Durham College (DC) is pleased to join Ontario’s 23 other colleges in signing the first-ever province-wide agreement that grants recognition for entire previous years’ credits when a student in a business diploma program transfers to the same program at another college.

“Durham College is proud to be a part of this agreement,” said Don Lovisa, president, Durham College. “Our goal is to ensure a smooth learning process for our students. Any post-secondary student who transfers from another institution shouldn’t have to repeat already completed courses. This new agreement helps eliminate any duplication, cut costs for students and makes sense from an overall learning perspective.”

The agreement, announced by Colleges Ontario and the Ontario Council on Articulation and Transfer (ONCAT), applies to students in accounting, business administration, human resources and marketing programs.

This unique universal college agreement allows students to easily transfer among all college business programs across Ontario.

The agreement means that business students who transfer at the end of their first or second year will receive full credit for their completed courses. Given the high enrolment of business programs, these pathways provide additional flexibility for a significant number of students.

“Ontario’s colleges and universities continue to strengthen their systems for transferring credits among post-secondary institutions,” said Glenn Craney, the executive director of ONCAT. “We are pleased that all of the province’s 24 colleges have signed this agreement which demonstrates their high level of commitment to institutional collaboration on student mobility.”

Expanding credit-transfer options and helping students make informed decisions about their post-secondary education is a priority for the Wynne government. Ontario is investing $73.7 million toward credit-transfer improvements between 2011 and 2016.

“Our government knows a strong credit transfer system will lead to a more effective and cost-effective post-secondary education for students across the province. That’s why we continue to work with our sector partners to make Ontario’s post-secondary education system more seamless, flexible and affordable,” said Reza Moridi, Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities.

Colleges Ontario is the advocacy organization for the province’s 24 public colleges.

ONCAT was created to enhance academic pathways and reduce barriers for students looking to transfer among Ontario’s publicly funded institutions. More than 21,500 students transfer within Ontario each year. ONCAT’s support for those students includes producing the Course-to-Course Transfer Guide, which can be found at ONTransfer.ca.

Ontario’s colleges are working to develop similar provincewide agreements for other program areas.

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As the winter season approaches, questions often arise from students, faculty and staff about Durham College (DC) remaining open or closed due to changes in the weather. As stated in the Emergency Closure procedure, “if there is no specific announcement about a closure, Durham College will remain open", meaning during most days of the winter season, the campus remains open and all classes and activities will be held as scheduled.

To reduce this uncertainty, as of Tuesday, December 2 a campus status feature will be added to the top right corner of www.durhamcollege.ca. This indicator will advise students, faculty, staff and campus visitors of the current status of the Oshawa and Whitby campuses and the Pickering Learning Site at any given time.

If winter weather results in situations that affect the teaching or working environment (such as power outages) or situations that place members of the college community at risk, a red status alert bar containing messaging about the situation will appear throughout the Durham College website. 

Additionally, we have developed a campus status webpage that contains helpful links and information such as:

• DC’s emergency communications channels
• The inclement weather procedure
• What a closure means to me?
• Winter driving tips
• Links to public transit websites, the college’s social media accounts and a local weather report 

Watch a short video demonstrating this new feature on how we will communicate changes in the status of Durham College locations.

At all times, regardless of weather conditions, Durham College reminds you to allow for plenty of time to get to the campus, ensuring you drive with due caution and care, especially if you are in an area heavily affected by the weather. 

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Durham College’s (DC) Team Experience stopped by Toronto radio station 999 Virgin Radio and the Mad Dog & Maura morning show to help make the holidays a little brighter for Karley, a local mom-to-be, on December 2, in support of the station’s annual Make it Merry campaign.

Karley was nominated for Make it Merry by her friend, Mary, who submitted a list of much-needed items on behalf of her friend. In her letter, she described how Karley and her boyfriend are expecting their first child due in January, noting that money is tight. She is currently living in a basement that is under construction. “It’s basically a concrete floor and no walls. Cold,” said Mary.

“She’s doing the best she can though and would never ask for help,” she added. “She is the strongest person I know and has gone back to high school and passed with a 99 per cent average and trying to save a little here and there to go to college. She’s trying her best to get ahead but she has so many hurdles in her way.”

