways. This includes liaising with clients, overseeing efficient office communications, scheduling, equipment maintenance, and contributing to special projects. A foundational knowledge of veterinary terminology and procedures unique to this exciting industry will provide you with the knowledge and skills needed to be a valuable asset in a veterinary office. Students who complete this certificate may choose to continue their studies by completing the Veterinary Office Assistant Specialization micro-credential.
  • Veterinary Office Assistant Specialization – micro-credential
    This short, four-course program is designed for those who already have a veterinary office administrative background or who have completed the Veterinary Office Assistant certificate program and want to build on their knowledge and skills within the context of a veterinary office. There is a focus on medical terminology and basic procedures related to common surgical and lab procedures, as well as pharmacology.

For more information or to register for one of these new, dynamic program offerings, please visit www.durhamcollege.ca/ppl.

Durham College named one of Greater Toronto’s Top Employers for 2020

Durham College (DC) has been named one of the Greater Toronto’s Top Employers for 2020. Awarded to organizations for their progressive, forward-thinking employee programs, this is the ninth time the college has received the honour.

DC is proud to be recognized for its culture of collaboration, fostered by events such as the annual Retreat with the President, where employees have the opportunity to provide direct feedback and ideas to college leadership on how to improve the DC experience for the entire campus community.

The various supports offered by DC were also acknowledged including generous contributions to the defined benefit pension plan and subsidized access to the Campus Recreation and Wellness Centre.

It was also noted the support does not stop once a DC employee retires. From retirement planning assistance prior to their departure to maintaining the connection between former employees and the college through the Retiree Association, DC encourages and helps its employees from the beginning of their careers, all the way up to their transition into the next chapter of their lives.

Greater Toronto’s Top Employers is an annual competition organized by the editors of Canada’s Top 100 Employers. This special designation recognizes the Greater Toronto Area employers that lead their industries in offering exceptional places to work. Organizations are judged on several categories including physical workplace; work and social atmosphere; health, financial and family benefits; vacation and time off; employee communications; performance management; training and skills development; and community involvement. Employers are compared to other organizations in their field to determine which offer the most progressive and forward-thinking programs. 

More information can be found on DC’s Greater Toronto Top Employers profile.

DC’s recent Tech Talk hosted high-profile industry experts to explore the future of artificial intelligence and gaming

Durham College’s Hub for Applied Research in Artificial Intelligence for Business Solutions (AI Hub) hosted another sold out Tech Talk on December 2 – this time, focusing on the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) in the gaming sector, an industry comprised of over 2.3 billion gamers and worth more than $100 billion globally.

Simon Gill, director of Economic Development and Tourism at the Regional Municipality of Durham, and Shaun Collier, mayor of the Town of Ajax, joined more than 120 other attendees to hear the keynote presentation from Menashe Kestenbaum, founder and president of Enthusiast Gaming. A panel discussion followed, featuring Tanmay Bakshi, the world’s youngest IBM Watson programmer and an AI expert; Mahdi Raza, founder and CEO of SiberX; Michael Ball, information security advisor and vCISO at TeamCISO; and Sarah Wagg, manager of DC’s Esports Gaming Arena.

During the panel the speakers explored potential growth opportunities for AI and gaming, touching on how students can find success in these sectors and how the Durham Region may benefit from the rise of esports.

At the end of the session, the AI Hub team announced its second annual Enable AI Summit. Taking place on Friday, June 5 at DC, the summit will focus on developing and supporting Smart Communities. To help potential attendees prepare, Tech Talks over the next six months will address community related topics such as AI and transportation, agriculture, mental health and more.

Further details about the Enable AI Summit will be released as they become available.

Durham College launches Centre for Professional and Part-time Learning

The School of Continuing Education at Durham College (DC) is now the Centre for Professional and Part-time Learning (PPL). With extraordinary customer service at its core, PPL will deliver quality part-time programs and courses to individuals who are looking for professional development opportunities, as well as to students seeking credit towards a post-secondary credential. 

