Durham College’s (DC) Office of Development and Alumni Affairs gave new meaning to the term ‘coffee break’ for alumni with their Brewing Memories Coffee Tour (BMCT).  The travelling series of events was part of DC’s 50th anniversary celebrations in 2017 and saw the college host coffee breaks throughout the year at 50 workplaces that employ DC graduates. This month, the tour wraps up after more than 50 stops.

The BMCT was designed to provide opportunities for the college to re-connect with its graduates, hear their success stories, learn about their career paths and in turn, share with them the new and exciting things happening at DC – all while enjoying free coffee, tea and baked goods. Each attendee had the opportunity to share details of their program and received a commemorative ‘DC alumni at work’ sticker to be proudly displayed at their workplace.

The Office of Development and Alumni Affairs gathered with alumni in workplaces such as DC’s Oshawa and Whitby campuses, Durham Regional Police Services, Ontario Power Generation and Bombardier Transportation. The BMCT traveled outside of Durham Region, with stops at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto and the HMCS BYTOWN Officers’ Mess in Ottawa.

The tour also gave international alumni the opportunity to connect by engaging with former DC students in British Columbia, Romania, Turkey, Japan and England. The five alumni came together through DC’s Global Class to share their memories of DC and updates on their careers. Participants also learned about new college developments and took questions from audience members watching live, both in-class and on the web for a truly unique BMCT stop.

Durham College (DC) has been named one of Greater Toronto’s Top Employers for 2018. This is the seventh time the college has received this honour.

DC is proud to be acknowledged for the work being done on campus to create opportunities for professional development and personal wellness for the college’s more than 790 full-time employees, including faculty, administrative and support staff. Highlights of that work recognized by the Top Employer program this year include DC’s annual Retreat with the President, a forum for staff to provide feedback and share ideas for improvement as well as the college’s diversity working group, which helps develop and implement strategies and initiatives related to student and employment diversity. The program also commended DC for encouraging employees to lead active, healthy lives by subsidizing memberships to the state-of-the-art Campus Recreation and Wellness Centre, which also offers massage, physiotherapy and other extended healthcare services.

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.

For more information, please visit www.canadastop100.com/toronto/.

In early November, as part of its participation in the Kenyan Education for Employment Program (KEFEP), Durham College (DC) hosted four days of workshops for delegates from five Kenyan national polytechnics. The delegation’s visit to Ontario marked the beginning of Durham’s KEFEP partnerships, facilitated through Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan).

In addition to a workshop hosted by Algonquin College, one of DC’s Canadian partners, touching on the Greening of Technical Vocational Education and Training, a diverse, cross-sectional group of DC employees delivered workshops on the following subjects:

• Leadership and Change Management
• Gender Mainstreaming
• Industry Engagement and Program Advisory Committees

The Kenyan delegation also had the opportunity to connect with members of the DC leadership team (DCLT), including president Don Lovisa, Dr. Elaine Popp, vice-president, Academic; Mark Herringer, dean, International Education; and Moreen Tapper, dean, Centre for Academic and Faculty Enrichment. During a roundtable discussion, DCLT participants shared personal stories of their career development, as well as experiences with change management and leading teams through organizational transitions. Their Kenyan counterparts then shared details of their own experiences in connection with the evolution of Kenya’s post-secondary education system, including the recent change to college-led responsibility for curriculum development.

KEFEP is a five-year initiative focused on strengthening and supporting technical and vocational education and training in Kenya. It is funded by the Government of Canada through Global Affairs Canada and facilitated by CICan. DC has been contracted on two separate KEFEP project with different mix of Kenyan and Canadian partners, to work together to achieve the overarching KEFEP goals through a partnership of 3.5 years. A vital component of DC’s internationalization strategy and efforts, partnerships such as KEFEP are great examples of partner-driven capacity-building projects that work towards sustainable results and professional development opportunities for all parties.

Durham College (DC) and the Limerick Institute of Technology (LIT) have signed nine articulation agreements to provide new degree pathways for DC students. Graduates of several of the college’s two- and three-year programs will now be able to enter LIT bachelor programs with advanced standing, allowing them to earn a degree in as little as one academic year.