After hearing the story about this expectant mom’s needs and her dream of going to college, DC contacted the radio station to offer assistance. The Experience DC “elves” – Team Experience, a diverse group of amazing DC students who are sharing their college experience by offering authentic, real-time accounts of life at DC, from their own perspective, through social media and this website – arrived early in the morning in a van filled with everything from a crib, high chair, formula, clothes and diapers for the soon-to-arrive baby, to a dining room table and chairs for mom and dad.

In addition, Don Lovisa, president of DC, called into the station to give the gift of education by covering one year of tuition at DC for Karley.

“It is the season of giving and as a college, we value the importance of giving back to the community,” said Lovisa. “We’re happy to contribute this tuition and help someone in need.”

On-hand to help deliver the good news to the unsuspecting recipient were Team Experience members Heather and Matisse. For Heather this was an opportunity to help a fellow mom.

“I know first-hand what Karley is going through,” said Heather. “I am attending school full-time and am a mom to a young son. I know how life-changing an education can be, and while going back to school, especially as a new mom, can be scary, it’s also setting Karley and her new family up for success in the future.”

“I can’t even tell you how much this means to me and my future family,” said Karley. “Thank you so, so much. I’m very excited and very, very relieved. I was looking into business courses because I’m a manager right now. I’d like to look further into that, maybe some financial courses. I’m very excited for the opportunity to be able to (do that). I’m so grateful for everything. I never, in a million years, expected to have an opportunity like this.”

One hundred per cent of funds raised via Make it Merry go to families in need across the Greater Toronto Area. For more information visit http://toronto.virginradio.ca/MakeItMerry/Karley.aspx.

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Faculty and students from Durham College’s (DC) Construction Carpentry – Sustainable program are excited to share the news that the first four families moved into their newly constructed homes at Centre Towne, a project in development with Habitat for Humanity in Oshawa, last week, just in time for the holidays.

DC and Habitat for Humanity have been working together since 2012 to build affordable housing for families in need within the community at 372 Centre St. S. in Oshawa. DC students have been on site from day one, with volunteer work being matched to course learning outcomes to benefit both students and the community.

“We were able to assist in framing with the first phase of construction, from the still plate, to the last piece of plywood on the roof,” said Don Fishley, professor and program co-ordinator for the Construction Carpentry – Sustainable program. “This past semester, our second-year students framed the garages on the front of the new six-plex building, and installed sheathing, SM board and Tyvex. We were also the crew that started the vinyl siding, soffit and fascia boards.”

The families were selected from a host of applicants who not only provided strong reasoning for their need but also committed approximately 500 hours of volunteer work in the construction of the homes.

With the first phase complete, Fishley, along with the college, looks forward to continue supporting Habitat for Humanity over the next four to five years as Centre Towne continues to grow.

The post DC and Habitat for Humanity welcome first families to Centre Towne appeared first on Durham College.

Durham College (DC), in conjunction with The University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT), Fleming College and Trent University, shared today that the four organizations are working with Spark Centre and the Greater Peterborough Innovation Cluster (GPIC), to launch the FastStart program (FastStart), a powerful new resource designed to help university and college students acquire entrepreneurial skills and convert innovative business ideas into successful companies.

FastStart is an entrepreneurial training partnership designed to increase the entrepreneurship skills and awareness of university and college students and help them develop solid business plans and take products to market. It is being funded through an $800,000 Government of Ontario grant being shared equally among all four post-secondary institutions under the province’s  $5 million On-Campus  Entrepreneurship Activities (OCEA) program, managed by Ontario Centres of Excellence (OCE).

“Fostering the entrepreneurial spirit among students is a key component of Ontario’s Youth Jobs Strategy, through programs that help transfer their ideas and skills to the marketplace while creating rewarding careers,” said Reza Moridi, Ontario’s Minister of Research and Innovation, and Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities. “By partnering with colleges and universities to support entrepreneurship, we are ensuring our province’s business leaders of tomorrow are getting the support they need to succeed today.”

FastStart features include:

• Available to students at all four institutions, in all fields of study, including youth in the community with an entrepreneurial spirit.
• Customized services to help participants refine their ideas, build teams and prepare solid business plans to deliver products to market.
• Programs such as boot camps and student incubators.
• Progressive, more focused programs to students with demonstrated interest and ability.
• Opportunities for students to transition through FastStart to the Spark Centre, GPIC or local business access development centres where they can access additional services to help them quickly advance and launch their businesses.

