DC hosts screening of student-produced documentary about the Kenya Education for Employment Program

On November 15, Durham College’s (DC) International Office, in collaboration with CICan (Colleges and Institutes Canada), rolled out the red carpet for the premiere of the Kenya Education for Employment Program (KEFEP) Documentary.

More than 120 guests from the college and local community, including the principal secretary from Kenya’s State Department of Vocational and Technical Education and the deputy high commissioner of Kenya to Canada, gathered in the Centre for Collaborative Education’s Global Classroom for the screening of the film.

Captured, scripted, edited and produced by four DC students and two faculty, the crew spent three weeks in Kenya documenting KEFEP, a five-year initiative focused on strengthening and supporting technical and vocational education and training in Kenya, funded by the Government of Canada through Global Affairs Canada.

“We are so pleased we can finally share this documentary,” said Lisa Shepard, dean, International Education, DC. “The opportunity to work and learn internationally is a great gift and we are deeply appreciative to our Canadian and global partners for all they have shared with us and for this journey of global partnership through KEFEP.”

Over the course of visits to nine cities, the #DCinKenya crew, which consisted of Danielle Harder, professor, Journalism – Mass Media and Jennifer Bedford, professor, Video Production, as well as four students from the School of Media, Art and Design, conducted 52 interviews with KEFEP partners, stakeholders and beneficiaries, in addition to collecting 40 hours of incredible footage. After months of effort and countless time spent in the editing suite, the KEFEP Documentary was born.

“It is a story of international collaboration, of our Canadian colleges’ commitment and support and of inspirational leaders and institutions in Kenya devoted to the development of education for employment,” said Danielle Harder, the documentary’s producer. “Behind the scenes, it’s a story of the power of experiential learning and expanding a student’s horizons, allowing their talents to flourish outside of the classroom.”

In addition to the screening, the premiere featured a photo exhibit, interactive KEFEP stations produced by all first and second-year students in the Journalism – Mass Media program and a #DCinKenya crew question and answer panel session.

KEFEP is a $29 million initiative funded by Global Affairs Canada and delivered by CICan through partnerships with 17 Canadian institutions.


DC hosts roundtable with Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy and MPP Lorne Coe to discuss skilled trades and apprenticeship reform

On November 6, Durham College (DC) welcomed president of the Treasury Board, Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy, as well as MPP Lorne Coe to its Whitby campus for a roundtable discussing skilled trades and apprenticeship reform.

They were joined by Pam Stoneham associate dean of DC’s School of Skilled Trades, Apprenticeship & Renewable Technology, Dr. Rebecca Milburn, executive dean and principal, Whitby campus and Dr. Elaine Popp, DC’s vice-president, Academic, as well as faculty from the college’s welding, millwright, crane and elevating devices programs.

Grant Hawkins, a Level 1 apprentices in DC’s Elevating Devices Mechanic program, and Haley Barnes, who is in her second-year of DC’s Welding Engineering Technician program, were also on hand to share their experiences as current students.

Participants at the roundtable discussed areas where they felt changes are needed including streamlining the apprenticeship application process and bringing clarity to the journey of becoming an apprentice.

Reaching out to and promoting skilled trades earlier in a student’s education was also highlighted. Whether through offering exposure to those fields through events, such as DC’s recent Young Women in Science, Technology and Trades Conference, or working with guidance counsellors to advocate for skilled trades, it was emphasized that helping students understand the value, potential and importance of these professions is a key factor in assuring the future prosperity of the trades in Ontario.

“Apprenticeship is so important,” said Stoneham. “Our program advisory committees are indicating they want the college to have more apprenticeships and by extension apprentices but we need to review the current system and address ongoing misconceptions about the value of skilled trades; that is a challenge.”

Carla Carmichael, vice-president, Project Assurance and Contract Management at Ontario Power Generation (OPG), also attended the roundtable, stressing that the skilled trades shortage is very real and impacting businesses both small and large.

As the company responsible for approximately half of the electricity generation in the Province of Ontario, OPG is also one of the province’s largest employers however, the biggest threat to its Darlington Nuclear Generating Station refurbishment project is a lack of skilled trades’ workers.

“Our contractors anticipate hiring thousands of skilled trades within the next five years to support the current planned refurbishment activities. This includes boilermakers, millwrights, electricians, steamfitters and carpenters.” she said. “We are working closely with our industry partners such as Bruce Power to ensure the success of the project.”

Of the call for apprenticeship reform, Minister Bethlenfalvy said “the evidence pointing to a skilled trades shortage and issues with the structure of the apprenticeship system is why our Government for the People is taking swift action to transform and modernize the apprenticeship system. There is tremendous value in coming to Durham College today and listening to your feedback. You are on the ground floor of training our next generation of skilled trades’ workers.”

