Certificate in Human Services Foundations

at Algonquin College - Ottawa Campus Canada

Baking and Pastry Arts Management is a two-year Ontario College Diploma program that offers the pâtissiers and the aspiring bakers an entry into the baking and pastry industry. During the course, the students spend the majority of their time in receiving hands-on experience in the labs and the college facilities, with current industry technologies and equipment and regard to sanitation and safety. Besides baking and decoration, the students also gain entrepreneurial experience related to sales and cost forecasting, marketing and capital costs, business planning, and labor distribution with respect to the daily operation of a professional bakery.

Trained industry professionals guide the students via a balance of traditional and contemporary baking techniques to make chocolate specialties, gum paste, almond paste figurines, blown, pulled and cast sugar pieces, plated desserts and specialty products, artisan breads, specialty and wedding cakes, emphasizing on nutrition throughout. 

During the duration of the program, the students participate in various industry-based field placements, perfecting their knowledge and skills with real-world experiences. Interested students may also have the option to travel to an international location for practice and instruction to further develop their knowledge and skills in the fine art of baking and pastry. The students can seek employment in patisseries, resorts and catering companies, in-store bakeries, wholesale production facilities, restaurants, hotels, artisan bakeries and commercial bakeries. 

The Police Foundations Ontario College Diploma program provides you with a foundational knowledge of the field of law enforcement. Curriculum includes both theory and applied lessons in policing - helping you prepare for the employment in industry. This program offers instruction in:

• Police powers and procedures
• Community policing
• Investigation processes
• Diversity
• thics, and
• Communication

While there is a strong theoretical aspect to this program, there are many opportunities for hands-on learning through in-class scenario situations and our fitness program. Outside the classroom, students are given opportunities for community volunteering and work integrated learning.

The program prepares you to apply for and be tested for employment in policing. As fitness is an important part of a career in law enforcement, you use an on-site fitness facility to prepare for physical fitness tests required by police departments. In addition to your work in our fitness facility, you establish and maintain your own exercise schedule .

There are a number of potential job opportunities for graduates of this program in areas such as:

• Municipal, provincial or federal police services
• Military police service
• Bylaw services
• Canada Border Services Agency
• Transit security
• Private or public sector security
• Correctional Services Canada
• Social services agencies
• Government of Canada
• Parliamentary Protective Services, or
• Commissionaires

The two-year Broadcasting – Radio Ontario College Diploma program prepares you with the creative production, hosting, and technical operation skills needed for a career in radio broadcasting and podcasting. You gain practical experience working at Algonquin College’s two radio stations – CKDJ 107.9 FM and AIR AM 1700. With the help of a second-year mentor, you are on the air within three weeks of starting the program.

Find your passion in on-air performance, audio production, and creative writing for radio and podcasting. Courses cover all areas of these two industries including:

• On-air performance
• Audio production
• Podcasting
• Voiceover announcing
• Broadcast journalism
• Basic video production and photography
• Creative writing and storytelling
• Promotions and marketing

While working at the campus radio stations, you put the theory you learn into practice. In the first level of the program, you study alongside Journalism and Broadcasting – Television students, building a strong foundation in transferable media skills while exploring these related fields. As well, during your first level, you are scheduled for weekly shows on CKDJ 107.9 FM and AIR AM 1700. The importance of teamwork is a focus while operating both Algonquin College stations. In this program, you are given the opportunity to
work on interprofessional teams with other media programs. In the second year, you will have the opportunity to choose a specialty elective course that aligns with your media interests. Towards the end of the program, you continue to expand and apply your skills during a field placement in the industry.

The Environmental Management and Assessment Ontario College Graduate Certificate program adds depth to your existing expertise in the environmental management and assessment field. Highly skilled and environmentally aware professionals are constantly being sought out by employers in the field. This program enhances your knowledge of environmental sciences.

Gain essential knowledge and skills by studying a range of disciplines throughout this program, including:

• Ecological conservation
• Project management
• Environmental policy and reporting
• Contaminant control
• GIS and environmental map design

Take courses in hydrology, environmental modelling and environmental policies. Courses are offered on evenings and weekends.
Field experiences throughout the program give you integrative skills that employers of this expanding field are looking for.

Students also have the option to gain real-world experience through a paid co-operative education (co-op) work term. Please note that places in the co-op version of the program are subject to availability.

