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DC celebrates International Development Week

Durham College (DC) took part in Global Affairs Canada’s International Development Week (IDW), established in 1991, as a uniquely Canadian tradition that celebrates contributions to poverty reduction and international humanitarian assistance in the developing world. DC celebrated this event with a full program for students and employees emphasizing Global Affairs Canada’s theme “Partners for a Better World”, encouraging Canadians to build an more inclusive, peaceful and prosperous world.

DC’s IDW events began with a message from Member of Parliament Celina Caesar-Chavannes who congratulated the college’s internationalization efforts and reminded us of the responsibility DC has to mobilize global citizens. Other activities included a Global Class on access and equity in education, where guest speaker Christian Mutalamuna, who is a DC alumni from the Democratic Republic of Congo, encouraged a packed room of DC students, as well as participants from Russia, Zambia, Ghana, Mexico and Toronto to push through external and internal limitations in the pursuit of education.

DC also hosted a Marketplace, which featured 14 non-governmental organizations, local artists and fair-trade vendors.  Students and employees also heard of the many opportunities the college offers for international experiences from education abroad, to participating on DC’s international projects and partnerships. Other highlights included the screening of a thought-provoking documentary on climate change, hearing the stories of peer’s international experiences, a presentation from Limerick Institute of Technology on degree completion in Ireland and cultural dance lessons facilitated by DC alumni.

DC helps clear the smoke surrounding growing cannabis industry

On February 15, Durham College’s (DC) School of Continuing Education, along with industry leaders GrowWise Health, Ample Organics and Cannabis at Work, presented an Ontario Cannabis Industry Q&A event.

Inspired by conversations being had in DC’s new Medical Cannabis Fundamentals for Business Professionals course, the event discussed the status of the rapidly expanding Ontario cannabis industry; the increased demand for a skilled workforce including expectations for growth and what it will mean for job creation; the types of jobs being created; and the skills professionals will need to fill those jobs.

The event reached capacity within 48-hours of being announced, highlighting the need for more dialog and education about the cannabis industry in Ontario and across Canada. Approximately 70 participants comprising students, job seekers, investors, healthcare professionals, entrepreneurs, among others, took part. They were able to ask questions of the experts on areas such as what employers are looking for in prospective employees, where the industry is going and the types of regulatory issues yet to be resolved by government.  It was a great opportunity to gain insights from some of the most knowledgeable people in the industry.

Future events will be held in March. Anyone interested in attending one of DC’s Ontario Cannabis Industry Q&A sessions is invited to put their name on the registration list by emailing barbara.knox@websiteredesign.durhamcollege.ca. All DC students, faculty and alumni, as well as members of the public, are welcome and encouraged to attend.

Durham College students present artificial intelligence project on Parliament Hill

A team of Durham College (DC) students, faculty researchers and representatives from the college’s Office of Research Services, Innovation and Entrepreneurship (ORSIE) returned from Ottawa this week after participating in Colleges and Institutes Canada’s (CICan) annual Applied Research Symposium.

The team from DC joined students from across the province, as they presented their project “Interactive Accessibility Assistant using Artificial Intelligence (AI)” to parliamentarians and representatives from the federal government at a special showcase on Parliament Hill.

Initially funded by DC, the Interactive Accessibility project set out to develop software for accurate closed captioning of teaching materials, to improve accessibility offerings and learning experiences for students at the college. The solution was developed by integrating several signal and language processing AI architectures and incorporating sound and natural language AI processing in a new and unique way.

The result was an application that can generate accurate closed captioning of any video or reading materials. In the case of the project, it was the colleges teaching resources that became more accessible, thus enhancing the learning experience for DC students.

With a goal of highlighting the impact of applied research and innovation for students, the Student Showcase gave research teams the opportunity to demonstrate how their projects provided a solution to a community partner or industry problem, while also allowing them to share what they gained from participating in the experience.

Students meet their future employers at DC Job Fair

As part of its annual Career Week, Durham College (DC) hosted its largest Job Fair to date on February 7. Coordinated by DC’s Career Development office, the event offered students and alumni access to more than 80 organizations – a welcome increase over last year’s event.

Held in the Campus Recreation and Wellness Centre at the college’s Oshawa campus, the job fair brought students together with representatives from organizations representing a mix of economic sectors, including business, community services, manufacturing, skilled trades, information technology, engineering, health care, hospitality and justice.

Participants were also able to access unique services, such as the Speed Networking Hub. They received advice from alumni, industry experts and business leaders about career paths and networking and learned key skills to maximize success in the workplace.