The OCEA program is part of Ontario’s Youth Jobs Strategy, which is seeing the province invest $295 million over two years to help 30,000 more youth from across the province connect with the tools, experiences and entrepreneurial support they need to find employment or start their own businesses. 

“Ontario Centres of Excellence is pleased to be able to deliver this project as a trusted partner of the Government of Ontario,” said Dr. Tom Corr, president and chief executive officer, OCE. “I look forward to putting our years of experience in connecting academia and industry, and our ongoing support of young entrepreneurs to good use in making this initiative a tremendous success.” 

Funded by the Government of Ontario, the Ontario Network of Entrepreneurs (ONE) is Ontario’s innovation system. The ONE is made up of regional and sector focused organizations designed to help Ontario-based entrepreneurs rapidly grow their companies, and create jobs.

For more information visit www.oneinnovation.ca. 

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Oral health is important, but unfortunately not everyone has access to dental hygiene and treatment. In an effort to help those in need, DC’s Dental Hygiene program partnered with Health Mission Outreach (HMO), an organization dedicated to providing services to those who are deprived of basic care due to politics, geographical terrain and other adversities, to offer free dental hygiene and treatment at a clinic in Toronto on November 22, combining course outcomes with community service.

“The phrase, ‘people will never forget how you made them feel,’ can be directly related to the Health Missions Outreach,” said Rachel Dods, a third-year Dental Hygiene student. “(We spent) a day helping others, and giving them the opportunity to access dental care that they normally would not have been able to access.”

Under the guidance of six Dental Hygiene faculty members, 42 third-year students donated their time to practise new skills learned in the classroom, screening more than 200 participants and providing treatment to 95 people who might have otherwise gone without. 

“I want to thank our Dental Hygiene students, who did not flinch at any challenge presented to help those in need,” said Astrid Stolpmann, a professor with the School of Health & Community Services’ dental programs. “This clinic truly showed how the dental hygiene profession is an integral part of an inter-professional health-care collaborative in the community.”

The partnership with HMO drew upon the skills practiced by students at DC’s on-campus Dental Clinic, where Dental Hygiene and Dental Assisting students offer dental examinations and cleaning to clients over the age of four, under the supervision of teaching staff.

For more information on DC’s Dental Hygiene program, please visit www.durhamcollege.ca/dent.

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Durham College (DC) offers more than 450 pathway to degree options for students including a pathway agreement with the Institutes of Technology Ireland (IOTI), a representative body for 13 institutes of technology in Ireland. The agreement provides an opportunity for graduates of specific two and three year Ontario college programs to earn an honours degree abroad, in some cases earning the degree with only one additional year of study.

Jessamyn Adams, a Durham College Accounting – Business Administration graduate, is one such student that has taken advantage of this unique opportunity as she completed a Bachelors of Business – Accounting and Finance at the Institute of Technology – Blanchardstown in Dublin, Ireland following her time at DC.

“When I read I could obtain my degree in only one further year of study rather than the two I would need in Ontario I thought I should at least apply,” said Adams. “ITB offered me the most generous exemptions for the diploma I had already completed and even though I had never been to Ireland I knew it as somewhere I wanted to explore and what better way than to live there.”

The pathways agreement with DC was developed between IOTI and College’s Ontario, an advocacy organization for Ontario’s 24 community colleges. The agreement primarily pertains to programs within the School of Business, IT & Management (BITM) and the School of Science & Engineering Technology (SET) offering students the chance to further their post-secondary education abroad while experiencing one of the world’s most dynamic and lively countries.

“My experience working with the Irish Institutes enabling students to further their education abroad has been excellent,” said Susan Todd, dean of SET. “Many Canadian students now have the opportunity to transfer their college credits to obtain a degree in a beautiful English speaking country, which will broaden their horizons both culturally and academically.”

Support abounds for students looking to take advantage of the pathway opportunity. “Start to finish they made my transition to Ireland so great,” said Adams. “Once I accepted, I was put in contact with an International Officer and he answered my incessant questions from everything to do with my courses to where I was going to live and how to get around.”

Students can visit the College’s Ontario website for background information on the agreement itself in addition to the IOTI website, which offers additional information on specific academic bridging requirements per program/institution.

The post Pathway to degree between DC and Ireland appeared first on Durham College.

With healthy living becoming an increasing priority among students and the local community, Durham College (DC) President Don Lovisa was pleased to host Rona Ambrose, Federal Minister of Health, as she visited the college’s Whitby campus on December 16.