Graduates of this program may be employed in a number of fields including:

• Ecology research and reporting
• Water and wastewater monitoring
• Site assessments
• Cost proposals
• Pollution prevention and control
• Regulatory compliance
• Policy development

Cooperative education (Co-op)
Cooperative education (Co-op) allows students to integrate their classroom learning with a real-world experience though paid work terms. Two academic terms prior to the cooperative education work term, students are required to actively participate in and successfully complete the self-directed co-op online readiness activities and in-person workshops.

Students must actively conduct a guided, self-directed job search and are responsible for securing approved program-related paid co-op employment. Students compete for co-op positions alongside students from Algonquin and other Canadian and international colleges and universities. Algonquin College`s Co-op Department provides assistance in developing co-op job opportunities and facilitates the overall process, but does not guarantee that a student will obtain employment in a co-op work term. Co-op students may be required to re-locate to take part in the co-op employment opportunities available in their industry and must cover all associated expenses; e.g., travel, work permits, visa applications, accommodation and all other incurred expenses.

Co-op work terms are typically 14 weeks in duration and are completed during a term when students are not taking courses.

International students enrolled in a co-op program are required by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) to have a valid Co-op/Internship Work Permit prior to commencing their work term. Without this document, International students are not legally eligible to engage in work in Canada that is a mandatory part of an academic program. For more information, please visit www.algonquincollege.com/coop.

Define your interest in music, media and film production in the one-year Music, Media and Film Foundation Ontario College Certificate program. As a student, you explore career opportunities in the music, media and film industry, and develop foundational skills to prepare you for further post-secondary study in film, radio, television or music industry arts.

In this program, you build fundamental techniques in audio and video production, and apply them within a studio environment. You develop storytelling skills, allowing your message to reach audiences in an influential way. You plan and prepare for further education and the industry, focusing on the academic and professional skills that will help you get there. In this program, you work collaboratively to create media assets, learning the many roles that function together in the music, media and film industry.

This foundational program allows you to build a portfolio that demonstrates your readiness for several related programs, acting as a starting point for further education. These foundations provide students with an introduction to more advanced music-, media- and film-related programs including but not limited to:

• Music Industry Arts
• Broadcasting - Television
• Broadcasting - Radio
• Film and Media Production

Accredited by the Ontario Association of Certified Engineering Technicians and Technologists (OACETT), Computer Systems Technician is a two year Ontario College Diploma program that prepares the students for a career in either the public or the private sector in Information technology. 

The program focuses on the technical aspects of widely used troubleshooting techniques and components for networking technologies, system administration, computer hardware, operating systems, and a suite of related support and application software packages along with developing the communication skills, IT workplace ethics, technical report writing skills, customer support/interpersonal skills, workplace health and safety knowledge. 

The requirements and subject matter found in certifications, such as Computer Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) A+, Network+, Linux+, Security+,  Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist (MCTS) and Cisco Academy CCENT/CCNA are explored, and the students are encouraged to write relevant industry certifications once they have met the requirements.

The college provides the students with access to the most modern computing facilities running Windows and GNU/Linux/UNIX-based operating system (O/S) platforms, hardware labs, Aruba and Cisco, specialized networking, network-based O/S servers, licensed versions of selected Microsoft O/S, VMWare and supporting a wide variety of pre-installed software applications offering them great exposure to real-world technologies. 

The one-year Sommelier Ontario College Certificate program gives you the skills and knowledge to enter or advance a career in the wine profession.

Wine and beverage expertise has become an essential tool in the hospitality industry, creating a high demand for qualified professionals. In our sommelier lab, you acquire the specialized skills and extensive knowledge to meet this demand.

Gain knowledge of the viticulture and viniculture of primary grape growing areas around the world. Through tastings of a variety of wines, expand your ability to recognize distinctive aromas and flavours associated with various wine regions. Learn food and wine pairing skills, cellaring tips, marketing techniques, grape varieties, wine list development and the proper service of wine, beer and whiskeys.

Take your skills into the real world with a 40-hour field placement at a restaurant, wine shop, winery, wine retail outlet or wine show. This industry experience helps you build valuable connections and become career-ready. These connections have led some of our graduates to launch successful freelance writing or teaching-careers.

The one-year Business Intelligence System Infrastructure (BISI) Ontario College Graduate Certificate provides you with specialized knowledge and skills to support the corporate use of Business Intelligence (BI), Data Visualization, Data Science, Cloud Services, and Agile Project Management. Research and evaluate current BI trends and theory as you specialize your career.

A technical program, BISI is ideal for students who have existing degrees or advanced diplomas in Computing Science, Engineering, Business, Mathematics or a similar relevant business-science- technology field.

