Diploma in Social Service Worker

at Algonquin College - Ottawa Campus Canada

Advance your skillsets for a career in construction and civil engineering

The Civil Engineering Technology Ontario College Advanced Diploma is a continuation of the Construction Engineering Technician program and is open to students who already have an Algonquin College Construction Engineering Technician Ontario College Diploma and meet the admission requirements. This third year of study explores in-depth areas of civil engineering technology such as:

• Project scheduling and cost control
• Surveying
• Design of steel structures
• Foundations
• Water and wastewater technology
• Soils analysis
• Reinforced concrete design 

Students also have the option to gain real-world experience through a paid co-operative education (co-op) work term (see Additional Information for more details). Please note that places in the co-op version of the program are subject to availability.

During the final two terms of the program you take on a year-long project in collaboration with external industry partners that gives you real-world experience and may help you develop networks within a specific industry. As part of a project team, you participate in leadership events, analyze and solve problems, create deliverables and present the results of your project to the college community and the industry through demonstrations and presentations.

OACETT (Ontario Association of Certified Engineering Technicians and Technologists) recognizes this program as meeting all of the academic requirements for certification in the Certified Engineering Technologist (CET) or Applied Science Technologist (AScT) category. Graduates and final-year students are immediately eligible to be registered as Associate members of OACETT upon submission of the Graduate Application form available through the Placement Office or OACETT.

Graduates may pursue careers in a number of sectors of the construction industry, including:

• Cost estimating for residential, commercial and civil projects
• Surveying
• Project management
• Building inspection
• Materials testing
• Quality control
• Construction

Interactive Media Design is a two year Ontario College Diploma program designed to prepare you for a variety of careers in the digital media industry. Web-design and programming, as well as video and motion graphic skills, are in demand in all employment sectors. You explore the primary elements of media project planning and development with equal importance given to the creative and the technical aspects. This balanced learning experience prepares graduates to be generalists in the media industry, meaning you can jump into a wide variety of roles as you begin your careers.

Strong emphasis is placed on hands-on media production through courses in computer-based web design and programming, as well as video and motion graphics. Through a number of program-specific elective courses, you can focus your path towards specializing as a video producer or a web developer, or you can choose to remain as a generalist, depending on your interests. You plan and execute individual and team-based projects under the guidance of a faculty, industry experts in the media field. You gain practical experience working with live clients through applied projects. You navigate these learning opportunities with the operating system of your choice, such as Apple OS X, Windows or other platforms.

This industry-driven program provides you with the diverse skillset that makes you adaptable in today`s dynamic job market across all sectors. Graduates may find employment in a wide variety of fields utilizing their skills in dynamic media development, web design and programming, photography, videography, motion graphics, project management, UX design, graphic design and content management. Other opportunities involve start-up businesses and a wide variety of alternate professional fields.

Students also have the option to gain real-world experience through a paid co-operative education (co-op) work term (see Additional Information for more details). Please note that places in the co-op version of the program are subject to availability. Students who elect to apply to the non co-op version of the program may not have the opportunity to transfer to the co-op version at a later date.

This Ontario College Graduate Certificate program, delivered in a 42-week consecutive format, prepares you for a career in the field of recreation therapy. Recreation Therapists work with individuals facing key health issues and cognitive, physical and/or mental health challenges across the lifespan from children, youth, adults to seniors. In this program, you develop a strong foundation of skills and knowledge to use the tools of recreation and leisure to ensure people of all ages and abilities have a healthy social, physical, emotional and cognitive lifestyle.

Develop advanced knowledge of how to complete client assessments, create individualized and group programs and document client outcomes. Apply a variety of facilitative techniques to promote meaningful recreation and leisure participation, improve functional ability, and enhance quality of life and wellness. Through collaboration, teamwork, research and professional involvement, you learn to adapt, implement and evaluate recreation activities to meet the needs of people in a wide range of settings including hospitals, long-term care facilities, rehabilitation centres, municipal community programs and mental health agencies. Through a combination of theory and industry-based work terms, you gain theoretical and practical knowledge and experience.

