Durham College Second Career students win Walkerton Clean Water Centre award

Darren Pascoe (left) and Shawn Payette, Second Career students with Durham College’s Water Quality Technician program, shake hands with Susan Todd, dean of the School of Applied Sciences, Apprenticeship, Skilled Trades & Technology – Oshawa campus. Pascoe and Payette received the Walkerton Clean Water Centre award for their program achievements.

Two Durham College Second Career students recently won the Walkerton Clean Water Centre award, earning $1,750 each in recognition of their work.

Darren Pascoe and Shawn Payette, enrolled with the college’s Water Quality Technician program, were presented their awards in acknowledgement of their accomplishments in the two-year program at the program’s annual Mix and Mingle event held earlier this year.

Payette, originally from the automotive industry, attended a Durham College information session after being laid off. The session drew him to the college’s Water Quality Technician program.

“Durham College is a great school with knowledgeable professors,” said Payette. “It has been an enjoyable experience and I have received a great education and met a lot of great people along this journey.”

Pascoe also started in the automotive sector, building seats for General Motors of Canada Ltd. through Lear Corporation. Like Payette he was laid off and the Second Career program allowed him to change fields.

Created in 2008, Second Career is a provincial government initiative created to help laid-off workers secure new jobs through the donation of grant money to help pay for their post-secondary education.

“Having a second chance through funding from the government as a Second Career student, I feel lucky to be retrained,” said Pascoe. “After I complete my exams I hope to secure a full-time job in the water or wastewater industry, hopefully in Durham Region.”

Pascoe and Payette were chosen from 25 Water Quality Technician students. They each had to complete an essay on their experiences in the program to be chosen for the award.

Approximately 400 Second Career students currently attend Durham College.