Diploma in Social Service Worker (Intensive)

at Algonquin College - Ottawa Campus Canada

The two-year Community and Justice Services Ontario College Diploma program provides you with a broad range of skills to support you in joining the community and justice services field.

In this program, you develop an applied understanding of how to work with individuals, groups, and families in a variety of community-based settings. Woven throughout the program is a commitment to human rights, resiliency and restorative practice. Study topics include:

• Addictions and harm reduction
• correctional practices
• Mental health
• Trauma-informed practice
• Indigenous studies
• Gender and sexuality studies
• Community building practice
• Anti-oppressive practice

You also develop skills to support children, youth, and families in both individual and group capacities. These skills include assessment, supportive counselling, group facilitation, case management, advocacy, crisis intervention and supporting community led prevention initiatives. In your final semester, you have the opportunity to participate in a field placement experience in the community and justice field.

In the two-year Horticultural Industries Ontario College Diploma program you learn how to create landscapes from design to implementation. By offering a condensed format over 16 months, the Horticultural Industries program allows you to fast track your career.

Learn the key aspects of this dynamic industry, including:

• Urban and rural landscape design, installation and maintenance
• Nursery production and management
• Sustainable urban agriculture
• Green roof and living wall technology

The program offers a hands-on learning experience during the industry`s prime production period in the spring/summer/fall. Practice skills in Algonquin College`s extensive campus gardens surrounding the Horticulture Centre and within the attached greenhouse complex.

The various plant collections and the vegetable garden provide you with the perfect opportunity to study plant identification, plant selection and ideal growing conditions. You take active part in further developing and maintaining the grounds in smaller work-groups, simulating the industry.

To further your skills and make connections in the industry, you complete a 12-week co-op placement as part of the program. The landscape industry is fast-paced and constantly evolving, with a high-demand for skilled horticultural specialists and landscape designers.

Graduates may find work, either as employees or self-employed, in:

• Construction and maintenance firms
• Landscape design
• Nurseries and garden centres
• Urban food production
• Tree care industry
• Park systems
• Consulting or teaching

The two-year Computer Systems Technician - Networking Ontario College Diploma program prepares you for a career in information technology with a focus on network and system administration.

You learn to set up, configure and maintain all components that constitute an effective network: computer hardware, operating systems, networking and virtualization technologies, security and task automation. In addition you develop problem solving skills and troubleshooting techniques to help support an IT infrastructure. Throughout the program, you also develop your oral and written communication skills, customer support, and ethics relevant to the information technology workplace.

As a student in this program, you have access to the latest software and equipment including Cisco and Aruba hardware labs, network-based operating systems, including Microsoft and GNU/Linux, as well as other industry-standard tools and resources.

This program offers you the opportunity to gain real-world experience by taking part in back-to-back cooperative education (co-op) work terms (see Additional Information for more details). Please note that places in the co-op version of the program are subject to availability. Students who elect to apply to the non-co-op version of the program may not have the opportunity to transfer to the co-op version at a later date.

You can work towards industry recognized certifications including Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA), CompTIA A+, CompTIA Network+, CompTIA Linux+ and Microsoft Technology Associate (MTA). Upon successful completion of this program, you may transfer credit for the first two years of the Computer Systems Technology - Security three-year Ontario College Advanced Diploma, as long as you meet its admissions requirements.

Upon graduation you may find employment opportunities in a wide range of sectors including government, private and public for entry-level positions or self-employment in:

• Network and systems administration
• IT infrastructure
• Installation, migration, and support
• Technical and customer service support
• Computer training and consultation

The two-year Office Administration - Executive Ontario College Diploma program prepares you for a rewarding career as an administrative professional in the public or private sector.

Develop essential skills through extensive applied practice in a simulated office in the areas of human resources, social media, office management, domestic and international travel, event planning and finance. Enhance your MS Office suite abilities through document production, transcription, desktop publishing, accounting practices, and database and project management.

Learning Outcomes
The graduate has reliably demonstrated the ability to:

• Conduct oneself professionally and adhere to relevant legislation, standards and codes of ethics.
• Manage the scheduling, coordination and organization of administrative tasks and workflow within specific deadlines and according to set priorities.
• Coordinate the collection, analysis, distribution and response to communications in the workplace to facilitate the flow of information.
• Operate and provide support related to the use, maintenance and procurement of office equipment and technologies.
• Evaluate, establish and administer a variety of records management systems* to ensure confidential, secure, accessible and organized electronic and paper records.
• Produce financial documents and reports by identifying and compiling relevant information and using accounting software.
• Prepare and produce a variety of business documents using available technologies and applying industry standards.
• Use interpersonal, leadership and client service skills to respond to diversity and to support the vision and mission of the organization.
• Research, analyze and summarize information on resources and services and prepare summary reports with recommendations.
• Select and use information technologies to support communication with internal and external stakeholders and to promote the organization.
• Organize and coordinate meetings, conferences, special events and make travel arrangements, including the preparation of related documentation.
• Support the implementation of projects by applying basic principles of project management.
• Identify and apply discipline-specific practices that contribute to the local and global community through social responsibility, economic commitment and environmental stewardship.

Students also have the option to gain real-world experience through a paid co-operative education (co-op) work term (See Additional Information for more details).