The agreements will provide qualified graduates from DC’s Centre for Food (CFF) and schools of Media, Art & Design (MAD) and Business, IT & Management (BITM) with the opportunity to pursue degrees at LIT including:

• Business Studies with Sports Management – Bachelor of Arts
• Digital Animation Production – Bachelor of Science
• Graphic Design Communication – Bachelor of Arts
• Business Studies with Sport Management – Bachelor of Arts
• Music Technology and Production Bachelor of Science
• Culinary Arts – Bachelor of Arts
• Business  with Enterprise & Innovation – Bachelor of Business
• Business Studies with Event Management – Bachelor of Arts
• Creative Broadcast & Film Production – Bachelor of Science

DC graduates will be able to build on the knowledge and skills acquired through their diploma program while gaining an international experience as they study abroad. LIT is one of the fastest growing degree-granting colleges in Ireland, with over 6,500 students learning across five state-of-the-art campuses in Limerick and Tipperary.

The relationship between the two schools has been growing steadily over the past year. Most recently LIT president Vincent Cunnane visited DC, touring both the Oshawa and Whitby campuses and meeting with faculty members and members of the college’s Academic Leadership Team, including Dr. Elaine Popp, vice-president, Academic; Marianne Marando, executive dean, BITM; and Tony Doyle, associate dean, CFF.

Previously, DC sent five faculty members to LIT for a week of professional development and in February, 22 MAD students traveled to Ireland with another three faculty members. As part of their cross-country trip they visited LIT’s School of Art & Design in Limerick to learn about further education options available to them. The group visited LIT’s Clare Street campus, a refurbished convent and chapel where fine arts bachelor’s degree programs are taught including Painting, Printmaking and Contemporary Practice, Sculpture & Combined Media, and Photography and Lens Based Media.

DC offers students more than 450 academic pathways through agreements with institutions in Ontario, across Canada and around the world.

Small businesses looking for support with a marketing plan or with developing products focused on robotics, automation or controls are being invited to tap into local expertise.

Applications are now being accepted for an exciting grant program, which is a partnership between Durham College (DC), the University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT) and Spark Innovation Centre.

Through funding from the National Research Council Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC-IRAP), local companies can tap into a variety of services to receive assistance with:

• development of a business/marketing plan
• modification of control software
• prototype design/development

The re-launched program builds on the success of last year’s inaugural program, which assisted 11 local companies with technical and business challenges. Successful applicants will have access to leading research and testing facilities on the shared DC-UOIT Oshawa campus, such as the college’s faculty expertise and the university’s ACE Climatic Wind Tunnel.

To qualify, companies must be incorporated and have less than 15 employees. Projects are eligible for up to $10,000 of support. Applications are assessed on suitability for the program and each organization’s capacity to complete its project.

• Deadline for applications: Tuesday, September 12.
• Projects must be completed by Wednesday, March 15, 2018.
• Interested companies can apply using the downloadable application form and following the submission instructions.

“This is an opportunity for local small businesses to access tremendous resources,” said Debbie McKee Demczyk, dean, Office of Research Services, Innovation and Entrepreneurship, DC. “We look forward to once again partnering with small companies to help them solve their technical and business challenges and find ways to innovate and grow their businesses.”

As of October 16, full-time and partial load faculty at Ontario’s 24 colleges, including Durham College (DC) are on strike. All classes at the Oshawa and Whitby campuses and Pickering Learning Site, including apprenticeships, are cancelled, with the exception of Continuing Education courses, which will continue to run.

The Oshawa and Whitby campuses and the Pickering Learning site remain open. DC is committed to keeping students informed through a comprehensive list of FAQs that can be found on the website at www.durhamcollege.ca/strike. Anyone who has a question that is not answered here, please email dccares@durhamcollege.ca.

Students are encouraged to remain engaged with the campus. DC has many student supports in place to help students keep on track during the work stoppage, however, tests and assignments are not due at this time. We encourage students to take advantage of the many resources available to prepare for when classes start again. Please see FAQ titled: Study and open lab options for details.

Anyone coming to campus should be aware that picket lines have been established at entrances to the Oshawa and Whitby campuses and the Pickering Learning Site from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. While picketers are to keep traffic moving and allow free passage in and out of campus by non-striking individuals, visitors should expect some delays. It is important to be patient and stay respectful. Those operating a vehicle should do so in a safe and lawful manner.

DC is committed to students’ success and will do everything possible to ensure that all students have the opportunity to complete their fall semester. It is important to note, that no Ontario college student has ever lost their academic year because of a work stoppage.

During this difficult time, decisions and actions of the college’s community will reflect the college’s values of: integrity and transparency, respect, equal access and diversity, personal and team accountability and collaboration.

As a reminder updates and FAQs are available at  www.durhamcollege.ca/strike. For additional questions, please email dccares@durhamcollege.ca.