“The world of learning is changing, especially when it comes to continuing education,” said Dr. Elaine Popp, vice president, Academic, at DC. “Today’s professionals understand that staying competitive in their field requires a commitment to continual upskilling and development. Durham College understands that these professionals require flexible learning that meets their needs. This is why we are so excited to introduce the Centre for Professional and Part-time Learning as the next step in the evolution of lifelong learning at DC.”

The market-driven programming is focused primarily on the areas of health, technology, business, education and training, languages, and specialized trades. Offering more than 1,000 courses and 75 programs across a broad range of disciplines, PPL will continue to leverage the wealth of experience provided by DC faculty and provide students with flexible learning opportunities via in-class, online and hybrid delivery.

 “Industry and learner needs are shifting rapidly and the transformation of Continuing Education into PPL will ensure that the college is able to maintain its reputation as a leader in lifelong learning,” said dean Debbie Johnston. “We are committed to meeting, anticipating and adapting to the needs of learners both today and going forward.”

PPL offices remain in the location of the former School of Continuing Education at the Oshawa campus in Room A160, Gordon Willey building (near the main entrance to the B Wing).

The PPL launch includes a new website and coincides with the opening of registration for the 2020 winter semester.

DC sports business students win third place in industry case study competition

A team of dedicated students from Durham College’s (DC) sports administration and business management programs kicked off the 12th annual PrimeTime Sports and Entertainment Sport Management Conference and Tradeshow earlier this month as they competed against local universities in a business case study competition in Toronto.

An annual conference tradition that aims to create a positive hands-on learning experience for emerging sports business professionals, this year’s case centered around the challenge of growing and enhancing fan engagement for the Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment Raptors Uprising GC esports team, which competes in the NBA 2K League.

The only college team to participate, DC’s Jacqueline Tieu, Trevor Anniss, Colin Shuringa, Megan Longpre, and Bobby Pelleschi were given 24 hours to conduct their case analysis and put together a 15 minute pitch presentation and recommendation. After passing the first round of judging, the team went on to the final round, where they received praise from a tough panel of judges, who commended them for their adaptability, creativity and analytical thinking in both rounds. In the end, DC’s team tied for third place with University of Toronto – Mississauga.

Congrats to our students on their achievement!

DC announces new business incubator for social entrepreneurs

Durham College (DC) is pleased to share that its FastStartDC program has launched SHIFT, a new business start-up accelerator service designed to support social enterprises and entrepreneurs, as they work towards making a positive social, environmental or economic impact on the world.

The unique service was announced in front of more than 100 DC students, employees, community partners and local business leaders at a launch party co-hosted by the Business Advisory Centre Durham as part of Do It in Durham’s Entrepreneurship Week, held on November 22 in DC’s Global Classroom.

During the event, attendees heard from the member of parliament for Whitby, Ryan Turnbull, , who spoke briefly about the benefits of social entrepreneurship, as well as a panel of social entrepreneurs, including Janet Nezon, founder, Rainbow Plate; Shaun Frankson, co-founder and chief technology officer, Plastic Bank; Elisa Birnbaum, journalist, author and editor, SEE Change Magazine; and Dan Kershaw, executive director, Furniture Bank. Hosted by DC professor Lon Appleby, the panel discussion focused on shifting entrepreneurial mindsets to create businesses that will make a positive impact.

“Great things happen when entrepreneurship and social thinking go hand-in-hand,” said Dr. Elaine Popp, vice president, Academic. “We have seen so many incredible student entrepreneurs working with the FastStartDC team to develop products, brands and businesses. Now the next generation of students will be able to take advantage of all that FastStartDC has to offer but can do so while building a culture of social change through entrepreneurial thinking and action all thanks to SHIFT.”

SHIFT is the first FastStartDC service to support both students and social entrepreneurs from across Durham Region. FastStartDC is an extra-curricular entrepreneurship program housed within DC’s 360insights Entrepreneurship Centre in the Centre for Collaborative Education that offers DC students access to entrepreneurial services and training programs.