The minister and some caucus colleagues joined Lovisa, Susan Sproul, retiring dean of the School of Health & Community Services (HCS), and Judeline Innocent, incoming dean for the School of HCS, for a discussion centring on the college’s range of clinical-focused health programs – from its newest program, Activation Coordination in Gerontology, to cornerstones including Dental Hygiene and Occupational Therapist Assistant/Physiotherapist Assistant (OTA/PTA) among others – over lunch at Bistro ’67 and the Centre for Food (CFF).

“In addition to learning more about our emphasis on practical learning opportunities across all our health programs, the health minister showed great interest in how we train our culinary students to prepare healthy meals and meet the demands of an ever-growing health-conscious food-service market,” said Lovisa. “It is always wonderful to be able to showcase the state-of-the-art facilities that Durham College has to offer, and Minister Ambrose was keenly interested in how our facilities provide students with hands-on experience as they work towards meaningful careers.”

The minister also learned about the two residential homes located at the Whitby campus that are used across multiple programs to give students hands-on, real-world experiences. One home was built circa 1950s and was moved to campus from a residential street in Oshawa, while the other was built purposefully for DC, offering a stark contrast between modern and more dated building codes and residential features. 

When they initially opened, it was expected that the homes would serve students studying toward a number of different apprenticeships. In the time since, there have been opportunities to introduce other students as well, including those studying in the Personal Support Worker (PSW) and OTA/PTA programs. The homes provide students with direct exposure to dealing with clients in a home-based setting.

Ambrose joins a number of other leaders from all levels of government to visit Durham and other colleges across Ontario over the past few months. During the visits they are learning about the many benefits to students in pursuing a college education and how colleges are a solution to increased productivity and jobs for Ontario.

Full details on each of DC’s health-focused programs are available at www.durhamcollege.ca/academic-schools/school-of-health-community-services/. 

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Durham College’s (DC) first-ever crowdfunding initiative, Field to Fork: Sowing the Seeds of our Community, is beginning to see financial support for the Centre for Food’s (CFF) landscaping needs come to fruition via funding from generous donors within the community.

Most notably, to date, 100 per cent of the funding required for the culinary herb garden has been achieved, thanks to generous donor Tina Bax, founder and president of CultureWorks, a private English-as-a-second-language (ESL) school located at post-secondary institutions such as Durham College, who pledged the full amount needed.

“Canadian colleges have the ability to be nimble. You see so many different programs cropping up, which is encouraging when you think about what it means for today's young people,” said Bax. “All of these experiences help open their minds – at school! It's great to have a chance to fund a creative, fresh facility like the CFF that combines both of my passions:  education and food. I hope to have a chance to participate in more of the CFF's projects, and perhaps involve some of our international students or partners.”

In addition to the culinary herb garden reaching its fundraising goal, the fruit-bearing shrubs category is quickly gaining momentum, reaching 38 per cent of its goal, and the kitchen garden is up to 28 per cent.

Inspired by the college’s commitment to bring field to fork, the vision of bringing locally sourced, quality produce from field to table to Durham Region, Field to Fork: Sowing the Seeds of our Community aims to garner support from the community for the completion of the landscaping and planting needed at the CFF. With 14 remaining projects to choose from, the campaign rolled out to alumni, donors, faculty, staff, students, community members and the general public in August.

The CFF was created in direct response to the demand of the local culinary, hospitality, tourism, agriculture and horticulture sectors. Supported by ambassador and celebrity chef Jamie Kennedy it opened to students in September 2013. Accommodating approximately 900 students studying in the college’s culinary, hospitality, event management, tourism, food science, agricultural and horticultural programs, it houses Bistro ’67, a teaching-inspired restaurant, and Pantry, a unique retail store that sells student-created fresh-baked items, meals-to-go, preserved foods and ready-to-cook meals prepared in house.

To make a donation or for more information on how the college is changing the way our local communities eat and grow food, please visit the Field to Fork: Sowing the Seeds of our Community website.

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Durham College (DC) welcomed over 3,500 potential students, their friends and families, at the Oshawa and Whitby campuses and Pickering Learning Site on November 15 during DC’s annual fall open house.

