Diploma in Horticulture Technician

at Durham College - Whitby Campus Canada

Office administrators are administrative professionals who are vital to the effectiveness of any organization. The phone is ringing, there are three spreadsheets open on your computer screen and a team meeting starts in two minutes. This is the life of an office administrator. Personable and committed, they create order out of chaos and provide the glue that holds businesses together. Our industry-connected professors will prepare you to make an impact on any organization right away. You will learn from professionals who are current in their field and will have the opportunity to enhance your resumé with real-life work experience.

Master the art of food and flavour in our Culinary Management program. You will explore locally grown food, experiment with ethnic and contemporary cuisine, and develop your skills in the culinary arts, while learning valuable management skills that will take your career to the next level. Significant focus is placed on lab/kitchen time, encouraging students to develop their techniques and products, much of which they are able to take home and enjoy. Graduates are sought after by a broad range of employers because of their unique skills, which include artisan meat cutting, cheese production, baking, canning and preserving.

The Culinary Management program is offered at the W. Galen Weston Centre for Food (CFF), which is guided by a field-to-fork philosophy and sustainable business practices in all activities. This incredible learning centre provides access to a demonstration theatre; state-of-the-art labs, classrooms and meeting spaces; Bistro ’67, a full-service, green-certified teaching restaurant; and growing fields just steps from the labs.

The Culinary Management program is offered at the W. Galen Weston Centre for Food (CFF), which is guided by a field-to-fork philosophy in all activities. This incredible learning centre provides access to a demonstration theatre; state-of-the-art labs, classrooms and meeting spaces; Bistro ’67, a full-service, green-certified teaching restaurant; and growing fields just steps from the labs.

You will learn to provide accomplished culinary planning, preparation and presentation for a variety of food-service environments. With a strong emphasis on skill development, theory, service and managerial training, you will become equipped with the skills and industry knowledge required to succeed. This program will foster ongoing personal growth and learning in the areas of self-management, interpersonal skills, professional ability and industry awareness.

In addition, you will gain knowledge about the diverse needs of today’s diners and consumers and focus on locally grown and produced foods. Hands-on experience in culinary, pastry and restaurant demonstration labs and classrooms will help you to develop essential skills related to a la carte cuisine, pastry, desserts and baking, ethnic cuisine, contemporary cooking and more.

The Culinary Management program will foster ongoing personal growth and learning in the areas of self management, interpersonal skills, professional ability and industry awareness including:

• Applying cost control techniques to food-service operations
• Effective marketing to promote the successful operation of a hospitality business
• Developing ongoing personal and professional strategies and plans to enhance culinary leadership and management skills

Students in this program will benefit from working and learning in Bistro ’67, a full-service, green-certified teaching and learning restaurant operated by staff and students.

Executive assistants are administrative professionals who contribute to the effectiveness of an office in an important way. They manage projects and budgets, make travel arrangements and manage events, prepare communication and take on a collection of essential tasks. Excellent at time management, project management and multi-tasking, they are critical to any organization. You will learn from professionals who are current in their field and will have the opportunity to enhance your resumé with real-life work experience.

Classes in this program are offered in a compressed format on three consecutive days each week.

This two-year diploma program is designed to provide you with the skills and knowledge required of an executive office assistant. You will gain extensive practical understanding and knowledge of office concepts; business operations and procedures; current computer software; and how to collaborate on various management activities.

You will develop your skills through various learning methods such as group and individual projects, discussions, lectures, case studies and office simulations.

Emphasis is placed on the practical demands of the job including:-

• High-level word processing skills
• Preparing professional documents with accuracy
• Developing presentation, Internet, email, project management, spreadsheet and database skills in a network environment
• Interpersonal and human relations
• Meeting deadlines
• Organizing activities

If you choose to pursue this option, you should enjoy working on computers and interacting with others. In addition, you must be willing to work to develop a professional level of ability in business skills.

This program will appeal to your creative, analytical and mathematical sides with instruction in freehand sketching and computer-aided drawing, sustainability and green technology, renovation and restoration, site planning, calculations of load, structural sizing and estimating project costs, and technical communications designed to prepare you for an exciting career in architectural technology.

In the three-year Architectural Technology program you will focus on the commercial aspect of construction and renovation and gain an in-depth understanding of building and construction technology. This program, designed to prepare you for an exciting career in architectural technology, will appeal to your creative and analytical side with instruction in freehand sketching; sustainability and green technology; history of architecture; renovation and restoration; site planning; and technical communications.

You will gain knowledge and apply skills in computer aided drawing, building methods and project management using the most current computer-aided drafting programs such as AutoCAD and Building Information Modeling. In addition, you will learn construction and sustainable technologies for materials such as wood frame, steel, masonry and precast concrete and develop project management skills.

Graduates employed in this field will be skilled in analyzing building codes to determine design requirements; drafting contract and bidding documents; assisting architects with drafting construction and design plans; and constructing design models. The sustainable design skills you will gain will make you current and relevant in today’s increasingly eco-friendly architectural field. Graduates are eligible to apply for additional industry-relevant certifications, which may be a requirement for some employers.

You will further your practical knowledge through a team project/placement component in your third year, which will strengthen your work experience as well as develop your skills in building code, building specifications, estimating and structural and mechanical knowledge.

HVAC technicians are required in many parts of our everyday lives. From installing the latest high-efficiency furnace in your home to keeping you cool in your office, a Durham College HVAC technician has got your covered.