With more than 1,300 students studying in nine apprenticeship programs offered at the college, DC has advocated extensively for apprenticeship reform and welcomed the opportunity to share its thoughts with the minister and MPP Coe.


DC hosts Fall Open House and welcomes future students to campus

On November 10, Durham College (DC) welcomed more than 2,700 prospective students and their families as it opened its doors to visitors at the Oshawa and Whitby campuses and Pickering Learning Site for the college’s Fall Open House.

The event gave prospective students the opportunity to explore DC’s extensive facilities, check out support services, including Financial Aid and Awards and the Access and Support Centre, and learn about the college’s more than 140 full-time programs and hundreds of continuing education offerings.

During the day, the new Centre for Collaborative Education at the Oshawa campus was abuzz – visitors met AI robots in the 360insights Entrepreneurship Centre, explored the Durham College Spa and First Peoples Indigenous Centre, and experienced a unique demonstration in the Global Classroom. At the Whitby Campus, prospective students attended baking and cooking demonstrations in the W. Galen Weston Centre for Food and learned about exciting upcoming plans for expansions to the campus.

On hand throughout the day was DC president Don Lovisa, dean and principal of the Whitby campus Rebecca Milburn, as well as current students, alumni, faculty and staff who eagerly connected with community members and shared their first-hand knowledge and experience related to all things DC.

Fall Open House also gave curious students the opportunity to learn more about DC’s first degree program, the Honours Bachelor of Health Care Technology Management – which welcomed its inaugural class in September, and the Artificial Intelligence Analysis, Design and Implementation graduate certificate, a new offering beginning in 2019.

Anyone who missed the Fall Open House is still in luck. Campus tours and information sessions can still be requested online, via email or by calling 905.721.3126.

DC will also hold its Spring Open House on Saturday, March 23, 2019.


DC signs agreements to further international opportunities at two German post-secondary institutions

Durham College (DC) is pleased to announce the signing of two General Agreements of Cooperation (GAC) on October 31 with German post-secondary institutions Friedrich Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg (FAU) and Technische Hochschule Nürnberg Georg Simon Ohm (THN).

The GACs will provide opportunities to promote international development and stimulate educational, professional and intercultural activities and projects among students and employees within FAU’s Department of Mechanical Engineering, THN’s School of Engineering and DC’s School of Science & Engineering Technology.

Moving forward, DC will work with FAU and THN to explore exchange opportunities for students, staff and faculty, facilitate curriculum exchange for distance learning and training programs, and identify opportunities for conducting applied research in industrial and community development and teaching and learning.

This past summer, Dr. Elaine Popp, vice-president, Academic, at DC was part of the delegation from the Durham Region that traveled to Nuremberg, Germany to investigate business and educational development opportunities. On October 30, the Region, DC and the University of Ontario Institute of Technology welcomed the German delegation, including Dr. Jens Helbig from THN Institute of Chemistry Materials and Product Development, Alexander Nasarow from FAU’s Department of Mechanical Engineering and Dr. Michael Fraas, deputy mayor, Economic Affairs from the City of Nuremberg.


Durham College once again named one of Canada’s Top 50 Research Colleges

Durham College (DC) has once again been named one of Canada’s Top 50 Research Colleges by Research Infosource Inc., a Canadian research and development intelligence company. This is the sixth consecutive year the college has been included on the list, which is informed by data on research income, research intensity, research partnerships and projects at colleges across the country.

DC’s Office of Research Services, Innovation and Entrepreneurship (ORSIE), which is responsible for facilitating all applied research at the college, has been hard at work in 2018. With a mandate to solve industry and social challenges through innovation and collaboration, ORSIE has launched two new research centres, undertaken 41 social innovation, artificial intelligence (AI) and other industry-led applied research projects and placed 60 student research assistants this fiscal year alone.

“We are very proud to be recognized for our research efforts,” said Debbie McKee Demczyk, dean, ORSIE. “With the help of dedicated and talented faculty, students and industry partners, we are undertaking groundbreaking initiatives that further strengthen Durham College’s position as a leader in the applied research space.”

DC’s Hub for Applied Research in Artificial Intelligence for Business Solutions (the AI Hub) is one such initiative. Now with a dedicated space on campus to conduct its research activities, the hub is designed to offer industry partners access to technical expertise, state-of-the-art facilities and platforms as well as student talent, helping businesses uncover insights while providing intelligent and autonomous solutions that increase productivity and growth.

Thanks to $250,000 in funding, awarded through the Government of Ontario’s Colleges Applied Research and Development Fund and administered by Ontario Centres of Excellence, the AI Hub is studying how “narrow AI” can help small- and medium-sized enterprises uncover new insights while also providing intelligent and autonomous solutions that help increase their efficiency and development.

