OSHAWA, Ont. - The creators of tomorrow's great games, the men and women who will keep our water safe, and individuals able to provide relief to our stretched court system arrived this morning as another year of classes began at the Durham College campus in Oshawa, Ontario.
Nearly 5,900 full-time students - including more than 3,400 entering their first year of studies - are calling the college home this year. In addition to these fresh new faces, the college is also introducing six new programs - each generating significant interest.
"We're excited by the potential of each of these new programs," said Diane Anderson Campbell, associate registrar, Admissions and Recruitment, Durham College. "We try to respond as quickly as we can to create new programs based on market needs."
New programs include Water Quality Technician, Child and Youth Worker, Fitness and Health Promotion, Court Support Services, Game Development, and Emergency Management.
"We've been aggressive in adding new programs to meet market demand," added Anderson Campbell, noting that the Court Support Services curriculum is one-of-its-kind, a result of School of Justice Dean Stephanie Ball's ongoing contacts and work with the court system.
With the 5,900 students spread out between the Oshawa and Whitby campuses, overall college enrolment is up by almost two per cent above 2005.The overall number of first-year students has also increased, growing by close to three per cent over 2005. Among the programs enjoying significant growth is Environmental Technology, which is up nearly 40 per cent over last year. In addition, the Power Engineering Technology program offered at the Whitby campus has increased by 25 per cent, Core Information Systems is up 13.5 per cent and Legal Administration has risen by 12 per cent.
Three other programs are marking milestones as well, expanding to offer increased learning opportunities and experiences to not only ensure students are job-ready, but the most sought-after in their fields. The Music Business Management and Advertising programs are growing from two to three years, while Journalism has added a three-year Print/Broadcast option.
"Durham College continues to give students everything they need to succeed in today's workplace," said Leah Myers, president of Durham College. "With this new academic year we are renewing our ongoing commitment to the success of our students, as we provide them with the experienced professors, employer-focused programs, latest technology and skills they need to get what they want most after graduation - a job."
For nearly 40 years Durham College has been on top of employment trends, identifying critical areas for growth in the job market and offering high-quality programming solutions - explaining why more than 90 per cent of 2005 graduates were employed within six months of graduation.
The Durham College Oshawa campus is home to a 73,000-square-foot, award-winning library, an Integrated Manufacturing Centre, a Centre for Integrated Justice Studies, state- of-the-art dental and nursing labs, and a 150-seat computer learning commons where students have access to a wireless network and individual computer work stations.
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About Durham College
For close to 40 years, Durham College has been committed to providing job-focused programs, accomplished professors, quality-driven innovation, student success and superior accountability. Our college has ranked first in provincial indicators for student satisfaction in the GTA for seven years running, and at a 93.1 per cent grad employment rate, we have the highest ranking of the six GTA colleges. We have close to 5,900 full-time and 23,000 part-time students enrolled in close to 100 programs, as well as about 2,000 apprentices. For more information, visit our website at www.durhamcollege.ca or call 905.721.2000.
Media contact:
Allison Rosnak
Communications and Marketing
Durham College
905.721.3111 ext. 2513
Disclaimer: The contact information provided in archived news releases was current at the release date. For current information please contact Communications and Marketing.