Graduate Certificate in Business Management (Co-op)

at Lambton College - Sarnia Campus Canada

This two-year program will prepare students for a profession that provides services and advocacy for individuals with a wide range of cognitive, physical, social, and emotional limitations. During the program, students will learn theoretical foundations and practical skills which will allow them to competently work through the therapeutic recreation process.

The practice of Recreation Therapy is based on the belief that play, recreation and leisure are essential to achieving an individual’s optimal health and sense of wellbeing which leads to improved quality of life. Through the development of meaningful goals and objectives individuals working in the field of Recreation Therapy will use recreation as a therapeutic tool to improve health and restore wellness.

Through volunteering, field placements, and a variety of community experiences, students will receive valuable hands on experience. These experiences will provide students with the opportunity to further develop their skills in the areas of assessment, program development, planning and evaluations. In addition, students will have the opportunity to receive additional specialized training while enrolled in the Recreation Therapy program, such as Gentle Persuasive Approach and Mental Health First Aid.

Students who enjoy hands-on automation and process control will appreciate the strong training and technical foundation provided in the Instrumentation & Control Engineering Technology - Industrial Automation program.

Instrumentation, final control elements and process computer control systems in any manufacturing process environment are broken down into sequential logical steps, analyzed and control is implemented. In industry, measured variables are then monitored and controlled. Examples of these variables include pressure, flow, temperature, level, motion, force and chemical composition.

Topics of study include signal conditioning, transmitters, analyzers, controllers, control systems, and final control elements such as control valves, dampers, and electric motors. These are components of automated control loops. Typical process industries that utilize this technology include petrochemical, pharmaceutical, food processing, pulp and paper, automotive, and mining. Alongside the maintenance requirements of these industries there are other career options available including engineering, sales, and service providers/maintainers.

Students enrolled in this program will train in Lambton College’s newly renovated Centre of Excellence in Energy & Bio-Industrial Technologies. The Centre offers state-of-practice technology laboratories and infrastructure to support learning and research in next-generation technologies in collaboration with industry. Numerous hands-on laboratories are designed to enable participants to install, configure, calibrate, troubleshoot, and maintain instruments (pneumatic, analog, digital) and control systems in a variety of industrial-replicated settings.

Graduates of this program are eligible to receive credit for all three levels of Ontario's Instrumentation and Control Technician (447A) in-school apprenticeship training. 

Securing a Co-op
The job market for co-op is very competitive.  Students who have met the co-op eligibility are highly encouraged to actively participate in the recruitment process in the semester prior to their co-op work term. This includes, but is not limited to, attending all recruitment workshops, meeting with your program co-op advisor, regularly searching through the  myCareer Job Posting System and other job posting sites, networking; and contacting potential employers. Co-op & Career Services actively pursues employers, however there may be limited availabilities so students should seek out additional employers to secure their own co-op.

If a co-op position is not secured prior to the start of a co-op semester, students should meet with their program co-op advisor to discuss next steps.  Any student who secures their own position must contact their program co-op advisor prior to the start of employment to determine if this position is considered acceptable as a co-op and to complete the appropriate paperwork to register the co-op.  This is necessary in order for either the insurance to be put in place or for the employer to get a tax credit letter. For more information on securing a co-op, read the Co-operative Education and Internship Policy (2000-8-1).

Students enrolled in a co-operative education program pay a mandatory fee to cover the costs of employer relations development, job development, job-readiness preparation and co-op service administration. Payment of fees does not secure a co-op position.

The two-year Business - Accounting program is the first step towards a career in the rewarding field of accounting. Students receive a well-rounded education in business while studying all the important accounting and finance courses. Students will learn accounting theory and procedures, and use accounting software.

This program provides access to important accounting credentials that can be beneficial to career development. Upon completion of the program, graduates are eligible to pursue CPA Canada's Advanced Certificate in Accounting and Finance (ACAF) provided specific grade requirements are achieved. Students interested in becoming a bookkeeper may transfer their courses to the Canadian Institute of Bookkeeping.