The AI Hub will also offer applied research opportunities for students enrolled in DC’s new graduate certificate program,Artificial Intelligence Analysis, Design and Implementation. The first of its kind in Canada, the program launches in September 2019 and aims to make students employable even before they graduate. It is tackling the shortage of AI professionals by putting emphasis on hands-on learning and training, as students gain real-world experience while solving actual business problems through capstone projects, an optional work term and research with the AI Hub.

In addition, ORSIE opened the doors to the Centre for Craft Brewing Innovation (CCBI) at DC’s Whitby campus. By providing access to expertise, state-of-the-art technology and micro-analytical services, the CCBI helps craft brewers experiment with new recipes and flavour profiles, propagate and maintain yeast strains and conduct scientific analyses to ensure the analytical and microbiological integrity of the beer, supporting this growing sector of the local economy.

From helping to refine and add AI capabilities to the functionality of a distant healthcare delivery app to assisting in the development of an award-winning non-alcoholic craft beer recipe, ORSIE continues to prove why DC is a top research college year after year.

For more information or to learn about ORSIE’s research capabilities visit www.durhamcollege.ca/research.


DC professor helps create terrifying looks at Canada’s Wonderland’s Halloween Haunt

During the day you will find professional makeup artist Rachael Authors teaching in front of a group of students in Durham College’s (DC) new Cosmetic Techniques and Management program. At night for the month of October, she’s using her talents to create zombies, evil clowns and ghouls for Canada’s Wonderland’s annual Halloween Haunt, which she has done for the past 12 years.

She recently brought that artistry to DC when she gave the college’s chief administrative officer (CAO), Dr. Scott Blakey, a Halloween-inspired monster makeover.

While special FX makeup isn’t currently part of the course curriculum, Rachael incorporates a lot of those techniques into her classes. From colour matching to determining which tools to use and learning how to communicate with clients, the only real difference between both settings is the end result; one is decidedly less gory!

Before joining DC Rachael worked as an occupational therapist, where she combined her cosmetics skills with working one-on-one with clients teaching application tips and techniques as part of self care. She has also worked freelance for companies including Dior and Sephora.

Her background is a great example of the depth and breadth of opportunities available within the cosmetics industry and she loves being able to help train the next generation of makeup artists.

Using a holistic approach, the Cosmetics Techniques and Management program offers hands-on training, covering both the fundamental and advanced aspects of the industry. Courses range from cosmetic application techniques to skincare analysis and creative styling, as well as retail management and marketing for makeup artists, business communications and entrepreneurial cosmetic event-planning skills. Students also have the opportunity to hone their skills by working onsite in the fully operational Durham College Spa.

Watch Rachael in action as DC’s CAO sits down in her makeup chair, transforming from desk-side administrator to DC’s own roaming zombie.


Durham College recognizes student achievement at 2018 Fall Convocation

On October 25, more than 550 Durham College (DC) students received their credentials during this year’s Fall Convocation ceremony, with friends, family and the college community cheering them on.

“Convocation is an opportunity for our students, along with their families and the college community, to come together to recognize the hard work and dedication that has led to the completion of their credential,” said Paul Bishop, executive director, Strategic Enrolment Services and registrar, Durham College. “It’s a celebration not only of their academic success but also what’s to come. Each student graduates with the skills they need to succeed and we have every confidence their futures will be bright.”

Held at the Tribute Communities Centre in downtown Oshawa, graduates from the Centre for Food and schools of Business, IT & Management; Continuing Education, Health & Community Services; Interdisciplinary Studies; Justice & Emergency Services; Media, Art & Design; Science & Engineering Technology and Skilled Trades, Apprenticeship & Renewable Technology received their diplomas and certificates.

Manjula Selvarajah, a freelance journalist, technology columnist for CBC Radio and producer for local CBC Radio shows, as well as a 2014 graduate of DC’s Journalism – Print and Broadcast program (now known as Journalism – Mass Media), Alumni of Distinction Award recipient and Premier’s Award nominee, addressed the graduates during the ceremony.


DC Culinary Management students take home awards in 2018 Student Chef Challenge

On October 23, two teams of second-year students in Durham College’s (DC) Culinary Management program took home multiple awards at the 2018 Student Chef Challenge, hosted at DC’s W. Galen Weston Centre for Food.

Sponsored by Ontario Sheep Farmers and Mushrooms Canada, the challenge brought together students from DC, Fleming College and Centennial College to prepare and present three internationally-inspired lamb and mushroom dishes to a panel of industry judges.

