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; Horticulture Technician; International Business 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.