This program allows for maximum flexibility, students can transfer into the three-year Business Administration - Accounting program at any time. After Term 1, students can move directly into Term 2 of the two-year Business or the three-year Business Administration programs in Sarnia.

Students interested in developing their skills will also have access to The Cube – Lambton College’s entrepreneurship hub – and the ability to participate in Enactus – our award-winning social entrepreneurship team in Sarnia.

To develop you skills, you will also have access to The Cube - Lambton College's entrepreneurship hub - and the ability to participate in Enactus - our award-winning social entrepreneurship team.

Individuals with ambition to run their own renovation company or to gain employment in a successful construction company are ideally suited for this program.

In five terms – one of which is a co-op, students will cover advanced interior finishes, decks and porches, cabinets, trim, basement and bathroom renovation, as well as additional components to renovation construction with an emphasis placed on eco-friendly building practices and residential and small commercial framing and layout. Through hands-on projects utilizing Lambton College’s 6,500 sq. ft. shop and 1,800 sq. ft. teaching house, theory is applied on a daily basis. Renovation Technician students participate in community-based learning projects such as rebuilding local business structures or working with non-profit organizations.

Training is safety-based and business-focused. Courses in computer estimating and project management are key to the well-rounded education offered in this program. All training has a strong focus on safety and energy efficiency, construction and design. Students also have the opportunity to attend annual trade shows and visit local job sites in the community where they will have the opportunity to network and learn from local industry experts.

In addition, for graduate students of the program, a laddering opportunity exists with General Carpenter Apprenticeship Program. Graduates will need to find their own General Carpenter Apprenticeship with an employer, but will be exempt from in-school basic level of the General Carpenter Apprenticeship. 

Turn a passion into an exciting career with the Culinary Management diploma from Lambton College. Learn from journeyperson chefs with years of experience in a variety of food service operations.

This 12-month fast-track program prepares students for the dynamic and growing food industry as a chef or culinary manager. Students will experience all facets of the food industry where food trends and dining culture are constantly evolving. Program curriculum reflects the demanding knowledge and skills required of a successful chef who must constantly adapt to all industry standards regardless of the enterprise.

Faculty are committed to sharing with students the importance of sustainable practices as it applies to purchasing and preparing local foods. New courses on applied nutrition, geographical gastronomy and the science of food and beverage reflect changing consumer tastes.

The program emphasizes the importance of operating a fiscally responsible food business through the application of business principles and costing and control practices. Technology and mobile applications are integrated into business operations with emphasis on the development of marketing and promotional strategies.

Practical application classes are held in small lab sections that allow students to challenge themselves. The supportive learning environment provides more one-on-one discussion and allows flexibility adapting curriculum to the needs of the student. Students develop essential strategies for continuous personal and professional learning and are held to standards that are among the highest in culinary education while developing industry-related skills.

The program prepares students to challenge the in-class portion of the Assistant Cook and Cook Apprentice designations. These are important initial steps towards your pursuit of the Provincial Trade of Cook Certificate of Qualification (Red Seal).

Opportunities for students to “earn while they learn” exist where students are given authentic culinary exposure to hone their skills and enhance their understanding of the operations of the culinary industry while within the program.

The Occupational Health & Safety Management Ontario College Graduate Certificate program is a multi-disciplinary program that is designed to encompass a broad range of knowledge in occupational health, safety and environmental management systems that are critical to an organizations success. This program provides students with a strong health and safety foundation by developing the competencies required for the effective development, implementation and evaluation of health and safety systems in occupational settings.

Emphasis is placed upon learning the application of legislation and recognizing, controlling and evaluation workplace hazards. This program will enable students to become leaders in health and safety by motivating proactive behavioural change. Students will anticipate and employ strategies to manage emerging health, safety and environmental issues while examining accident theories, emergency response planning, ergonomic principles, risk management principles and the promotion of workplace safety and wellness.

