Certificate in Gemmology

at George Brown College - Casa Loma Campus Canada

The program covers installation, testing, maintenance, analysis and troubleshooting of specified electrical circuits, equipment and systems under the supervision of a qualified person. Throughout the program, students will learn to apply health and safety standards to their work, and perform tasks in accordance with the standards of the Canadian Electrical Code.

Program Learning Outcomes
The graduate has reliably demonstrated the ability to:

• Assist in the interpretation and preparation of electrical drawings including other related documents and graphics.
• Analyze and solve simple technical problems related to basic electrical systems by applying mathematics and science principles.
• Use and maintain test and instrumentation equipment.
• Assemble basic electrical circuits and equipment to fulfill requirements and specifications under the supervision of a qualified person.
• Assist in the installation and troubleshooting of basic electrical machines and associated control systems under the supervision of a qualified person.
• Assist in testing and troubleshooting electrical and electronic circuits, equipment, and systems by using established procedures under the supervision of a qualified person.
• Assist in the troubleshooting of control systems under the supervision of a qualified person.
• Use computer skills and tools to solve basic electrical related problems.
• Assist in conducting quality assurance procedures under the supervision of a qualified person.
• Assist in the preparation and maintenance of records and documentation systems.
• Install and assist in testing telecommunication systems under the supervision of a qualified person.
• Apply health and safety standards and best practices to workplaces.
• Perform tasks in accordance with relevant legislation, policies, procedures, standards, regulations, and ethical principles.
• Apply basic electrical cabling requirements and install and test system grounding for a specified number of applications under the supervision of a qualified person.
• Identify problems and troubleshoot electrical systems under the supervision of a qualified person.
• Assist in the selection of electrical equipment, systems and components to fulfill the requirements and specifications under the supervision of a qualified person.

The Gemmology program teaches you to analyze and classify a wide variety of gem materials, both natural and artificially created. The program focuses on analyzing chemical and physical characteristics of gem and gem-like materials, and identifying different gems. The gem materials are classified into categories according to their desirable characteristics, which eventually determine the value of the gems. To accomplish the identification and classification, you use a number of specially designed instruments, such as microscopes, spectroscopes, refractometers and polariscopes, on real gem materials.

Visual acuity and accurate colour rendition are essential traits for success in Gemmology.

Refractive Index liquid (RI liquid), which contains diiodomethane, is a commonly used chemical in Gemmology practice. If you are pregnant, have certain medical conditions or are sensitive to RI liquid, please consult with your physician for advice before you attend this program, as you will be exposed to RI liquid in Gemmology lab work.

Program Learning Outcomes

• The graduate has reliably demonstrated the ability to:
  • Identify a large number of gemstones and gem materials and distinguish them from synthetics and imitations.
  • Use, maintain and handle gemmological instruments and testing equipment competently and safely.
  • Grade gemstones for quality based on their cut, colour and other physical characteristics, chemical composition and possible place of origin.
  • Grade diamonds based on their cut, clarity, colour and carat weight.
  • Apply the basic skills of jewellery appraisal to assess market value.
  • Contextualize jewellery according to historical and stylistic qualities to assess provenance, materials and method of production.
  • Conduct ethical and secure business practices consistent with jewellery business standards.

The Jewellery Methods program provides you with the skills and abilities necessary to succeed in this demanding profession as a goldsmith/bench jeweller. The essential skills of measuring, sawing, filing, soldering and finishing are stressed early in the program. These skills are built upon through the introduction and practice of many traditional and contemporary techniques. Once essential skills are achieved, you study more advanced goldsmithing techniques, jewellery repair, gemsetting and model making, as well as jewellery elective subjects.

Jewellery history, technical drawing, gemmology and an overview of the industry are included to provide you with a broad knowledge of the jewellery field.

