The numbers are in: everyone hearts DC!

Durham College welcomes more than 8,700 full-time students to campus; new student enrolment hits all-time high

Monday, September 10, 2012

Oshawa, Ont. – With the 2012-2013 academic year now underway, Durham College announced today that it has welcomed more than 8,700 full-time students to its Oshawa and Whitby campuses and Pickering Learning Site since classes began on September 5. This includes more than 5,200 new students, marking a new student enrolment increase of 12 percent. In addition, new international student enrolment is up 85 per cent with 141 new international students.

“September is one of the most exciting months of the year at Durham College as we welcome a new class of students as well as returning students to campus,” said Judy Robinson, vice-president, Academic. “Our impressive enrolment growth is a testament to our strong academic programming, which includes launching new academic programs while ensuring our existing programs remain current and relevant to today’s employers; dedicated faculty; committed student services staff; state-of-the art facilities and more. Combined they reflect our unwavering commitment to student success and ensuring that the student experience always comes first.”

In addition to the increase in the number of students on campus, the college launched several new programs for 2012-2013 including Community Services and Child Studies Foundations; Energy Management and Sustainable Building Technology; Fire and Life Safety Systems Technician; Golf Facility Operations Management; Horticulture Technician; International Business Management; Legal Research and Information Management; Library and Information Technician; Recreation and Leisure Services; and Trades Fundamentals. All were developed with the current labour market in mind and include input from employers, faculty members, community associations and others to ensure they provide students with the education and training they need to be successful and make a difference in the world.

The college also opened its new Pickering Learning Site, a partnership with Centennial College that is designed specifically to meet the needs of students looking to further their credentials in an environment focused on mature, professional learners and innovative curricula delivery.  In addition, the site offers continuing education courses in the evenings and on weekends as well as several workshops.

The year kicked off with Orientation Week, which began with Program Orientation at the Oshawa campus on September 4 followed by the First-Year Street Party. Other events included a Welcome Barbecue at the Whitby campus, movie-on-the-Lawn, the annual Campus Cup soccer games between the Durham Lords and UOIT Ridgebacks, First Blast, the Part-time Job Fair, the CampusFest Concert featuring well-known DJ Avicii, Shinerama Shine Day and more. 

For more information on the college’s programs, please visit www.durhamcollege.ca/programs.

About Durham College

At Durham College, the student experience comes first. In September 2012, the college welcomed more than 30,000 students to campus including more than 8,700 full-time post-secondary students as well as part-time and continuing education students; apprentices; and online learners. The college offers a wide range of market-driven programs in a number of different disciplines including business, information technology, media, art, design, general arts, science, skilled trades, justice, emergency services, health and engineering technology, enabling students to develop the skills required to meet the demands of today’s job market.

A three-phase expansion of the college’s Whitby campus is currently underway. Phase 1 opened in September 2009 followed by Phase 2 in May 2011. Phase 3 will see the creation of a 36,000-square-foot building focused on agriculture, culinary, hospitality and tourism. Accommodating approximately 900 new students, it will house new classrooms and labs and offer a full-service, green-certified restaurant and lounge and see the creation of a greenhouse – all of which will be open to the general public. In addition, a new Student Services building opened at the Oshawa campus in January 2011.

For more information, visit www.durhamcollege.ca or call 905.721.2000.

Media contact: 
Allison Rosnak
Communications and Marketing 
|905.721.2000 ext. 2333
allison.rosnak@durhamcollege.ca