Highlighting the college’s innovative programs, high-tech classrooms, labs and state-of-the-art facilities, visitors were treated to information sessions and tours, with staff and students on hand at all three locations to answer any questions and provide important information about DC’s programs and departments, including Financial Aid and Awards and Admissions and Recruitment, as well as the application process.

Potential students also had the opportunity to meet and chat with DC’s Team Experience, which is bringing the college experience to prospective and current students, parents, teachers and the community via an amazing group of 14 students who offer a unique perspective of what a year in the life of a DC college student is really like, through a specially designed website, and social media platforms including blogs, videos, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

For information on the more than 140 full-time programs offered at the college, please visit www.durhamcollege.ca.

The post Fall open house welcomes future students to DC appeared first on Durham College.

With healthy living becoming an increasing priority among students and the local community, Durham College (DC) President Don Lovisa was pleased to host Rona Ambrose, Federal Minister of Health, as she visited the college’s Whitby campus on December 16.

The minister and some caucus colleagues joined Lovisa, Susan Sproul, retiring dean of the School of Health & Community Services (HCS), and Judeline Innocent, incoming dean for the School of HCS, for a discussion centring on the college’s range of clinical-focused health programs – from its newest program, Activation Coordination in Gerontology, to cornerstones including Dental Hygiene and Occupational Therapist Assistant/Physiotherapist Assistant (OTA/PTA) among others – over lunch at Bistro ’67 and the Centre for Food (CFF).

“In addition to learning more about our emphasis on practical learning opportunities across all our health programs, the health minister showed great interest in how we train our culinary students to prepare healthy meals and meet the demands of an ever-growing health-conscious food-service market,” said Lovisa. “It is always wonderful to be able to showcase the state-of-the-art facilities that Durham College has to offer, and Minister Ambrose was keenly interested in how our facilities provide students with hands-on experience as they work towards meaningful careers.”

The minister also learned about the two residential homes located at the Whitby campus that are used across multiple programs to give students hands-on, real-world experiences. One home was built circa 1950s and was moved to campus from a residential street in Oshawa, while the other was built purposefully for DC, offering a stark contrast between modern and more dated building codes and residential features. 

When they initially opened, it was expected that the homes would serve students studying toward a number of different apprenticeships. In the time since, there have been opportunities to introduce other students as well, including those studying in the Personal Support Worker (PSW) and OTA/PTA programs. The homes provide students with direct exposure to dealing with clients in a home-based setting.

Ambrose joins a number of other leaders from all levels of government to visit Durham and other colleges across Ontario over the past few months. During the visits they are learning about the many benefits to students in pursuing a college education and how colleges are a solution to increased productivity and jobs for Ontario.

Full details on each of DC’s health-focused programs are available at www.durhamcollege.ca/academic-schools/school-of-health-community-services/. 

The post DC hosts minister of health Rona Ambrose appeared first on Durham College.

Durham College (DC) offers more than 450 pathway to degree options for students including a pathway agreement with the Institutes of Technology Ireland (IOTI), a representative body for 13 institutes of technology in Ireland. The agreement provides an opportunity for graduates of specific two and three year Ontario college programs to earn an honours degree abroad, in some cases earning the degree with only one additional year of study.

Jessamyn Adams, a Durham College Accounting – Business Administration graduate, is one such student that has taken advantage of this unique opportunity as she completed a Bachelors of Business – Accounting and Finance at the Institute of Technology – Blanchardstown in Dublin, Ireland following her time at DC.

“When I read I could obtain my degree in only one further year of study rather than the two I would need in Ontario I thought I should at least apply,” said Adams. “ITB offered me the most generous exemptions for the diploma I had already completed and even though I had never been to Ireland I knew it as somewhere I wanted to explore and what better way than to live there.”

The pathways agreement with DC was developed between IOTI and College’s Ontario, an advocacy organization for Ontario’s 24 community colleges. The agreement primarily pertains to programs within the School of Business, IT & Management (BITM) and the School of Science & Engineering Technology (SET) offering students the chance to further their post-secondary education abroad while experiencing one of the world’s most dynamic and lively countries.

“My experience working with the Irish Institutes enabling students to further their education abroad has been excellent,” said Susan Todd, dean of SET. “Many Canadian students now have the opportunity to transfer their college credits to obtain a degree in a beautiful English speaking country, which will broaden their horizons both culturally and academically.”