With access to a national historic site and a one-of-a-kind living lab that provides students with legacy opportunities to complete campus projects, this program will help you graduate with the creative, entrepreneurial, and professional skills needed to be an industry leader. The art, science and business of horticulture are the focus of this program, ensuring students learn the skills required to create landscapes, renew historical gardens, enhance communities and express their creativity while learning the complexities involved in a broad range of professional environments. In addition, the dynamic, hands-on opportunities to experience the many aspects of the industry will make a difference as you work towards becoming a professional horticulturist. 

Gain knowledge and hone your skills in landscape construction, nursery management and soil and plant nutrition so you are prepared to work in creating and developing dynamic residential lots, business locations and communities. A growing interest in landscaping, gardening and urban agriculture is prompting more people to spend money on these enjoyable diversions and opening new opportunities for graduates.

You will also have access to an unmatched learning environment, with more than 50 per cent of learning time focused on hands-on activities offered at the college’s W. Galen Weston Centre for Food, a unique field-to-fork-focused learning environment, and Parkwood National Historic Site, which provides access to historic gardens and greenhouses, further the understanding of different concepts and designs you will face upon graduating.

You will focus on:

• Aspects of growing plants outdoors, indoors and in a greenhouse environment.
• Disease and pest management.
• Landscape construction.
• Landscape design fundamentals.
• Nursery management.
• Parks and turf management fundamentals.
• Plant propagation.
• Retail store operation.
• Small equipment operation and safety.
• Soil and plant nutrition.

Note: Primary location Whitby (some courses may be delivered at Parkwood Estate in Oshawa)

Health offices are increasingly complex, driven by technology and requiring strong administrators at the helm. As a student in this program, you will learn medical terminology and have a general understanding of anatomy and physiology. You will understand procedures required to operate a health care office and will be able to transcribe a wide range of health-related data. You will understand the latest hospital information systems and know how to use them. You will learn from professionals who are current in their field and will have the opportunity to enhance your resumé with real-life work experience.
This compressed program is delivered in four consecutive semesters, which means you are ready to graduate in only 16 months. Classes in this program are offered on three consecutive days each week.

Program Details:
Classes in this program are offered in a compressed format on three consecutive days each week.
The Office Administration – Health Services program is available in both a two-year format and a compressed (four consecutive semesters) option.
Please note: Students who choose the compressed, fast-track option will not have a semester off/summer break.

This program is designed to develop the skills required to perform administrative support in a wide variety of health care environments. Students will gain a practical understanding and knowledge on topics including:

• Basic anatomy and physiology
• Confidentiality and privacy
• Medical billing
• Health care ethics
• Health care office and hospital procedures
• Medical terminology and transcription
• Electronic medical records software
• Patient management

Grab a wrench and jump into the high-demand skilled trade field of plumbing. This one-year certificate program will provide you with skills sought by employers and position you at the front of workers competing for entry-level jobs in the plumbing industry, including apprenticeships.

Working with our experienced professors, you will gain valuable theoretical knowledge and receive practical hands-on training in the basics of residential and commercial plumbing and hydronic heating system designs and installations.

The Event Planning program is ideally suited for organized and detail-oriented individuals, who naturally take the lead in groups and projects and thrive in a high-energy, creative environment. Students are prepared for a career that offers incredible versatility and spans almost every industry. They learn how to design, plan and execute a wide array of corporate, community and social events while developing a strong business acumen through experiential learning in our W. Galen Weston Centre for Food (WC) event space.

Co-operative education (co-op)
The best way to succeed in your field is to immerse yourself in it! Co-op is an excellent way to build your professional network, explore career paths and apply in-class teachings to real work situations. Co-op is a model of education that integrates academic learning with workplace learning in fields relevant to our students’ academic and personal goals. Similar to an academic course, work terms are a mandatory component to this form of experiential learning.

Students in the Special Events Management Diploma program will be invited to apply to the co-op option during their first academic semester. Entrance to the co-op option is limited and the processes for securing a work term are competitive.  Students who qualify for co-op will be eligible to complete a four-month, paid work term between the second and third semesters of their program.

Supports are available through the Co-op office to assist students with securing their work terms. In addition, the Co-op office is in contact with co-op students and their employers during the work terms to help with any questions. Upon completing the work term, co-op students return to campus to complete their final two academic semesters of the program before graduating.

Whether you find yourself at a dairy farm or in a nuclear power plant, your knowledge and skills of electricity, safety and installation methods will give you the ability to install, maintain and troubleshoot the motor controls and wiring systems that allow businesses to operate. Having physical control of temperature and pressure systems ensures that staff are comfortable and safe, and that work is completed effectively and up to code. Graduates will meet the Ministry of Labour’s Working at Heights training requirement.

As an Electrical Technician student, you will learn the fundamentals of electrically based technologies and how to assemble, install, test and calibrate electrical testing equipment.

This program will focus on the skills required to install and maintain current industrial, electrical and electronic systems, including programmable logic controls, and enable you to develop troubleshooting and problem solving skills through theoretical and extensive hands-on training.

Topics include:

• Electrical theory
• Instrumentation
• Motor controls
• Canadian Electrical Code
• Blue Prints
• Electronics
• Building systems (fire alarms, data networks, security, etc.

Hands-on instruction will account for up to 35 to 45 per cent of class time. If you successfully complete Year 1 and choose to leave at that time, you will receive an Ontario College certificate in Electrical Techniques.