Diploma in Carpentry and Renovation Technician

at George Brown College - Casa Loma Campus Canada

This three-semester graduate certificate program provides applied education for construction management positions in the construction sector. Candidates will receive graduate-level training that builds on their internationally acquired education and experience to enable them to successfully enter the Canadian construction workforce.

Program Learning Outcomes
The graduate demonstrates the ability to:

• Develop and use strategies to promote continuous professional learning in the construction industry.
• Monitor and support workplace health and safety practices and procedures that are compliant with current legislation and regulations.
• Assess construction project operations for compliance with contractual obligations, applicable laws, standards, bylaws, codes and ethical practices in the construction industry.
• Analyze and monitor construction processes to ensure that sustainability practices are implemented in accordance with contract documents, industry standards and environmental legislative requirements.
• Establish and manage relationships among diverse project stakeholders to achieve construction project goals.
• Manage the production, storage, retrieval and communication of project-related digital documents according to best practices, to meet construction project deadlines and goals.
• Perform a feasibility study to inform decisions in the planning phase of a construction project.
• Schedule, manage and evaluate the progression of construction projects by applying the principles, practices and tools of construction project management to complete projects on time and within budget.
• Prepare estimates and manage procurement processes to control costs in accordance with best practices in construction project management.
• Develop and oversee quality assurance and control processes involved in the completion of construction projects to meet project specifications and industry quality standards.
• Analyze and manage project risks to mitigate their impact throughout the construction project lifecycle.
• Formulate human resource management strategies to optimize personnel requirements for construction project completion.
• Build and lead multidisciplinary teams throughout the construction project lifecycle to accomplish construction project goals.

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.

The Construction Engineering Technician program studies the characteristics of various building types with an appreciation for the latest energy and environmental technologies. The program also focuses on areas that include:

• Interpretation of construction documents
• On-site building engineering and safety
• Quantity surveying (estimating labour, materials, and equipment required for a project)
• Building codes and construction contracts
• Site management practices

Laboratory courses provide practical building layout surveys and quality control testing of various building materials. You will also gain extensive computer experience, working with general business and Building Information Modeling (BIM) software and specialized construction management and estimating software.

Your Field Education Options

• Purpose and Definition of Field Experience
  • Field experience combines classroom learning with hands-on work experience structured to meet specific curricular outcomes. This approach to education relies upon a three-way partnership: the student, the institution and industry. Success depends upon the co-operative efforts of each party. It forms the basis for students’ experiential learning which is achieved when the cycle of experience, reflection, and learning is completed. It is a mandatory component of the T161 Construction Engineering Technician program. Field experience positions can be paid or unpaid. Both fulfill the academic requirement as well as strengthen students’ resumes, positioning them more effectively for future employment.
  • The field experience requires students to accumulate 100 hours of construction industry-related experience over the course of their third and fourth semesters. The field experience is facilitated through the Angelo DelZotto (ADZ) School of Construction Management, via collaborative efforts from the academic supervisors, program coordinators, and the chair.

Program Learning Outcomes

• The graduate has reliably demonstrated the ability to:
  • Develop and use strategies to enhance professional growth and ongoing learning in the construction engineering field.
  • Comply with workplace health and safety practices and procedures in accordance with current legislation and regulations.
  • Complete duties in compliance with contractual obligations, applicable laws, standards, bylaws, codes and ethical practices in the construction engineering field.
  • Carry out sustainability practices in accordance with contract documents, industry standards, and environmental legislative requirements.
  • Collaborate with and facilitate communication among project stakeholders to support construction projects.
  • Collect, process and interpret technical data to produce written and graphical project-related documents.
  • Contribute to the collecting, interpreting and applying of survey/geomatics and layout information to implement construction projects.
  • Identify and use industry-specific electronic and digital technologies to support the design and construction of projects.
  • Contribute to the resolution of technical problems related to the design and implementation of construction projects by applying engineering concepts, basic technical mathematics, and building science.
  • Assist in the scheduling and monitoring of the progression of construction projects by applying principles of construction project management.
  • Assist in the preparation of accurate estimates of time, cost, quality and quantity, tenders and bids.
  • Perform quality control testing and monitoring of equipment, materials, and methods involved in the implementation and completion of construction projects.
  • Apply teamwork, leadership and interpersonal skills when working individually or within multidisciplinary teams to complete work on construction projects

Looking to transition careers or fill in the gaps to gain advanced blockchain development skills?

This unique Blockchain Development program at George Brown College in Toronto focuses on designing and implementing decentralized applications by leveraging blockchain technology. The three-semester program is designed to also thoroughly cover full stack development to give potential students all the tools they need to succeed in this emerging and exciting field.

This program has been developed with the support of blockchain industry professionals and is taught in a full-time executive format of approximately 20 hours per week of study over a 26-week time period. Co-op and work integrated learning opportunities are available during the third semester of the program. It is the first certificate in blockchain offered by a Canadian college.