Students interested in learning about opportunities in skilled trades were able to attend the Tradesmart Career Fair at the Whitby campus, which was also held as part of Career Week. There, they had access to 30 employers, representing another significant increase in the number of participating organizations.

DC’s Career Development office is a student’s gateway to all things career-related at the college. The Career Development team offers a range of services including support for career exploration, resumé building and employment letter writing, interviewing skills and job search strategies.

For more information visit www.websiteredesign.durhamcollege.ca/careerdevelopment.

Ontario’s Minister of Economic Development and Growth visits DC

On February 12, Steven Del Duca, Ontario’s Minister of Economic Development and Growth, visited Durham College’s (DC) Oshawa campus to speak with students and employees during a town hall in The Pit.

After sharing brief remarks, Minister Del Duca spent the remainder of the hour-long session answering questions that ranged from discussing the impact of minimum wage increases on part-time jobs to addressing the need to foster diversity in fields such as science, engineering, technology and math.

With an emphasis on optimism and a focus on Ontario’s strengths, Del Duca reviewed the opportunities for students in the dynamic and rapidly changing economy. He also stressed the importance of continued investment, strategic decision making and driving innovation to preserve the positive gains achieved for the province since the recession.

DC student competes in international design contest

Durham College (DC) student Evgenia Nazarenko from the School of Media, Art and Design (MAD) tested her skills at in international level earlier this year when she represented DC in the Young Designers Award Competition.

Evgenia and DC were the sole Canadian participants in the annual, by-invitation-only event that showcases the extraordinary and emerging talents of packaging and design students at the college level.

For the 2018 competition, students from participating schools were provided a clear, 9oz jar with cap and instructed to design a product and label/outer packaging. Schools then submitted their top entries to be judged by a prestigious panel of cosmetic and personal care packaging design experts.

The judging criteria included overall uniqueness, ability to be reproduced economically and ability to stand out favorably against competitive packages. Industry sponsors included multinational corporations such as Biorius, Pfeiffer and Mary-K. 

Competition was fierce, featuring schools such as Yale University School of Art, Maine College of Art and Corcoran School of the Arts and Design.

A third-year student in DC’s Graphic Design program, Evgenia will now have her work exhibited in California beginning in February.

Congratulations, Evgenia! 

DC grads talk careers and life after college at Alumni in the Pit

From life as a Toronto marketing executive to telling the city’s stories on the radio and from a career in the NHL to running three successful businesses, two Durham College (DC) graduates returned to campus on February 6 to share stories about their careers and life after graduation during the annual Alumni in the Pit event.

This year’s event featured Manjula Selvarajah, a 2014 grad of the college’s Journalism – Print and Broadcast program (now known as Journalism – Mass Media), and Brandon Nolan, a 2013 Business Administration – Marketing grad (now Marketing – Business Administration), who offered insights into how they’ve achieved success to the students and employees in attendance.

Manjula Selvarajah:

Now a Toronto-based freelance journalist and occasional on-air technology columnist and producer for CBC Radio, including the popular radio show Metro Morning, Selvarajah left her career as a marketing executive and headed back to school after being inspired by a story she heard on the news about Tamil refugees arriving in Canada. Driven by a desire to tell real stories that would not necessarily be told by mainstream media, she urged students in the audience to treat each day in class as if it is already their job and emphasized the importance of doing amazing work, regardless of whether it’s your dream role or not.

She also credits her DC professors and the field placement she completed as part of her program with preparing her for her current role. It’s a job that has taken her to the front lines of reporting the news and has given her the opportunity to give back, including co-founding the non-profit organization Tamil Women Rising.

Brandon Nolan:

Nolan has enjoyed a diverse career both on and off the ice. A proud Ojibway from the Garden River First Nation in northern Ontario, he grew up spending the winter months playing hockey on an outdoor rink, beginning his love for the game and eventually earning him a spot with the pros. After a stint in the Ontario Hockey League, he enjoyed a five-year professional hockey career that took him all over the world before being cut short by a serious concussion suffered while playing for the Carolina Hurricanes.

After recognizing a college education would give him the skills he needed to succeed in his post-hockey career, he headed back to school. Upon completing his studies, Nolan began down the path that now sees him running successful businesses with his father and brother, including 3N Clothing Apparel and the 3|NOLANS First Nation Hockey School, as well as the Ted Nolan Foundation, which supports and encourages Aboriginal youth to pursue academic growth for a better future.

He shared his story of graduating from DC and taking jobs that, though not ideal, were integral to getting his foot in the door. He also encouraged students to remember that all the steps they take in their career can lead to their goals, echoing his co-panelist’s emphasis on doing good work and providing good service.