Support abounds for students looking to take advantage of the pathway opportunity. “Start to finish they made my transition to Ireland so great,” said Adams. “Once I accepted, I was put in contact with an International Officer and he answered my incessant questions from everything to do with my courses to where I was going to live and how to get around.”

Students can visit the College’s Ontario website for background information on the agreement itself in addition to the IOTI website, which offers additional information on specific academic bridging requirements per program/institution.

The post Pathway to degree from DC to Ireland appeared first on Durham College.

Students of Durham College’s (DC) Occupational Therapist Assistant/Physiotherapist Assistant (OTA/PTA) program will experience an additional layer of hands-on learning by providing fine motor intervention to groups of children with fine motor delays, through the new DC Kids clinic. The clinic begins this month and is operating in partnership with Grandview Children’s Centre.

The DC Kids clinic will see students lead weekly treatment sessions under the direct supervision of an occupational therapist (OT), for children between the ages of four and 10 who may benefit from fine motor therapy.

“DC Kids gives OTA/PTA students an opportunity to give back to the community while learning at the same time,” said Dr. Judeline Innocent, RN and dean of the School of Health & Community Services. “It also allows our students to study under the mentorship of experienced occupational therapists so it’s truly a win-win scenario.”

The winter clinic will run Monday and Wednesday evenings and Saturdays in the OTA/PTA lab at the Oshawa campus from Monday, January 12 to Saturday, March 21. Clients will attend one session per week for nine weeks. Sessions are available free of charge with a one-time registration fee of $30. 

DC Kids builds upon the knowledge gained in the classroom and lab where students learn to assist with the implementation of rehabilitation treatment plans and programs developed to promote clients’ independence, enhance activities of daily life and function, and support individuals whose physical ability has been impaired by injury, illness, aging, developmental disability or emotional disability.

The post DC’s OTA/PTA program launches new fine motor clinic, DC Kids appeared first on Durham College.

Durham College (DC) and the University of Ontario Institute of Technology’s (UOIT) campus Holiday Food Drive committee has reported a record year in fundraising with $42,000 raised to create hampers and financial assistance packages to help 172 students and their families, including 218 children.

Staff, faculty, students and volunteers from DC and UOIT, in partnership with the Student Association and the Kinsmen Club of Oshawa, demonstrated a tremendous outpouring of help and generosity to support the annual tradition. Financial donations and non-perishable food items were collected during November and December and several fundraising events and initiatives were held on campus.

Korina Keays, who will graduate from DC’s Office Administration - Medical program this spring, told the Oshawa Express newspaper she learned about the campus Holiday Food Drive from a friend and was overjoyed with the support. Read more about Keays’ story.

“The Holiday Food Drive truly brings our entire community together to support our own,” said Kevin Dougherty, co-chair of the campus Holiday Food Drive.

Dougherty and Pat Vale-Dougherty have volunteered with the campus Holiday Food Drive for 15 years, and began co-chairing it in 2006.

Dougherty graduated from the Business Administration, Information Systems program in 1998 and is currently a professor with DC’s School of Business, IT & Management, while Vale-Dougherty graduated from Graphic Design in 1976 and is currently executive assistant to the dean of UOIT’s Faculty of Education.

As an employee of DC, Kevin was the recipient of the DC Faculty Award of Excellence for 2014; serves as the elected academic staff member on the DC Board of Governors (the Board); and serves as vice-chair of the Audit and Finance Committee of the Board. It is a little known fact that Pat originally began her time at UOIT in 2001, assisting with the DC project team to help prepare the plans for the new university.

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Students, staff, faculty and classes from local elementary schools gathered at Durham College (DC) to celebrate Aboriginal Awareness Day on January 22. Sponsored by DC’s  Aboriginal Student Centre (ASC), Suswaaning Endaajig, the festivities included performances by the big drum and a women’s hand drum circles, an Inuit throat singer and a Metis fiddler, as well as storytelling.

“We are very proud to share Aboriginal culture with the campus and wider community,” said Julie Pigeon, Aboriginal student advisor for DC. “It’s a culture that is alive and well and hosting Aboriginal Awareness Day is a way to bring focus to the strong traditions that are carried on today by First Nations (status and non-status), Métis and Inuit peoples.”

Four classes from local elementary schools also attended in the morning and afternoon, participating in the opening prayer led by Elder Shirley Williams, dancing to the drums, and learning more about Aboriginal culture by visiting vendor and informational booths that lined the perimeter of the Campus Recreation and Wellness Centre.

