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Durham College hosts Dragons’ Den auditions

On February 28, Durham College (DC) hosted auditions for the hit CBC television show Dragons’ Den for the third year in a row. The packed schedule saw 30 new business concepts and products pitched to producers of the show.

DC students and members of the general public, all of them entrepreneurs, auditioned while trying to balance their nerves, emotions and determination to secure a spot to present their pitch directly to the Dragons.

A wide variety of ideas were unveiled during the auditions, including three pitches from DC students. A group from the Sport Management, Marketing Business and Entrepreneurship and Small Business programs showcased a project focused on taking competitive athletic training to the next level to prepare high-school students for upcoming competitive seasons. A student from Paralegal program presented a tool for legal self-representation. A student from the Entrepreneurship and Small Business program pitched an organization that helps bridge the gap between professional videogame teams and potential sponsors.

DC students were encouraged to get support from FastStart, the college’s entrepreneurial training program, ahead of their pitches. Those who did were given advice on how to create a short, concise and to-the-point presentation and were reminded that most successful pitches tell a story about who the entrepreneurs are, what their motivation is for their business, what value the proposition holds for potential customers and what’s in it for the investors.

Holding events on campus like the Dragons’ Den auditions helps DC to continue developing entrepreneurial skills and strategic thinking among students, while encouraging them to keep moving forward in order to succeed.

DC revs its engines at 2018 Canadian International Autoshow

Students from Durham College’s (DC) Automotive Technician – Service and Management (Motive Power Technician) program participated in a live panel interview at the 2018 Canadian International Autoshow on February 23.

Sponsored by the Trillium Automobile Dealers Association’s Career Start education program, the interview was part of the Live Stage series at the show, featuring new, innovative and unique automotive programs at post-secondary institutions.

DC’s panel participants included first-year students Dan Howell and Marco Grande and second-year students Alorah Abell, Keeshan Sharma and Cass Varty.

The students’ interview highlighted DC’s unique Kit Car Build, a comprehensive learning experience exclusive to DC automotive students. Beginning in their first year, students build one of two Factory Five Racing kit cars — a 33 Hot Rod or MK4 Shelby Roadster — throughout their program, completing the vehicle prior to graduation. The project puts emphasis on mechanical hands-on training, critical thinking and essential employability skills.

DC’s two-year automotive program is designed to give graduates technical skills, theoretical knowledge and a solid understanding of business practices to confidently enter their careers at an advanced level. The program focuses on a diploma-to-apprenticeship path, giving qualified graduates the opportunity to register as a level-three apprentice.

DC grad Victoria Rinsma cooks up another award win

Durham College (DC) graduate Victoria Rinsma earned a bronze medal at Chef Ireland 2018, part of the Chef Ireland Culinary Competitions, which took place in Dublin, February 6 and 7.

Representing the Institute of Technology Tralee’s (ITT) Hotel, Culinary Arts and Tourism Department, Rinsma was part of a four-person team that competed across three categories; she captured a bronze medal in the Irish Beef Fillet competition open class.

Rinsma is a graduate of DC’s Culinary Management program, where students develop their skills in the culinary arts while learning valuable management skills to take their careers to the next level. Rinsma’s win in Ireland is the latest in a series of culinary accomplishments she has received over the course of her academic career.

While studying at DC, Rinsma was part of the winning team at the 2016 Taste Canada Cook the Books competition, where she competed against top culinary students from across Ontario, and she received DC’s 2017 Gold Medal Award, which honours the college’s top culinary student.

Rinsma’s passion for cooking has taken her to ITT, where she is pursuing a three-year BA in Culinary Arts. ITT and DC enjoy a long-standing partnership that enables DC graduates of several of the college’s two- and three-year programs to enter ITT bachelor programs with advanced standing, allowing them to earn a degree in as little as two additional semesters of study. It is one of DC’s more than 450 academic pathways offered via agreements with universities in Ontario, Canada and around the world.

Congratulations, Victoria!

DC honours the legacy of Black Canadians during Black History Month Celebration

On February 21, Durham College (DC) students and employees were joined by community leaders to honour the legacy of Black Canadians past and present, during the college’s Black History Month celebration.

Hosted by the Office of Student Diversity, Inclusion and Transitions, DC was honoured to host special guests Celina Caesar-Chavannes, Member of Parliament for Whitby, and Mayor of Oshawa John Henry, who both spoke at the event.

DC’s Black History Month Celebration also featured a dance and drumming workshop by Sanaaj Mirrie, social entrepreneur and artistic director of Afiwi Groove School, and a poetry reading by artist, activist and social innovator Greg Frankson, a.k.a Ritallin.

DC celebrates International Development Week

Durham College (DC) took part in Global Affairs Canada’s International Development Week (IDW), established in 1991, as a uniquely Canadian tradition that celebrates contributions to poverty reduction and international humanitarian assistance in the developing world. DC celebrated this event with a full program for students and employees emphasizing Global Affairs Canada’s theme “Partners for a Better World”, encouraging Canadians to build an more inclusive, peaceful and prosperous world.

DC’s IDW events began with a message from Member of Parliament Celina Caesar-Chavannes who congratulated the college’s internationalization efforts and reminded us of the responsibility DC has to mobilize global citizens. Other activities included a Global Class on access and equity in education, where guest speaker Christian Mutalamuna, who is a DC alumni from the Democratic Republic of Congo, encouraged a packed room of DC students, as well as participants from Russia, Zambia, Ghana, Mexico and Toronto to push through external and internal limitations in the pursuit of education.

