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Ministry-approved title: Hospitality Skills
Entrance Award Available
The hospitality industry continues to grow across Canada, creating strong demand for skilled, service-focused professionals. Durham College’s Hospitality Skills certificate provides students with practical, hands-on training in customer service, hotel and restaurant operations, workplace professionalism, and hospitality fundamentals. Through experiential learning opportunities, students build transferable skills valued across hotels, resorts, restaurants, tourism, and other customer-focused industries. Graduates will be prepared for entry-level positions such as restaurant server, guest service representative, and other hospitality support roles.
With industry-recognized certifications and pathways into further hospitality education, the Hospitality Skills program is an excellent starting point for students who enjoy working with people and want to begin a rewarding career in hospitality.
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The Hospitality Skills certificate program provides students with an introduction to the business of hotel, restaurant and tourism operations. Graduates will have the knowledge and expertise required for an entry-level position in the hospitality industry, and will have earned nationally recognized certifications in responsible alcohol service, and food safety. Experience is gained through hands-on practice and role-playing in the college’s labs. Students refine their skills in customer service and communications and learn how to apply these skills to a variety of hospitality services including hotels, restaurants, resorts and catering companies.
Students learn how to:
The Hospitality Skills program is offered at the Whitby campus, home of the college’s W. Galen Weston Centre for Food. This incredible learning environment provides access to state-of-the-art labs, classrooms and meeting spaces all designed to offer the best possible learning experience.
They also benefit from working and learning in Bistro ’67, a full-service, Feast On ® certified and learning restaurant operated by our executive chef, staff and students.
Qualified graduates of the Hospitality Skills certificate program may have the opportunity to continue their studies by completing a second year to obtain their diploma in Hospitality – Hotel and Restaurant Operations Management.
Durham College faculty and employees are proud to be members of the following professional associations:
ORHMA
PCMA
PCMA Student Chapter
Founded by the Faculty of Hospitality & Horticulture Sciences students, the DC PCMA Student Chapter provides opportunities to gain invaluable experience working on a board and connecting and collaborating with other event planning students from across the country and United States!
Join us at Durham College, in the Faculty of Hospitality and Horticultural Sciences – your future awaits!
Durham College (DC) offers pre-admission assessment testing to mature domestic applicants to meet admission requirements in English and/or Math. Domestic applicants who are 19 years of age or older as of the start date of their program, and who do not have the required program credit(s), i.e. Grade 12 English and/or Grade 12 Math are eligible to take an admissions assessment test.
Learn more about how to book Pre-Admission Assessment Testing here.
DC also offers Academic Upgrading. Courses are FREE and designed to help you meet the admissions requirements for this program. Available to individuals 18+, these courses are offered on campus at DC. Boost your qualifications with:
Learn more about Academic Upgrading and connect with our team to get started.
The courses listed below are for incoming students. If you are a current student, please refer to your program of study for the year you began your program. Your program of study can be found on MyDC.
Courses, course descriptions and delivery formats are subject to change.
In person
Students will come to campus to complete in-person learning requirements. Detailed schedules, with course-specific delivery information, will be available after registration. Courses, course descriptions and delivery formats are subject to change.
Students in this program are eligible to apply for The Joyce Family Foundation Bursary. Available to students in any program, with preference to those entering preparatory programs, The Joyce Family Foundation Bursary will be awarded to up to 10 students annually and will help students cover tuition in their chosen program as well as in any continued studies at DC for up to four years. Recipients of The Joyce Family Foundation Bursary will also have the opportunity to participate in mentorship programs at the college.
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School is an investment in your future, and financial support is available to help you succeed.
DC's Financial Aid and Awards is here to help you access funding and opportunities that make pursuing your education easier and more achievable:
Visit Financial Aid and Awards to explore all the options to help finance your education.
From student-focused special events, to employment in the W. Galen Weston Centre for Food’s restaurant, and helping with special projects, there are countless opportunities for students to further their learning beyond the labs.
Successful completion of the Hospitality Skills certificate program will provide opportunities for further study in the following Durham College two-year diploma programs:
Please visit our pathways page to learn more about how you can transfer your credits towards a degree.
Looking for more pathway opportunities or to transfer to Durham College? Click here for more information.
To help students have the best learning experience possible, Durham College’s IT Services department has identified technology recommendations for each program based on course needs and software requirements. While not required, students may want to consider these suggestions if they are purchasing a computer or laptop for the upcoming academic year.
Processor: i3 RAM: 4GB Storage: 256GB SSD Operating System: Microsoft Windows 11 Professional or Education x64 SP1 Internet Browser: Internet Explorer 11 or Google Chrome (newest version) or Firefox (newest version) Network Adapter: 802.11ac 2.4/5 GHz wireless adapter Camera: Webcam/built-in camera Internet connection
Questions regarding technology recommendations can be directed to the IT Service Desk or the school office.
Tricia is a dedicated and student-centered hospitality professor with more than 19 years of experience in post-secondary teaching. She brings expertise in curriculum development and inclusive instruction methods, leveraging digital tools and technology to create engaging and culturally diverse learning experiences into the classroom. Tricia’s industry experience includes management roles in hotels, resorts, and restaurants specializing in guest services, housekeeping, sales, and catering. Tricia holds an Advanced Diploma in Hospitality Administration and an Undergraduate Diploma in Designing Adult Learning for the Digital Age.
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