The ASC strives to recognize and support students through various activities and teachings with the assistance of Elders from all backgrounds and uses a holistic approach to education serving Aboriginal students focusing on their physical, mental, emotional and spiritual well-being.

The post Beat goes on at DC’s Aboriginal Awareness Day appeared first on Durham College.

Starting this September, Durham College (DC) will be offering students the chance to become professionals in accounting and payroll or insurance in just four semesters.

“With the new market-driven Insurance and Accounting and Payroll programs, students will benefit from career-focused skills and training offered in collaboration with industry professional associations,” said Judy Spring, dean of the School of Business, IT & Management.

With more Canadians turning to entrepreneurship, the need for trained accountants and payroll professionals is steadily rising across Canada. Enter DC’s new Accounting and Payroll diploma. This program prepares students to execute functions such as proactive management of payroll, assets, expenses, and tax and revenue obligations, and graduates will be ready for employment as accounting clerks; administrative assistants; banking clerks; bookkeepers; budget co-ordinators; and payroll administrators in accounting and human resources departments at small and large firms.

For students with a flair for numbers and relationship-building, along with an interest in risk management, DC’s Insurance diploma program offers a broad exposure to business with a specialization in general (property and casualty) insurance. Students will gain the knowledge required to work in areas of fraud awareness, client management, policies and legislation, and more. Graduates from the program can enter the workforce in junior-level positions as appraisers, brokers or agents; claims adjusters; customer service representatives; loss control specialists; risk managers; or underwriters.

“Graduates of Accounting and Payroll will complete the academic requirements for the Payroll Compliance Practitioner Certification (PCP) from the Canadian Payroll Association and all course requirements for the Certified Bookkeeper (CB) designation from the Canadian Institute of Bookkeeping,” said Spring. “Graduates of the Insurance program will complete eight of 10 credits towards the Chartered Insurance Professionals (CIP) designation offered by the Insurance Institute of Canada. Graduates of both programs will be well-positioned for employment opportunities.”

Apply now for this September by visiting www.ontariocolleges.ca.

Education and Careers in Insurance information session

Individuals seeking industry-driven training and education to meet future career goals in insurance are invited to join Spring for an insightful, free information session on Tuesday, February 24, from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. to learn more about DC’s Insurance program, and hear what industry experts have to say about this dynamic sector, which employs nearly 77,000 Ontarians by insurance carriers or related services.

Guests will hear from industry experts from the Insurance Institute of Canada, followed by a panel discussion of insurance professionals. Visit our events calendar for more information.

The post Your future in accounting or insurance has arrived appeared first on Durham College.

On January 28 and 29, Durham College (DC) hosted entrepreneurial fairs at its Oshawa and Whitby campuses, to launch FastStart.

At the fairs, students had the opportunity to meet successful business owners, ask them questions and learn about the FastStart program, designed to increase entrepreneurial skills and awareness while also helping students create solid business plans that take their products and services to market – quickly and successfully.

“One of the key mandates of FastStart is to offer progressive programs and provide tools and resources to connect students with industry leaders and mentors to help them succeed,” said Debbie McKee Demczyk, director, Office of Research Services and Innovation. “The entrepreneurial fair gave students a chance to speak with successful business owners who place innovation at the heart of everything they do. We know this fair is going to be the first of many unique initiatives for FastStart at the college.”

Students also filled out a passport by visiting various booths for a chance to win a FitBit. In addition, the Student Association (SA), in partnership with FastStartDC, ran a contest for students to win an all-expenses paid trip to Halifax, Nova Scotia where they will attend the Starting Point Student Entrepreneurship Conference at St. Mary’s University (SMU). This opportunity is fully sponsored by the SA.

FastStart is a partnership between DC, the University of Ontario Institute of Technology, Fleming College and Trent University, all of which are working with Spark Centre and the Greater Peterborough Innovation Cluster (GPIC) to promote and support entrepreneurship for students. It is inclusive to students in all programs, in all partnering schools, including alumni. It is also supported in part by the Government of Ontario through the On-Campus Entrepreneurship Activities program managed by Ontario Centres of Excellence. FastStart is a member of the Ontario Network of Entrepreneurs.

