Automotive students unveil 500 horsepower MK4 Roadster

On December 14, Durham College (DC) students in their final semester of the Automotive Technician – Service and Management program proudly unveiled a project that has been two years in the making – a road-ready, Factory Five Racing MK4 Roadster, built entirely by them.

Assembled piece-by-piece throughout four semesters, this unique shop project allowed the students to get their hands dirty while putting into practice the same mechanical theory they were learning in the classroom. Their first class started with taking a complete inventory of every component, a skill that will come in handy for students wishing to pursue a career as a parts and service advisor. They soon moved on to more complicated projects, like building a transmission or braking system, as their classes advanced.

What began as 25 boxes full of automotive components on day one of their first year has become an example of the exciting experiential learning opportunities that await students at DC. With the roadster complete, students will now have a strong foundation in the automotive industry, having gained hands-on experience in parts management, mechanical troubleshooting, exterior body work and more.

The Automotive Technician – Service and Management program offers students a mix of theory in mechanical procedures and essential business skills so that they are prepared for a large selection of jobs in the automotive sector – from a technician to parts advisor, and everything in between.


DC hosts second free dental clinic with Health Mission Outreach

Good oral health is strongly linked to overall systemic health – and without dental care, many Canadians may be at risk for other diseases like respiratory disorders, heart disease and stroke.

To help combat this and assist those without dental insurance, students in Durham College’s (DC) School of Health & Community Services and School of Justice & Emergency Services spent their Saturday providing free dental care to over 100 of Durham Region’s vulnerable community members on November 24.

This free clinic is the second in six months that DC has hosted with Health Mission Outreach (HMO) – a medical charity organization that provides health care services to the disadvantaged – and the largest dental outreach initiative in the region, having helped over 260 people between the two events.

Working interprofessionally with dentists and other health care providers from HMO, approximately 85 Dental Hygiene, Practical Nursing, and Paramedic students provided intake, triage, blood pressure readings and dental assisting during the clinic. A collaborative effort between the two organizations, DC also supplied clinic space and student volunteers, while HMO provided dentists, equipment and sundries.

DC’s Dental Hygiene students receive ongoing experience and skill-building in the college’s Dental Clinic as they perform dental examinations and cleanings under the supervision of faculty and staff, but this free clinic with HMO also gave them, and students from other programs, the opportunity to give back to the community in which they live and study.


Massage therapy now available at Durham College Spa

Students, employees and community members seeking some relief can now get massage therapy treatments at the newly opened Durham College Spa. Located on the second floor of the Centre for Collaborative Education at the Oshawa campus, the spa includes a massage therapy clinic as well as cosmetic techniques and esthetics labs.

Provided by Massage Therapy student practitioners, under the guidance of expert faculty including Registered Massage Therapists (RMTs), massage therapy services are the first to be offered by the new full-service, teaching-and-learning spa.

Spa guests are encouraged to take advantage of the “double-up deal” – two 75-minute therapeutic massage treatments for only $60. Each appointment includes:

  • An orthopedic assessment.
  • Therapeutic massage.
  • Self-care/post-treatment exercises.

Those interested are encouraged to book online or visit the spa in person. Single appointments are also available for $35 each.

With cosmetic technique and esthetic services scheduled to launch in 2019, the Durham College Spa is also inviting input from community members that will help guide the types of services to be offered – an online survey is available at www.durhamcollegespa.ca/survey.

The Durham College Spa is an inclusive space committed to making holistic beauty, health and wellness accessible and more affordable for all, while supporting the intensive training and learning of a new generation of massage therapy practitioners, beauty advisors and estheticians.

Learn more at www.durhamcollegespa.ca.


DC adds FANUC certification to Electromechanical Engineering Technology program

Durham College (DC) students in the Electromechanical Engineering Technology (EMTY) program will now receive the internationally recognized FANUC Robotics Handling Tool Operations and Programming Level 1 certification in addition to their advanced diploma upon completion of the program.

