DC Talks: Alumni Series

Starting to think about life after college?

During DC Talks: Alumni Series you will hear from recent Durham College (DC) grads as they share the unique journey that took them from the classroom to the workforce. From industry insights and career tips to finding and landing their first job, returning alumni will answer questions and engage with students about what comes next.

Know a DC alum who would make a good speaker for our next Alumni Series event? Fill out the alumni contact form to submit their name for consideration.

Past Alumni Series speakers

  • Image of Nicholas Coleman

    Nicholas Coleman

    Designing an innovative future

    An active contributor to every project he is a part of, Nicholas Coleman applies his strong work ethic and the skills he learned while studying in Durham College’s Architectural Technology program to meet the design standards of his current employer Lemay, a leading Canadian provider of integrated design services for the built environment, as well as its clients.

    Nicholas began his career right after graduating in 2016, working for a number of integrated design firms. In his current role as architectural technologist for the Toronto studio of Lemay, he is able to combine his passion for science, technology and sustainable design with creative thinking, analytical sensibility and technological savvy on a broad variety of large-scale projects including towers for financial institutions, medical labs and luxury residential.

    He is also a licensed technologist with the Ontario Association for Applied Architectural Sciences and a member of the national innovation team at Lemay.

  • Image of Gabby De Sousa

    Gabby De Sousa

    A career on the rise

    Gabby De Sousa was one of 15 successful applicants out of 60 who applied for a Durham College’s (DC) women-only Elevating Devices Mechanic (EDM) pre-apprenticeship training program offered in 2016. She was also one of two graduates to be accepted into the college’s EDM Apprenticeship Program, which she completed in April 2017.

    During her time at DC, Gabby proudly shared her experiences, not only as a student but also as a female studying a skilled trade. Representing the college, she attended the Clarington Energy Seminar in 2015, presented to the Whitby Town Council about the women-only EDM pre-apprenticeship program and spoke with Elevator World Magazine in February, 2017 about DC’s female-focused elevating devices recruitment efforts.

    Gabby now works as an apprentice for Delta Elevator Co. and will be writing her certification exam in January, 2021, as she builds on her DC training through the varied, hands-on problem solving she does each day on the job.

    In addition to launching her career, Gabby is giving back to her alma mater by volunteering her time as a member of the DC Alumni Association’s Board of Directors. She also served as an alumni representative at the college’s Taste of the Trades event in November 2019.