Program Learning Outcomes

• The graduate has reliably demonstrated the ability to:
• Create jewellery items in copper, brass, silver and gold, using fundamental goldsmithing skills for entry-level employment in the jewellery industry.
• Create wax models using hand-carving techniques.
• Set gemstones in simple settings to industry standards.
• Repair jewellery to industry standards and to meet customer satisfaction.
• Produce multiple reproductions of jewellery using the lost wax casting process.
• Incorporate polishing techniques to produce market ready jewellery items.
• Differentiate gemstones and their properties as required in the jewellery industry.
• Contextualize jewellery according to historical and stylistic qualities to assess provenance, materials and method of production.
• Use technical drawing techniques to communicate jewellery designs as required.
• Follow ethic, security and business practices consistent with jewellery industry standards.
• Employ jewellery tools, equipment and materials in a confident and safe manner.
• Use computer software (CAD) skills to produce 2D drawings and 3D models of complex jewellery forms.
• Produce a professional portfolio that documents attained skills for employment applications.
• Construct finished jewellery pieces according to given designs.

The Jewellery Essentials program provides you with the skills and techniques necessary to begin a career in the jewellery industry. You will learn to saw, file, solder, grind, polish and finish metals including copper, brass, silver and gold. Fabrication and centrifugal casting techniques will be used to create jewellery pieces to high standards.

The Cyber Security graduate certificate program at George Brown College is designed to meet the high demand for cyber security professionals and related IT security professionals across multiple sectors – including consulting services, finance and health care.

As a student in this program, you will begin with learning the theory and practical skills required to become a cyber security professional, including the differences and similarities between cyber security and hacking. You will learn about the primary attack surfaces (physical, social, electronic), methods for compromising the attack surfaces, and how to mitigate potential attacks.

In the third semester, you will learn advanced techniques in ethical hacking incident response. A capstone group project will provide you with an opportunity to showcase your skills and talents for potential employers. These skills include:

• Digital forensics and incident response management
• Ethical hacking and analyzing malware
• Delivering security training
• Applying cryptography

In addition to traditional technical skills, the cyber security professionals of today require many non-technical skills and talents, such as:

• Analytical skills
• Written and verbal communication
• Project and time management skills
• Interpersonal and conflict management skills

Students graduating from this program are prepared to help defend organizations from the many cyber threats, including malware, network attacks and data compromise. They will have the capabilities to monitor, assess and evaluate security risks and threats to physical and digital infrastructure, develop and implement security contingency planning, and lead the development of policies and procedures to ensure the mitigation of security risks.

The Fashion Management program prepares you with essential knowledge and skills required to meet the Canadian fashion industry's core business needs. You will gain a deep understanding of textiles, manufacturing inputs and processes, and movement in the supply chain, as well as management of the value, costing and quality of apparel. You will also be able to apply the tools of marketing and merchandising to maximize product success in the market. This program is designed to meet the needs of today's Canadian market, which has shifted to product development, niche markets and omni-channel retail.

The Fashion Management program is the only academic program curriculum in Canada identified by the American Apparel and Footwear Association (AAFA) as an affiliate school. Benefits to you include an up-to-date curriculum, connection with the industry and access to industry research materials exclusively available to members.

The concepts of developing, sourcing and marketing a product from initial idea to retail sale are introduced. You will test and problem-solve for quality assurance; develop buying, merchandising and marketing plans; examine logistics processes; and work as a team to manage a retail store.

The structure of this program gives you flexibility in the choice of a career path. You will also gain relevant industry knowledge through field education experience after the first year of study. The Field Experience may be in fashion buying, production, distribution, retailing, wholesale, or a related marketing area. Students have the opportunity to network with potential employers at our FashionWorks industry event.

Note: Students starting in January will have an alternate order of courses, and will not graduate until their field education component has been completed. January intake students will complete semester two from May to August, and continue into semester three in September of the same academic year.

The School of Fashion offers a diverse, hands-on learning environment, including many extracurricular activities for students.