As a current institutional member of Therapeutic Recreation Ontario (TRO), students enrolled in the Therapeutic Recreation program receive a Therapeutic Recreation Ontario Student membership for the duration of the program. Graduates may apply to become registered members of TRO and/or other professional associations. As well, Algonquin College is working closely with TRO in seeking recognition of this program, thus allowing graduates to apply to become a Registered Therapeutic Recreation Ontario member.

Learning Outcomes
The graduate has reliably demonstrated the ability to:

• Provide for the safety of clients, self and others in compliance with applicable legislation, regulations, standards and ethical practices.
• Assess individual needs, strengths, challenges and interests of people experiencing barriers to healthy leisure lifestyle in order to assist them in meeting their goals.
• Maintain accurate documentation in accordance with ministry guidelines, professional standards of practice and organizational policies and procedures.
• Plan, implement and evaluate holistic individual and group recreation therapy programs which respond to identified needs, align with assessment results and adhere to current best practices.
• Provide individual and family therapeutic functional intervention, leisure education support, and opportunity for recreation participation.
• Research, analyze and evaluate recreation therapy activities and programs using evidence based practices.
• Plan, implement and evaluate community, private and institutional programs and/or services and processes to enhance quality of life for clients.
• Collaborate with individuals, caregivers, interprofessional teams, volunteers and community service providers using a person-centered approach to promote personal, social, economic and the health-related benefits of recreation therapy services.
• Develop and plan for ongoing personal and professional growth and development.
• Identify and apply discipline-specific practices that contribute to the local and global community through social responsibility, economic commitment and environmental stewardship.

The two-year Community and Justice Services Ontario College Diploma program provides you with a broad range of skills to support you in joining the community and justice services field.

In this program, you develop an applied understanding of how to work with individuals, groups, and families in a variety of community-based settings. Woven throughout the program is a commitment to human rights, resiliency and restorative practice. Study topics include:

• Addictions and harm reduction
• correctional practices
• Mental health
• Trauma-informed practice
• Indigenous studies
• Gender and sexuality studies
• Community building practice
• Anti-oppressive practice

You also develop skills to support children, youth, and families in both individual and group capacities. These skills include assessment, supportive counselling, group facilitation, case management, advocacy, crisis intervention and supporting community led prevention initiatives. In your final semester, you have the opportunity to participate in a field placement experience in the community and justice field.

Energize your career in only 8 months

The one-year Energy Management Ontario College Graduate Certificate prepares you for an exciting career in energy, innovation, entrepreneurship and the development of efficient new energy technologies.

Learn about energy solutions such as efficiency, conservation and sustainability. Participate in laboratory work, contribute to a real-world project and learn from case-studies in the energy management industry. Explore how to implement, manage, administer and work on energy management practices throughout the program. By analyzing data sets, evaluating the impact of energy efficiency and conservation programs and performing cost-benefit analyses, you obtain highly-regarded skills for the industry.

During your final semester, participate in an energy management project with peers and industry partners. Through in-class discussions and collaboration, you plan and create an energy strategy for a commercial building.

Students also have the option to gain real-world experience through a paid co-operative education (co-op) work term (see Additional Information for more details). Please note that places in the co-op version of the program are subject to availability. Students who elect to apply to the non co-op version of the program may not have the opportunity to transfer to the co-op version at a later date.

Graduates may find employment in public, private and non-profit sectors, including: federal, provincial, territorial and municipal levels of government; corporate agencies; energy service providers; commercial and industrial organizations related to the energy sector.

Graduates may find opportunities as a(n):

• conservation professional
• energy consultant
• energy manager
• energy evaluator

This one-year Design foundation Ontario College Certificate allows you to develop fundamental design skills and to explore a range of design-related disciplines, in order to discover where your strengths and interests lie.

Throughout the program, you develop foundational knowledge and skills used in a variety of design elements such as:

• Principles of design and layout
• Typography
• Drawing and sketching
• Perspective
• Colour theory
• 3D structure
• Time management
• Web design
• Industry-standard software.

You explore your own aptitudes and interests through research and a speaker series of professionals, to help determine which area of design best suits you. Your work accumulates into a portfolio that represents your best design and artwork, which can be used to apply for future programs of study. An annual showcase provides an opportunity to exhibit your portfolio and interact with industry professionals, peers and the community.