BISI provides you with hands-on experience in:

• Database design, implementation and SQL
• Data warehouse design and development
• Data modelling and rendering
• Operating systems and programming fundamentals
• Data science essentials
• Cloud fundamentals
• Agile project management
• Selected current topics

As a student in this program, you collect, analyze, design, build, integrate and manage systems in order to facilitate data-driven decision-making. Use current versions of in-demand, enterprise grade software to access multiple data sources, including complex databases and data warehouses, for application and/or enterprise Cloud/Hybrid/on-premises solution delivery.

Undertake a project, as part of a small team, to use and build upon your acquired knowledge and skills while addressing client requirements. An optional paid cooperative (co-op) work term opportunity exists at program end for qualified students that meet employer requirements.

BISI graduates may work in the public or private sector. They have the knowledge and skills to become Business Intelligence Systems specialists liaising with IT technical support and subject matter experts, as well as Technical Business Analysts designing, developing, and implementing responsive data models. In some situations, the graduate`s previous field of study opens specialized opportunities in emerging markets.

Based on the foundational knowledge and skills acquired throughout the program, BISI graduates may choose to pursue various certifications, in areas like:

• IBM Cognos CA and related disciplines
• Tableau data visualization
• Cloud foundations
• Python programming

The General Arts and Science - English for Academic Purposes (EAP) Ontario College Certificate program is an academically-oriented English as a Second Language (ESL) program designed for International and Canadian students whose first language is not English.

Improve your academic English language skills for college and job success in a dynamic multicultural setting. Upon successful completion of the program, you obtain an Ontario College Certificate, which provides a pathway into post-secondary studies by satisfying the language requirements for entry into most programs offered at Algonquin College.

The EAP Placement Test determines your starting point in the program, ranging from low-intermediate to low-advanced language skills. As you move through the program, you actively participate in a variety of large and small group activities that provide engaging opportunities to practice the four language skills of:

• Reading
• Writing
• Listening
• Speaking

Smaller class sizes allow for ample feedback from your instructors on all in-class and online assignments. Additional features include regular visits to our well-equipped language lab and elective courses that provide opportunities to develop areas of personal interest. Your classmates from countries all over the world bring with them a wealth of cultural perspectives and life experiences to share. The opportunities to grow your language skills are not limited to the classroom. As an International student or a newcomer to Canada, you can benefit from the many opportunities to apply your developing language skills in the nation`s capital city.

Learning Outcomes
The graduate has reliably demonstrated the ability to:

• Analyze a variety of authentic readings from a range of subjects.
• Critically read and analyze academic texts using effective reading and note-taking strategies.
• Develop and apply fundamental skills and strategies to ensure academic success in post-secondary studies.
• Conduct research and write essays and/or reports to ensure success in post-secondary studies.
• Communicate competently at the level required for postsecondary studies, showing flexibility and clarity of thought and expression.
• 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.
• Identify and apply discipline-specific practices that contribute to the local and global community through social responsibility, economic commitment and environmental stewardship.

With a focus on organizational and creative writing, the two-year Professional Writing Ontario College Diploma program teaches you the skills and flexibility to work as a writer in a variety of fields. You learn writing skills for electronic and print media from nationally recognized writers, authors and communications experts.

Acquire the necessary skills to write independently and collaboratively in freelance and organizational settings. With attention to detail, learn to research, write, edit and proofread. Many writers balance freelancing with other employment, so the program focuses on the development of creative skills along with knowledge of the existing market for fiction and creative non-fiction in Canada. You gain highly marketable communications, writing, and editing skills that are useful in many industries in both for-profit and non-profit sectors.

During the program, local freelancers lead workshops and may mentor you in the field. You participate in a work environment for a seven-week field placement where you have the opportunity to apply your writing skills while building connections with potential clients and employers.

Learning Outcomes
The graduate has reliably demonstrated the ability to:

• Recognize the fundamental concepts of storytelling.
• Write for media in Canada with an awareness of historical and cultural contexts.
• Demonstrate understanding of the production process of print, live events, broadcast, the Internet and film.
• Employ computers and writing software proficiently.
• Work in independent, collaborative, and organizational settings.
• Write in a broad range of styles appropriate to a variety of media.
• Write scripts for presentations, live events and speeches.
• Create plots, characters and themes that engage audiences.
• Effectively edit their own and others` writing.
• Demonstrate superior time management skills.
• Manage their writing career on sound small-business principles.
• Market their writing skills in their chosen field.
• Identify and apply discipline-specific practices that contribute to the local and global community through social responsibility, economic commitment and environmental stewardship.