The skills you’ll learn include:

• Smart contracts
• Design patterns for blockchain
• Distributed applications (dApps)
• Full stack development
• Blockchain architecture, security practices, laws and regulations, and more

Your Field Education Options
During the third semester of the program, students may choose whether to apply for a Co-op position or take a Work Integrated Learning course which includes an industry-sponsored project.

To be eligible for co-op, a student must complete all Semester 1 and Semester 2 courses. As well, an overall GPA of 3.0 must be achieved.

Program Learning Outcomes

• The graduate has reliably demonstrated the ability to:
  • Communicate essential concepts related to blockchain technology and its industry applications.
  • Implement best security practices for blockchain solutions.
  • Design cryptoeconomic models to solve business problems.
  • Design the architecture of decentralized applications and systems.
  • Develop decentralized applications leveraging blockchain technology.
  • Explain the legal implications, regulations, and industry standards that are relevant to blockchain technology.
  • Apply IT project management principles and best practices.
  • Contribute to the field and blockchain community through various open source projects, partnerships, and community involvement.

The Civil Engineering Technology advanced diploma program is a three-year program that focuses on the planning, design and construction of roads, bridges, tunnels, sub-divisions, buildings, municipal services and heavy infrastructure. Students learn to ensure projects are functional, economical and meet standards and codes. There is a blend of lectures, laboratories and tutorials, with a focus on real drawing sets. There is an option for co-op.

The Civil Engineering Technology advanced diploma program includes:

• Designing reinforced concrete structures, storm, water and sanitary systems, roads and steel-framed structures.
• Interpreting construction drawings and specifications for various types of projects through extensive practical training from project drawing sets.
• Estimating, bidding, scheduling and managing/supervising projects using the latest software.
• Health and safety, site management and quality management on construction sites.
• Risk analysis and value analysis for construction projects.
• Types of contracts used by the construction industry as well as the legal aspects of construction.
• Business management techniques to pre-qualify projects based on expected returns, to create and manage a construction company and to understand the financial statements involved in running a construction business.

Program Learning Outcomes
The graduate demonstrates the ability to:

• Develop and use strategies to enhance professional growth and ongoing learning in the civil engineering field.
• Comply with workplace health and safety practices and procedures in accordance with current legislation and regulations.
• Complete duties and monitor that work is performed in compliance with contractual obligations, applicable laws, standards, bylaws, codes and ethical practices in the civil engineering field.
• Promote and carry out sustainable practices in accordance with contract documents, industry standards and environmental legislative requirements.
• Facilitate collaboration and interaction among the project team and project stakeholders to support civil engineering projects.
• Collect, process, analyze and coordinate technical data to produce written and graphical project-related documents.
• Use industry-specific electronic and digital technologies to support civil engineering projects.
• Participate in the design and modelling phase of civil engineering projects by applying engineering concepts, technical mathematics and principles of science to the review, production and/or modification of project plans.
• Contribute to the scheduling, coordination and cost estimation of civil engineering projects and monitor their progression by applying principles of construction project management.
• Coordinate and perform quality control testing and evaluate equipment, materials and methods used in the implementation and completion of civil engineering projects.
• Apply teamwork, leadership, supervision and interpersonal skills when working individually or within multidisciplinary teams to complete civil engineering projects.

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 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.

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.

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 Fashion Business Industry two-year diploma program at George Brown College's School of Fashion and Jewellery in Toronto gives students an introduction to all aspects of the fashion industry, from product knowledge to marketing and small business management.

The small to medium-sized business enterprise is a flourishing sector of the fashion industry and represents a great opportunity for entry into the fashion world. Smaller companies require employees who possess a variety of management skills to manage a business from the start-up stage to more developed business models. Students will be prepared for the roles and develop skills essential for the operation of a successful small fashion business. The entrepreneurial aspect of this program guides students through the process of developing a comprehensive business plan, which is essential to start a new business or manage an existing business.

Students will gain an understanding of textiles, garment construction, quality criteria and apparel merchandising. They will also learn to apply marketing, accounting, financial and other business concepts necessary for the decision-making they will encounter in their future careers.

Program Learning Outcomes

• The graduate has reliably demonstrated the ability to:
  • Use basic apparel drafting and construction skills and industrial sewing machines to complete apparel products.
  • Use standard fashion industry computer software for business and for design development.
  • Manage daily operations, resources, visual merchandising and customer relationships to ensure profitability in a retail enterprise.
  • Develop a business and finance plan for a small apparel enterprise that reflects awareness of market conditions, resources required and cash flow.
  • Apply appropriate buying, merchandising and accounting practices to support small business operations in the fashion industry.
  • Apply supply chain management and logistics to operate a successful fashion business.
  • Develop, communicate and implement a marketing plan by combining marketing research, strategies and tactics.
  • Analyze economic, fashion and industry trends to make business decisions in small and medium-sized apparel enterprises.
  • Evaluate products by applying quality control processes to meet appropriate standards.
  • Identify textile materials, asses their suitability and compatibility, and select accordingly for end use.