Program Learning Outcomes

• The graduate has reliably demonstrated the ability to:
  • Identify textile materials, assess their suitability and compatibility, and select for end use.
  • Use basic accounting concepts and financial analysis in order to interpret reports and make business decisions.
  • Make optimal sourcing decisions based on research and analysis of domestic and global sources.
  • Use merchandising concepts and retail math to develop merchandise, assortment and buying plans.
  • Communicate visually by using appropriate tools and practices to create product development packages, sales materials, and merchandising displays.
  • Apply the principles of logistics and supply chain management to operate a successful fashion business.
  • Use effective interpersonal and team skills to enhance leadership, management and sales expertise in a fashion business environment.
  • Evaluate product by applying the principles of quality control to meet appropriate standards.
  • Explain the organization and operation of the Canadian fashion industry, its role within the global economy, and identify the forces that affect it.
  • Distinguish the processes and systems used in garment manufacturing to make production decisions.
  • Apply the product development process by preparing visual materials, technical specifications, and cost analysis for a product(s) aimed at a specific target market.
  • Develop, communicate, and apply a marketing plan by combining marketing research, strategies and tactics.
  • Analyze ethics, corporate social responsibility and sustainability principles to develop best practices in the fashion industry.
  • Develop professional goals through industry exposure with an emphasis on life-long learning and personal growth.

This Sustainable Fashion Production graduate certificate program prepares graduates to manage the manufacturing process of small batch apparel products. Pre-production analysis, selection of appropriate techniques and technology, flow and efficiency, human resource ethics, environmental concerns, and quality and costing are assessed and applied for the sustainable production of small batch apparel products.

Students will examine manufacturing methods including lean, machinery, material requirements and production flow, and observe first hand the development and manufacture of apparel products. Management of production will be experienced through the development of costing, capacity, process mapping, work measurement, value stream mapping and other planning tools.

Students will learn to conduct an analysis of environmental impact aand ethical treatment of production workers to discern optimum sustainable product development and manufacturing decisions. Students will use industry technology, such as product lifecycle management tools, to track apparel products through product development and manufacturing stages. While the context of this program is apparel, the processes, management tools and knowledge could be applied to product design in other fields.

Your Field Education Options

• Students complete a Field Education preparation course in semester 2 and will be required to connect with an industry employer where they must complete 160 hours of field education in semester three.

Program Learning Outcomes

• The graduate has reliably demonstrated the ability to:
  • Select appropriate apparel production techniques and technology (e.g. machines, cutting room) to optimize manufacturing results.
  • Manage the manufacture of garments using lean manufacturing and small batch production principles.
  • Implement pre-production processes, including textile sourcing and equipment analysis, to ensure sustainable production.
  • Manage the steps of the manufacturing process using product lifecycle management tools and software.
  • Assess apparel manufacturing processes for evidence of social, environmental and economic sustainability.
  • Perform costing, time, and plant layout to determine production flow and efficient use of resources.
  • Analyze cost and quality of materials to inform product development and manufacturing decisions.

In the Child and Youth Care (CYC)(Accelerated) program, you will have the opportunity to learn how to support at-risk children, youth and families by developing therapeutic skills and abilities. Over the course of 12 consecutive months (three semesters), you will learn how to build therapeutic relationships with clients and collaborate with a professional team as you develop skill sets to create a professional identity as an agent of change.

Scope of practice includes:

• Assessing risk and developmental needs of vulnerable children and families
• Designing and implementing therapeutic intervention
• Crisis intervention and safety planning with children, youth and their families
• Developing therapeutic relationships within challenging contexts
• Applying group and systems theories in milieu work
• Fostering resilience and applying a strength-based approach to assessment and intervention

This program starts in May and is delivered over 12 consecutive months (three consecutive semesters).
Students are required to successfully complete a Ministry-approved crisis intervention training certificate in their third semester.
In preparation for the field or clinical placement, students will be required to work in multiple small and large groups within classes and community settings.

Your Field Education Options
Students gain valuable hands-on experience through two supervised field placement opportunities. Each placement lasts four consecutive months and runs four days a week.
Field placement opportunities take place in agencies and institutions that offer services to the community within the Greater Toronto Area. The CYC program also offers international placement experiences when possible. 

Typical placement sites include:

• Group homes
• Schools
• Hospitals
• Youth shelters
• Community outreach programs
• Youth justice

Students are expected to work both day and evening shifts (not overnight) and may be requested to work on some weekends.