As a global leader in robotic automation for manufacturing and supply, FANUC’s systems are installed more than any other brand in the world. This certification will give DC graduates a substantial competitive advantage as they enter the workforce, and will signal to employers that they are ready to hit the ground running with knowledge and familiarity of the equipment and software already installed in their workplace.

The certification earned by graduates is part of FANUC’s industry-leading Certified Educational Robot Training (CERT) program and will be facilitated by DC professors and FANUC-certified CERT instructors Beau James and Brent Brooks.

Students enrolled in the EMTY program as of September 2018 onward will be eligible to receive the certification at the end of their program.

For more information about the certification and DC’s leading EMTY program, please contact Beau James, EMTY program coordinator, School of Science & Engineering Technology, at 905.721.2000 ext. 2066.

Learn more about FANUC and its systems on their website.


DC student wins silver at 2018 Skills Canada National Competition

Oshawa, Ont. – Durham College (DC) is proud to announce that second-year student Keeshan Sharma from the Automotive Technician – Service and Management (Motive Power Technician) program, has won the silver medal in the automobile technology category at the 24th annual Skills Canada National Competition (SCNC) in Edmonton, Alta. from June 4 to 5.

Sharma advanced to the national competition following his gold-medal performance at the Skills Ontario Competition in May. He represented DC and Ontario while competing against top students from across Canada. In the automobile technology category, competitors faced practical assignments and real-life auto-repair situations related to correctly inspecting, repairing and adjusting engines, electrical function, and vehicle performance, among other skills.

“DC is very proud of Keeshan and all of our students who excelled in this year’s provincial and national skills competitions,” said Dr. Rebecca Milburn, associate vice-president, Academic, DC. “Their performance is further proof that when dedicated, hard-working students meet career-driven, hands-on learning programs, like those offered at DC, the result is a success.”

Organized by Skills/Compétences Canada, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to promoting skilled trades and technologies among Canadian youth, SCNC is Canada’s only national, multi-trade and technology competition for students and apprentices in the country.

Each year, more than 500 young people from all regions of Canada advance through local, regional and provincial/territorial events to reach SCNC and participate in more than 40 skilled trade and technology competitions.

By providing a forum where Canadian youth can compete at the national level, SCNC provides hands-on work experience related to skilled trade and technology careers. The initiative also helps to raise awareness about skilled trade and technology sectors to Canadian youth and their influencers. 


‘Awesome’ program allows students to complete high school and earn college credits

Graduates of the Centre for Success (CFS) program thanked their teachers and the Durham College (DC) environment for enabling them to continue completion of their secondary school educations.

“It was an awesome environment. Teachers made changes to how we could approach our studies compared to high school,” said Tyler Ahrens, of Courtice, who received his certificate at the Completion Ceremony in the Campus Recreation and Wellness Centre, on Thursday, January 19.

The CFS program is hosted on campus through the School College Work Initiative (SCWI), which is supported by the Ontario Ministry of Education. The program is designed to enable in-risk secondary school students to complete their high school academic requirements in a college setting, with high school teachers instructing them on campus. The program offers the students access to smaller class sizes, flexible schedules and increased one-to-one access to teachers. In addition, it provides an opportunity for students to earn at least one, and potentially more, college credits toward their post-secondary education at Durham College.

Erick Joyner, of Pickering, said in his valedictory speech before about 170 CFS graduates, and their families, that the teachers made students feel respected. “They treated us like adults and made sure we completed our studies.”

He said the individualized approach of the teachers “made a difference” for him and the other graduates from four area school boards.

Graduates of the CFS program also frequently continue their studies into post-secondary education. Joyner said he is entering DC’s Paralegal program.

DC President Don Lovisa, Robert Wager, manager, SCWI and Academic Upgrading, School of Interdisciplinary Studies, and Heather Hamilton, from the Ministry of Education, congratulated the students on their hard work and success.

In addition to the DC employees, the students were joined by their families, professors, representatives from the ministry and the partnering district school boards (DSBs): Durham DSB; Durham Catholic DSB; Kawartha Pine Ridge DSB; and Peterborough Victoria Northumberland Clarington Catholic DSB.