Students worked with faculty mentors to guide them through the finer aspects of butchery – an essential skill required of today’s culinary arts professionals – and were provided with high-quality ingredients, including fresh mushrooms from Gordon Food Service (GFS), to test their expertise in recipe development techniques.

DC’s Team A, comprised of second-year students Kacey Payne, Sharon Nanninga and Patrick Eckert won second place overall in the competition. Team B’s Kinsley Moore, George Donovan, and Caden McBeth won the award for Best Butchery Skills and were presented with a set of high-quality butcher knives from Canada Cutlery Inc.

This exciting experience for students went above and beyond regular classroom learning, giving them the opportunity to receive valuable feedback from judges and begin building a name for themselves in the industry.

All recipes from the competition will be featured in a future cookbook jointly-published by Ontario Sheep Farmers and Mushrooms Canada, with the students receiving credit for their contributions.


DC hosts Young Women in Science, Technology and Trades Conference

On October 22 and 23, Durham College (DC), in partnership with Ontario Power Generation, hosted over 550 girls in Grades 7 to 9 from several regional school boards for a program of exploration and inspiration aimed at connecting young women with careers in science, technology and skilled trades.

The two-day conference featured keynote presentations from serial inventor and speaker Ann Makosinski and entrepreneur and HGTV designer Jo Alcorn. Students participated in hands-on workshops while taking advantage of DC’s industry-grade facilities and innovative learning spaces.

“This conference has been a fantastic way for us to introduce the next generation of women to careers in science, technology and the skilled trades, helping them to discover new skills and capabilities,” said Don Lovisa, president, Durham College. “By doing this early in their academic career, these students are able to see the possibilities for their future, giving them more opportunities to explore paths they may not have considered before.”

A selection of unique programming was offered throughout the conference, including workshops that allowed attendees to write code, test out a welding simulator, build robots, create a sheet metal candle holder, patch and plug a tire and frame a wall. The students also had opportunities to perform scientific experiments in industry-grade laboratories that included conducting an acid-base titration and testing water to simulate how water plant operators test chlorine levels in our drinking water.

Feedback from students highlighted the positive impact of hearing from two strong and successful female role models. The hands-on opportunities provided them with the chance to experience different career possibilities, expanding their knowledge and interests.


MAD students produce 50 short films in the 48-Hour Film Challenge

Imagine having to write, shoot and edit a short film in under 48 hours. It may sound impossible, but for students from the School of Media, Art & Design (MAD) at Durham College (DC), this is just a regular assignment and the goal of the 3rd annual 48-Hour Film Challenge.

On October 9, more than 400 MAD students spanning five programs were placed into 50 teams and each given a line of dialogue, prop and hero type that had to be included in their final submissions. Second-year and graduate-program students participating as veterans were also required to take on the role of producer or director to make the competition more challenging for them. On October 12, the films were screened at the Cineplex Odeon Theatre in Oshawa and judged by a panel of industry professionals.

Members of the film crew for this year’s best picture winner, Butterfly Man, which includes Steve Donoghue, Thi Thu Hang Bui, Nicholas Eeuwes and Amy Fawcett, will now have their names engraved on the prestigious Deanie Award, a trophy featuring a miniature likeness of MAD executive dean Greg Murphy. The following films were also honoured at the screening:

  • Dustin Time – Reluctant Hero category
  • The High Road – Returning Hero category
  • MeCycler – Anti-hero category
  • Justice is Delivered – Accidental Hero category

“This year’s challenge was very successful,” said Jennifer Bedford, a professor in both the Photography and Video Production programs for MAD. “Creative arts fields are known for having very tight deadlines and high expectations, and this challenge emphasizes the importance of producing great work under a lot of pressure. We’re thrilled that, for the third year in a row, we had a 100-per-cent success rate for all films being submitted.”

The following industry professionals and DC employees comprised the jury which chose the winners in all categories: Eileen Kennedy, liaison, Durham Region Film Office; John Arkelian, film critic, Cinechats and ArtForum; Melissa Pringle, corporate and board secretary, Office of the President, DC; Janine Knight-Grofe, manager, International Education, DC; Marnie Mandel, cultural development coordinator, City of Oshawa; and Sandra Fox, foley artist, Footsteps Post-Production Sound Inc.

The film challenge brought together students from DC’s programs in Advanced FilmmakingBroadcasting for Radio & Contemporary Media, Media FundamentalsPhotography and Video Production, along with mentoring staff and faculty.

The largest competition of its kind in Canada, the event is designed to help students meet and collaborate across program boundaries and form a community of emerging content creators. It also provides students with an opportunity to flex their creativity and develop so-called “soft skills,” such as communication, teamwork and problem solving, which are vital to achieving success after graduation.