Alumni in the Pit is part of DC’s backpack2Briefcase program, a series of events designed to help students and recent alumni make a smooth transition from college to the workplace. Events and workshops are held throughout the year to offer opportunities for both personal and professional development that will enhance the skills and training students learn in the classroom.

Dragons’ Den auditions return to DC Wednesday, February 28

Calling all entrepreneurs! The hit CBC television show Dragons’ Den will return to Durham College (DC) on Wednesday, February 28, to hold auditions in the search for Canada’s best new businesses.

Currently in its 12th season, the show’s producers are embarking on a nation-wide tour in search of the country’s best new business concepts and products in need of a Dragon investment. During its stop on campus, aspiring DC entrepreneurs and members of the general public are invited to pitch their concepts in five minutes or less. If they show producers they have what it takes to pitch in the Den, they could be invited to Toronto to face the Dragons.

DC is committed to enhancing entrepreneurship in the community and encourages anyone with an innovative idea to apply. DC students may also contact FastStart – an entrepreneurial training partnership aimed at students – for assistance in preparing their pitch.

Prospective pitchers are encouraged to apply online and bring a completed application form to the audition.

Auditions:

When
Wednesday, February 28
11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Where
Durham College, Oshawa campus
Student Services building, Room SSB 116 AB
2000 Simcoe St. N.
Oshawa, Ont.

DC receives $250,000 funding from Government of Ontario’s Colleges Applied R&D Fund

Durham College (DC) announced today that its Office of Research Services, Innovation and Entrepreneurship (ORSIE) has been awarded $250,000 through the Government of Ontario’s Colleges Applied Research and Development Fund (CARDF), administered by Ontario Centres of Excellence (OCE), to study artificial intelligence (AI) in business solutions.

The funding will be used to research how “narrow AI” can help small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) uncover new business insights while also providing intelligent and autonomous solutions that help increase a company’s productivity and growth. Narrow AI is any software that uses technologies such as machine learning, decision support, natural language processing and automation to make business recommendations, autonomously make decisions, or take action in a manner that would be considered intelligent.

“The AI research DC is undertaking addresses a significant need for SMEs across our economy,” said Debbie McKee Demczyk, dean, ORSIE. “This funding will support those research efforts, as we help SMEs adopt AI to solve their business challenges. Our hope is that, through collaborative research, and the implementation of advanced systems, we can help the SMEs of Southern Ontario become more competitive in an increasingly digital economy.”

The funding announcement also coincides with the recent launch of the AI Hub at DC, a new research centre within ORSIE dedicated to advancing the adoption of artificial intelligence as a way to improve business productivity and competitiveness. Through the AI Hub, firms that would not typically have access to the benefits of state-of-the-art AI techniques, will be able to capitalize on  advances in machine intelligence, automated learning, decision support, optimization, robotics, language/meaning understanding, and advanced manufacturing practices.

DC also received ten College Vouchers for Technology Adoption from CARDF. Valued at $10,000 each, under this program the college is will work with 10 growth-oriented local SMEs who are looking to adopt technology to improve their operations and increase productivity. This will be achieved by using one of three methods – process automation, customized online collaboration tools and data visualization.

Supported by the Ontario Ministry of Research, Innovation and Science, in partnership with OCE and Colleges Ontario, the $20-million CARDF program not only seeks to drive collaboration between post-secondary institutions and industry, it also aims to create efficiencies so industry can access the skills, services and innovations offered by colleges, while also providing experiential learning opportunities for students.

“Our province needs talent to continue to sustain its growing innovation eco-system. Investing in applied research and development is a step towards a brighter and more prosperous future for our province,” said Reza Moridi, Minister of Research, Innovation and Science. “By bringing together colleges and the R&D sector, we’re creating opportunities for our students and ensuring they are ready for the jobs of tomorrow.”

Companies with an interest in how AI and digital transformation can enhance their businesses are encouraged to contact the AI Hub by visiting http://www.websiteredesign.durhamcollege.ca/TheAIHub, emailing theaihub@websiteredesign.durhamcollege.ca or calling 905.721.3223.

Your chance to be part of DC’s history

The new Durham College (DC) Centre for Collaborative Education (CFCE) building is taking shape and excitement is mounting as each day brings us closer to the opening of the building. The grand opening ceremony will include a time capsule installation in the building’s courtyard. We want you to be a part of DC’s history by contributing to the contents of the time capsule.

The time capsule will be filled with items significant to the college between 2017 and 2018. It will be sealed for the next 50 years and opened in 2067, in time for DC’s 100th anniversary.

Details about the time capsule and a call for submission of items to be included in it will be communicated in the coming weeks.