Graduates from the Food and Nutrition Management Ontario College Graduate Certificate program take their careers in the food services industry to the next level. This one-year program builds on your culinary/hospitality skills and gives you the knowledge and real-world experience needed to succeed in the lucrative health care sectory of the food services industry.

The program combines in-class learning with online projects. You learn about a variety of topics, including:

• Advanced normal nutrition
• Clinical nutrition
• Physiology
• Food modification
• Quality management of sanitation and safety procedures
• Facilities design
• Labour relations
• Food service management of healthcare standards, and
• Financial and business management.

Expand your skills to work in many areas of the industry, including long-term care facilities, hospitals, and retirement homes.

The program has earned a five-year Accreditation from the Canadian Society of Nutrition Management. This provides the highest level of certification in the field of nutrition management, giving you the competitive edge you need to be successful.

Gain real-world experience during 175 hours of field placement. Most of the placements are in a long-term care facility, where you participate in the supervision of food and nutrition services. Make valuable connections with the opportunity to leave a lasting impression.

After graduation, you may find employment in the management of various areas of nutritional care and food preparation and food service in:

• Hospitals
• Long-term care facilities
• Retirement homes
• Contract food service management companies, and
• Commercial/retail settings

Some expected responsibilities may include planning, managing and supervising a food service department within a healthcare facility. Duties may include diet calculations, diet and nutrition counselling, nutrition promotion, employee training and supervision, food production, financial forecasting and quality assurance.

This one-year Drawing Foundations for Animation and Illustration Ontario College Certificate helps you to develop the strong drawing skills that are necessary for your evolution as an artist, to further your education in various creative visual art programs.

Expand your potential, using a wide variety of digital and traditional mediums to build creative works, while discovering your strengths and preferences along the way. Immersed in a studio environment, you explore life drawing, sculpting, and character, environment and creature design. You also create appealing environments that encompass a sense of character and a lived-in feel using proper perspective, texture and detail. Sculpting and painting with digital tools and software solidifies your understanding of the properties of light, value and colour and their influence in a 3D environment.

You have the opportunity to research and explore your abilities and interests in:

• Animation
• Comic books
• Book illustration
• Concept art
• Graphic novels
• Gaming
• Anime

This one-year Pre-Health Sciences Pathway to Certificates and Diplomas Ontario College Certificate program provides you with the knowledge, skills and abilities fundamental to academic success in a variety of health science programs. Develop strong study skills and earn post-secondary credits that may be transferred to other college programs.

As a student, you explore your interests in the health science field while meeting the eligibility requirements for a number of Algonquin College programs, including:

• Dental Assisting - Level I and II
• Fitness and Health Promotion
• Occupational Therapist Assistant/Physiotherapist Assistant
• Paramedic
• Practical Nursing
• Pre-Service Firefighter Education and Training
• Veterinary Assistant
• Veterinary Technician

The curriculum provides you with the opportunity to learn more about potential careers in health sciences as you improve your skills and knowledge in communications, mathematics, biology and chemistry.

The intention of this program is to prepare you for further study in certificates or diplomas, rather than moving directly into the chosen industry. It is important to note that completing this program doesn`t guarantee entry into a health or science program.

The one-year Sommelier Ontario College Certificate program gives you the skills and knowledge to enter or advance a career in the wine profession.

Wine and beverage expertise has become an essential tool in the hospitality industry, creating a high demand for qualified professionals. In our sommelier lab, you acquire the specialized skills and extensive knowledge to meet this demand.

Gain knowledge of the viticulture and viniculture of primary grape growing areas around the world. Through tastings of a variety of wines, expand your ability to recognize distinctive aromas and flavours associated with various wine regions. Learn food and wine pairing skills, cellaring tips, marketing techniques, grape varieties, wine list development and the proper service of wine, beer and whiskeys.

Take your skills into the real world with a 40-hour field placement at a restaurant, wine shop, winery, wine retail outlet or wine show. This industry experience helps you build valuable connections and become career-ready. These connections have led some of our graduates to launch successful freelance writing or teaching-careers.