Individuals with an educational aspiration for entry into policing, other related law enforcement agencies, or careers in law and justice will find it with the Police Foundations program.

During the first year, a broad theoretical foundation is provided on human relations, mental health, critical interpersonal, communication and team building skills and an overview of the criminal justice system. The second year focuses on courses specific to law enforcement, investigation, police powers and community policing. Students also achieve certification in Non-violent Crisis Intervention training from the Crisis Prevention Institute and Introduction to Incident Management System (IMS 100) from Emergency Management Ontario. The goal of the Police Foundations program is to provide students with a well-rounded education that prepares them for not only a career in law enforcement, but also as a foundation for continual educational pathways into related fields of study.

Our criminal justice lab offers students the opportunity to bridge the gap between theory and practice in an innovative real world setting. By moving beyond theory, students learn by doing and get first-hand experience of practicing what has been taught. Students also gain volunteer hours and field related experience through participation in Lambton College's student run Safe Walk program. Lambton College's faculty is diverse representing the criminal justice system, police, border, security and other related professionals. Specialized courses within the program have an interdisciplinary focus and allow students from various first responder courses to learn together in the classroom and in scenarios. These experiential learning opportunities, coupled with small class sizes, ensures students receive a quality educational experience.

The Lambton College Advanced Project Management – Environmental, Ontario College Graduate Certificate prepares graduates for careers in project coordination and management in a variety of industries including environmental science, environmental engineering, urban planning and human geography, sustainability, and building science.

The program aligns itself with the PMI® A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) - Sixth Edition, Project Management Institute, Inc., 2017 and heavily utilizes foundational standards and practice frameworks prescribed by the Project Management Institute (PMI). This guide is currently being revised to PMI® A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) - Seventh Edition, Project Management Institute, Inc., 2021. Faculty are monitoring changes and will incorporate the principles of the new guide as it becomes available.

Students are introduced to the initiation, planning, execution, monitoring, controlling, and closing to a wide range of projects that focus on the environment and sustainability. In addition, students expand their business leadership skills through collaborative team projects, and further develop negotiation and communication skills. The use of project management software tools within an environmental context will enable students to meet the challenging demands of these complex fields.

A Pharmacy Technician is a licensed healthcare professional within the health care team. This program offers low student-teacher ratios with experts who continue to work in the field. Pharmacy Technician students gain the knowledge, skills and professionalism required for success in retail, hospital, long-term care and specialty settings. Students learn about relevant legislation, health care ethics, anatomy and physiology, pharmacology, customer care, hospital and retail software systems, calculations, inventory management, hospital practice, and infection control.

Traditional in-class instruction is coupled with blended learning and then enhanced through teamwork, role playing activities, guest speakers and innovative lessons. A fully equipped community/hospital lab provides students with hands-on experience dispensing medications, compounding pharmaceutical products and developing aseptic techniques.

During Term 4, students travel outside of Lambton College as part of a capstone assignment for PHR-4022. This trip includes presentations, tours, networking and opportunities to see other areas in which a pharmacy technician can work. Additional costs may be required. 

Students will complete two unpaid four-week field placements under the supervision of a pharmacist/technician during term four: one in a community pharmacy and one in a hospital pharmacy setting. These experiential learning placements are arranged by the program coordinator and take place March through June. Travel and additional costs may be required. 

Upon graduation students are eligible to write national and provincial licensing exams.

The Electrical Power Distribution & Control Technician program is designed to provide graduates with specialized knowledge and skills required to pursue a career in electrical power, distribution systems, protection, and control. Working both in the classroom and in various lab and shop settings, students gain practical, hands-on experience in electrical fundamentals and specific concepts related to power distribution and control.

In addition to learning the fundamentals of electrical techniques, students will study power generation from traditional and emerging renewable energy systems, power distribution, connection to the grid, high voltage and transfer.

With lessons taking place in the classroom and in various lab and shop settings, students gain both theoretical and practical, hands-on experience.