DC students and professor take home People’s Choice Award at all-female culinary competition

Last month, Durham College (DC) professor Tanya Heck and second-year students Amira Elgindy and Arlinda Prenaj from DC’s Culinary Management program, won the Up and Coming Chef’s Challenge at the annual Eat to the Beat charity event.

Competing against teams from other colleges, DC placed first, winning the People’s Choice Award for their team’s roasted beet and panzanella salad made with feta cheese, heirloom tomato, red onion, basil, honey, garlic and micro-greens – all grown, harvested and produced at DC’s Whitby campus.

Throughout the competition, DC’s talented team of female chefs received great reviews and feedback from taste-testers, who were impressed that all ingredients used in the dish came directly from DC’s fields, greenhouses and apiary.

Entering its 24th year, Eat to the Beat is a charity event that raises funds for the Canadian Cancer Society by welcoming urban foodies to taste the culinary creations of 60 female chefs – women supporting women through the challenges that come with a breast cancer diagnosis.

DC student, alumnus and faculty member travel to Rome, Italy for health care technology conference

Durham College’s (DC) health care programs were well-represented on the world stage last month when a DC student, alumnus and faculty member traveled to Rome, Italy to speak at the Third International Clinical Engineering and Health Technology Management Congress, organized by the International Federation of Medical and Biological Engineering.

From the Bachelor of Health Care Technology Management (BHCTM) program, second-year student Jessica Metcalfe presented her poster “Student point-of-view: healthcare technology management, a layman’s definition” in the Education, Certification, and Training session, while faculty member Abdelbaset Khalaf spoke in two sessions on the development of health care management technology, one of which was featured as a conference highlight. In both sessions he spoke about the BHCTM program, including the success of its launch and future plans, which was well-received by the audience.

Oem Dave, a Biomedical Engineering Technology grad, also showcased his research from the electrocardiogram capstone project through a poster presentation at the conference.

The conference was attended by 800 delegates from 62 countries and of the eight speakers from Canada and three were from DC. This is the first time that the BHCTM program has been represented at a global event, and Abdelbaset is already preparing students and faculty to take part in the fourth congress in the U.S. in 2021.

A winning weekend for Durham Lords men’s soccer and rugby teams

The Durham Lords celebrated national and provincial championship wins on November 9 and 10, securing gold in both the 2019 Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) men’s soccer national championship and the Ontario Colleges Athletic Association (OCAA) men’s provincial rugby championship.

Kicking off the weekend, the Lords hosted the men’s soccer national championship and captured their first gold medal in program history, defeating the Vancouver Island University Mariners 3-2 in the championship final in front of a home crowd in Oshawa, Ont. Durham Lords first-year striker Joshua Lee was named championship MVP and a championship all-star, alongside teammates Nick Payne, Colin Reilly, Ryan Cullen, and Kevon Grant. The Lords previous men’s soccer national medal came exactly a decade ago when they previously served as host for the prestigious event, capturing the CCAA bronze in 1999.

“The win for the men’s soccer team is fantastic and the team and coaches are to be congratulated for a great season and for bringing the trophy to Durham College,” said Meri Kim Oliver, vice president, Student Affairs. “Moreover, as the coaches and teams worked hard to secure this win, so did the Athletics team who co-ordinated the banquet and awards, organized coaches meetings and field preparation and were committed to delivering an amazing championship event all while keeping the multiple athletic facilities and programs running.”

On November 10, the Lords men’s rugby team travelled to Barrie for the OCAA provincial championship. Following their first provincial banner in program history last fall, the Lords men’s rugby team made it back-to-back OCAA gold medals after defeating the Georgian Grizzlies 22-17. After returning to the OCAA conference last season and making their debut in league play, the Lords have accrued a record of 14-3 overall in their two seasons, laying their claim to be one of the best post-secondary rugby programs in the country with two provincial banners to their names in two years of competition.

Lords No. 10 Taylor Dallas was named the championship MVP making several spectacular tackles in the championship final, in addition to guiding the offence from his fly-half position. Also honoured following the match were Patrick Lynch and Austin Knox, who were both named championship all-stars.

Congratulations to the Durham Lords on their triumphant wins!