DC also hosted a Marketplace, which featured 14 non-governmental organizations, local artists and fair-trade vendors.  Students and employees also heard of the many opportunities the college offers for international experiences from education abroad, to participating on DC’s international projects and partnerships. Other highlights included the screening of a thought-provoking documentary on climate change, hearing the stories of peer’s international experiences, a presentation from Limerick Institute of Technology on degree completion in Ireland and cultural dance lessons facilitated by DC alumni.

DC helps clear the smoke surrounding growing cannabis industry

On February 15, Durham College’s (DC) School of Continuing Education, along with industry leaders GrowWise Health, Ample Organics and Cannabis at Work, presented an Ontario Cannabis Industry Q&A event.

Inspired by conversations being had in DC’s new Medical Cannabis Fundamentals for Business Professionals course, the event discussed the status of the rapidly expanding Ontario cannabis industry; the increased demand for a skilled workforce including expectations for growth and what it will mean for job creation; the types of jobs being created; and the skills professionals will need to fill those jobs.

The event reached capacity within 48-hours of being announced, highlighting the need for more dialog and education about the cannabis industry in Ontario and across Canada. Approximately 70 participants comprising students, job seekers, investors, healthcare professionals, entrepreneurs, among others, took part. They were able to ask questions of the experts on areas such as what employers are looking for in prospective employees, where the industry is going and the types of regulatory issues yet to be resolved by government.  It was a great opportunity to gain insights from some of the most knowledgeable people in the industry.

Future events will be held in March. Anyone interested in attending one of DC’s Ontario Cannabis Industry Q&A sessions is invited to put their name on the registration list by emailing barbara.knox@durhamcollege.ca. All DC students, faculty and alumni, as well as members of the public, are welcome and encouraged to attend.

Durham College students present artificial intelligence project on Parliament Hill

A team of Durham College (DC) students, faculty researchers and representatives from the college’s Office of Research Services, Innovation and Entrepreneurship (ORSIE) returned from Ottawa this week after participating in Colleges and Institutes Canada’s (CICan) annual Applied Research Symposium.

The team from DC joined students from across the province, as they presented their project “Interactive Accessibility Assistant using Artificial Intelligence (AI)” to parliamentarians and representatives from the federal government at a special showcase on Parliament Hill.

Initially funded by DC, the Interactive Accessibility project set out to develop software for accurate closed captioning of teaching materials, to improve accessibility offerings and learning experiences for students at the college. The solution was developed by integrating several signal and language processing AI architectures and incorporating sound and natural language AI processing in a new and unique way.

The result was an application that can generate accurate closed captioning of any video or reading materials. In the case of the project, it was the colleges teaching resources that became more accessible, thus enhancing the learning experience for DC students.

With a goal of highlighting the impact of applied research and innovation for students, the Student Showcase gave research teams the opportunity to demonstrate how their projects provided a solution to a community partner or industry problem, while also allowing them to share what they gained from participating in the experience.

Students meet their future employers at DC Job Fair

As part of its annual Career Week, Durham College (DC) hosted its largest Job Fair to date on February 7. Coordinated by DC’s Career Development office, the event offered students and alumni access to more than 80 organizations – a welcome increase over last year’s event.

Held in the Campus Recreation and Wellness Centre at the college’s Oshawa campus, the job fair brought students together with representatives from organizations representing a mix of economic sectors, including business, community services, manufacturing, skilled trades, information technology, engineering, health care, hospitality and justice.

Participants were also able to access unique services, such as the Speed Networking Hub. They received advice from alumni, industry experts and business leaders about career paths and networking and learned key skills to maximize success in the workplace.

Students interested in learning about opportunities in skilled trades were able to attend the Tradesmart Career Fair at the Whitby campus, which was also held as part of Career Week. There, they had access to 30 employers, representing another significant increase in the number of participating organizations.

DC’s Career Development office is a student’s gateway to all things career-related at the college. The Career Development team offers a range of services including support for career exploration, resumé building and employment letter writing, interviewing skills and job search strategies.

For more information visit www.durhamcollege.ca/careerdevelopment.

Ontario’s Minister of Economic Development and Growth visits DC

On February 12, Steven Del Duca, Ontario’s Minister of Economic Development and Growth, visited Durham College’s (DC) Oshawa campus to speak with students and employees during a town hall in The Pit.

After sharing brief remarks, Minister Del Duca spent the remainder of the hour-long session answering questions that ranged from discussing the impact of minimum wage increases on part-time jobs to addressing the need to foster diversity in fields such as science, engineering, technology and math.

With an emphasis on optimism and a focus on Ontario’s strengths, Del Duca reviewed the opportunities for students in the dynamic and rapidly changing economy. He also stressed the importance of continued investment, strategic decision making and driving innovation to preserve the positive gains achieved for the province since the recession.

DC student competes in international design contest

Durham College (DC) student Evgenia Nazarenko from the School of Media, Art and Design (MAD) tested her skills at in international level earlier this year when she represented DC in the Young Designers Award Competition.

Evgenia and DC were the sole Canadian participants in the annual, by-invitation-only event that showcases the extraordinary and emerging talents of packaging and design students at the college level.

For the 2018 competition, students from participating schools were provided a clear, 9oz jar with cap and instructed to design a product and label/outer packaging. Schools then submitted their top entries to be judged by a prestigious panel of cosmetic and personal care packaging design experts.

The judging criteria included overall uniqueness, ability to be reproduced economically and ability to stand out favorably against competitive packages. Industry sponsors included multinational corporations such as Biorius, Pfeiffer and Mary-K. 

Competition was fierce, featuring schools such as Yale University School of Art, Maine College of Art and Corcoran School of the Arts and Design.

A third-year student in DC’s Graphic Design program, Evgenia will now have her work exhibited in California beginning in February.

Congratulations, Evgenia!