The companies attending the fair included:

• 5 Paddles Brewing Co.
• Acouskins
• Bereskin & Parr, LLP
• Blancride
• Business Advisory Centre of Durham (BACD)
• Frantastic Treats and Events
• Futurpreneur Canada
• Habitat for Humanity
• IFTech
• Moxie Trades
• National Pro Staff
• Ontario Centres of Excellence (OCE)
• Spark Centre
• Student Association (SA)
• Zamba

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Durham College (DC) and the University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT) are hosting a Campus Master Plan (CMP) Community Open House on March 9. Students, faculty, staff and the public are invited to learn more about the future Oshawa campus expansion of DC and UOIT; interact with the CMP planning team; and offer feedback on the areas of:

• Public areas and open spaces.
• Building locations and landscaping.
• Transportation: driving, transit, cycling and pedestrian

  When: Monday, March 9

  Time:

• Quick session: noon – Gordon Willey building, DC Pit
• Quick session: 1 p.m. – UA Science building, West Atrium
• Full session: 3:30 to 6 p.m. – Dining Room (Room G213), Gordon Willey building

For more information on the CMP and the Open House, please visit www.campusmasterplan.ca.

The post Save the date – Campus Master Plan open house appeared first on Durham College.

Durham College (DC) has announced the winners of its first-ever Experience Video contest. Christine Carson, Ivan Nimtsiv and Saiss Parthipan created the top three videos and won $1,000 in cash!

Launched via the Experience DC campaign, the Experience Video Contest was open to any resident from across Ontario over the age of 15. Entrants were encouraged to submit a 15-second Instagram video about a life experience, and the top three videos with the most votes received the cash prize.

“I look at life in a positive sense, I have the will to win, the desire to succeed and the urge to reach my full potential,” said winner Ivan Nimtsiv, first-year Human Resources – Business student. “This money will help me to pay for school.”

Saiss, a second-year UOIT student, said he saw the contest on Facebook and decided that his video would share life from a student’s perspective. 

Mom and Oshawa resident, Christine, found out about the contest online and decided to submit a video featuring her baby Reid. “Everyone loves babies and baby videos,” she said.

With more than 27,000 visits to its web page and over 10,000 votes on video submissions, the contest provided an opportunity for residents across Ontario to share their story with a group of 14 dynamic DC students known as Team Experience and falls perfectly in line with the multi-platform Experience DC campaign.

Team Experience has been sharing their own stories of college life since September 2014. They’ve connected on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram 20,000 times, on YouTube 150,000 times, and through more than 100 insightful blogs, giving followers an authentic, real-time account of what life at DC is like from their own perspective.

“It was great to see everyone’s creativity shine through in their 15-second videos,” said Matisse Hamel-Nelis, a second-year Public Relations student and member of Team Experience. “The word experience can mean different things to different people and this contest captured that essence. Congratulations to the winners and all those who submitted a video for sharing a piece of your day-to-day life with us.”

Anyone wanting to follow the adventures of the Team Experience members can visit www.durhamcollege.ca/x to check them out, and be a part of it.

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They’ve posted on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram more than 20,000 times, they’ve received more than 150,000 hits on YouTube, and they’ve shared more than 100 insightful blogs. They are Durham College’s (DC) Team Experience, and they’re at it again, sharing their college experience in a fun and quirky interview with Channel 12 News.

“I think being able to see what students are up to first-hand is a great way for other students to connect,” said Matisse Hamel-Nelis, member of Team Experience and student in DC’s Public Relations program. “By sharing my experiences I want to let people know that if I can do it, they can do it too.” 

The interview, which aired in Durham Region, Peterborough and Kingston on Thursday, February 19, highlighted the innovative Experience DC campaign, which follows the lives of 14 unique students who are living the college life.

“So many people think college kids come straight from high school, but that’s not always true,” said Rebecca Haslam, Team Experience member and student in the Special Event Planning program. “College students are from all walks of life and the diversity amongst Team Experience members reflects this.”

In following the Team Experience members, prospective students can find someone to relate to. Whether it’s a parent balancing schoolwork with family life, a student on a journey to study in Canada from abroad, a first-year student straight from high school or a returning grad, there are stories and insights coming from Team Experience that will be relevant to them.

You can meet members of Team Experience at the Oshawa and Whitby campuses during spring Open House on Saturday, March 21 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Ask questions, tour the campus and experience DC for yourself. Visit www.durhamcollege.ca/openhouse for more information.

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