Program Learning Outcomes

• The graduate has reliably demonstrated the ability to:
  • Develop and maintain relationships with children, youth and their families applying principles of relational practice and respecting their unique life space, cultural and human diversity.
  • Assess and respond to the strengths and needs of children and youth, including complex responses impacted by developmental, environmental, physical, emotional, social and mental health challenges in order to promote positive change.
  • Analyze and evaluate the impact of the inter-relationship among family, social service, justice and community systems on children, youth and their families and use this information in the planning of holistic care and in the reduction of systemic barriers.
  • Plan, implement and evaluate interventions using evidence?informed practices in the areas of therapeutic milieu and programming, and group work to promote resiliency and to enhance development in children, youth and their families.
  • Advocate for the rights of children, youth and their families and maintain an anti-oppression perspective and cultural competence in diverse cultural contexts.
  • Apply communication, teamwork and organizational skills within the interprofessional team and with community partners to enhance the quality of service in child and youth care practice.
  • Develop and implement self-care strategies using self-inquiry and reflection processes to promote self- awareness and to enhance practice as a child and youth care practitioner.
  • Use evidence-based research, professional development resources and supervision models to support professional growth and lifelong learning.

The General Arts and Science two-year (four semesters) diploma is designed to develop the essential skills needed for advanced studies, including university transfer and professional specialization. The program includes a wide range of subjects within the Arts and Humanities, Social Sciences, and Science. It emphasizes advanced skills in research and writing, oral communications and critical thinking, providing excellent preparation for work, as well as for further vocational and university studies.

Students acquire knowledge and engage with ideas in a wide range of disciplines. Interdisciplinary approaches enable students to explore and relate relevant concepts and issues to individuals, the environment, and the workplace.

Program Learning Outcomes:

• The graduate has reliably demonstrated the ability to:
  • Develop, through general knowledge gained in a wide range of subjects, insight into both self and society.
  • Develop flexibility and clarity of both thought and expression in order to develop communications competence to a level required by business and industry.
  • Understand and utilize critical thinking processes and problem solving techniques.
  • Examine and evaluate various aspects of our changing society to assist in developing a sense of personal and social responsibility as a citizen in society.
  • Employ basic vocational skills drawn from the areas of the Humanities, Social and Behavioral Sciences of Vocational Studies (Business, Technology).

Apparel Technical Designers are the link between design and production as they transform a sketch into a full technical package ready for manufacturing a product in quantity. This one-year Apparel Technical Design graduate certificate program in Toronto prepares fashion designers with apparel technical design skills for positions in the apparel industry.

Graduates will have the skills to design and complete a collection using market research, trend analysis, and computer-aided drafting and product lifecycle management technology. Quality and costing analysis will inform design choices as the full product specification package is completed and collection projects are manufactured using appropriate and efficient manufacturing techniques.

Designers with solid patternmaking, grading, textile, illustration and construction skills will advance their knowledge to manage the complexity of writing detailed technical specifications, refining garment fit and sourcing components in pre-production, to achieve production-ready samples and technical packages. Graduates will attain the expertise required to anticipate and solve manufacturing issues, be able to maximize quality and minimize cost, consider sustainable options and be more prepared to launch future collections through experiencing the full cycle of designing and manufacturing a collection.

This program is part of our School of Fashion and Jewellery.

Your Field Education Options

• Field education is embedded in the program. Students will be required to connect with an industry employer where they can complete 160 hours of field education in semester three.

Program Learning Outcomes

• The graduate has reliably demonstrated the ability to:
• Conceptualize and design apparel collections using target market research to prepare for product development aimed at a target consumer.
• Develop production-ready patterns using computer software and grade, alter and create markers to prepare for manufacture of collection samples.
• Manage the steps of a product development process using product lifecycle management tools and software.
• Select source materials and manufacturing techniques to align with collection quality and cost requirements.
• Develop and communicate product specifications to minimize production time, cost and errors.
• Estimate manufacturing resources (e.g., labour, time and materials) to inform design decisions and schedule production timelines.
• Review and correct garment fit and apply adjustments to production patterns to ensure garment appearance and comfort ease allowances are appropriate to target market sizing specifications while maintaining design integrity.