Learn to capture, create and alter images at a professional level

The two-year Photography Ontario College Diploma program encourages you to express your creative side while designing and capturing images that communicate effectively. You demonstrate a professional level of craft and creativity in digital imaging using high-end equipment and the Mac OS platform.

Learn the fundamentals of photography and create images that meet the needs of your client. By creating a state-of-the-art portfolio and a personal website using high-end digital cameras to capture professional-level work, you show your creative and technical abilities.

In addition to photography design and techniques, gain knowledge and skills in the areas of:

• Entrepreneurship
• Networking
• Branding
• Marketing
• Business practices 

Our studios have up-to-date studio and location lighting systems, lighting booms, soft-boxes and professional backdrops.

At the end of the program, enhance your knowledge and skills with a real-world experience during a two-week field placement where you gain valuable practical application and industry contacts. The program concludes with a student-run networking trade show, which potential employers and industry representatives attend.

There are many job opportunities in the industry after graduation. Graduates may find employment as a photographer in areas such as:

• Commercial and industrial photography
• Wedding and portrait photography
• Scientific and medical photography
• Photojournalism
• Image manipulation/retouching
• Print and graphic production companies
• Visual content creation 

Accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of Canada (CDAC), Dental Hygiene, Dental Hygiene is a three year Ontario College Advanced Diploma and is delivered over two and one-half years. The program strongly emphasizes on preparing graduates to function in a collaborative relationship with the community, healthcare providers and the client. 

The students, through the program, take up the role of a dental hygienist as an advocate, administrator, educator, researcher, clinician and health promoter and learn to offer dental hygiene care in a professional manner to their patients with complicated and diverse oral health needs. As members of a self-regulated profession, dental hygienists are responsible to the College of Dental Hygienists of Ontario for their practice decisions.

The three-year Biotechnology - Advanced Ontario College Advanced Diploma program gives you a strong overview of the science that drives biotechnology. With a mix of laboratory and theory courses, you learn about:

• Cell biology
• Chemistry
• Biochemistry
• Molecular biology
• Microbiology
• Bioinformatics
• Statistics

You also gain a foundation in the social and ethical implications of this field, giving you the ability to make informed choices. As a student, you have the opportunity to carry out experiments and use state of the art laboratory instruments and tools throughout the program. Some of the topics you encounter include water analysis, soil analysis, quality and safety of food and beverages, DNA manipulation, and protein purification and analysis.

Learning Outcomes
The graduate has reliably demonstrated the ability to:

• Perform laboratory duties independently and in compliance with pertinent legislation and regulations, as well as biotechnology standards and guidelines.
• Collaborate in implementing and evaluating quality control and quality assurance procedures to meet organizational standards and requirements.
• Select and implement best practices for sustainability.
• Complete complex biotechnological applications using advanced principles of chemistry, biology and biostatistics as well as basic principles of physics.
• Co-ordinate, implement and validate laboratory procedures to carry out quantitative and qualitative tests and analyses.
• Co-ordinate, implement and validate standard cell culture procedures under aseptic conditions.
• Co-ordinate, implement and validate molecular biology procedures.
• Manage biological data to support biological scientists and researchers in capturing, organizing/summarizing and storing data.
• Prepare, analyze, interpret, maintain and communicate scientific data effectively.
• Develop and present a strategic plan for ongoing personal and professional development to enhance work performance.
• Apply basic business principles to biotechnology practices.
• Identify and apply discipline-specific practices that contribute to the local and global community through social responsibility, economic commitment and environmental stewardship.

You have the opportunity to work with government and industry professionals through optional industry internships or through participation in industry-aligned applied research projects.

The three-year Biotechnology - Advanced Ontario College Advanced Diploma program gives you a strong overview of the science that drives biotechnology. With a mix of laboratory and theory courses, you learn about:

• Cell biology
• Chemistry
• Biochemistry
• Molecular biology
• Microbiology
• Bioinformatics
• Statistics

You also gain a foundation in the social and ethical implications of this field, giving you the ability to make informed choices. As a student, you have the opportunity to carry out experiments and use state of the art laboratory instruments and tools throughout the program. Some of the topics you encounter include water analysis, soil analysis, quality and safety of food and beverages, DNA manipulation, and protein purification and analysis. You have the opportunity to work with government and industry professionals through optional

Learning Outcomes
The graduate has reliably demonstrated the ability to:

• Perform laboratory duties independently and in compliance with pertinent legislation and regulations, as well as biotechnology standards and guidelines.
• Collaborate in implementing and evaluating quality control and quality assurance procedures to meet organizational standards and requirements.
• Select and implement best practices for sustainability.
• Complete complex biotechnological applications using advanced principles of chemistry, biology and biostatistics as well as basic principles of physics.
• Co-ordinate, implement and validate laboratory procedures to carry out quantitative and qualitative tests and analyses.
• Co-ordinate, implement and validate standard cell culture procedures under aseptic conditions.
• Co-ordinate, implement and validate molecular biology procedures.
• Manage biological data to support biological scientists and researchers in capturing, organizing/summarizing and storing data.
• Prepare, analyze, interpret, maintain and communicate scientific data effectively.
• Develop and present a strategic plan for ongoing personal and professional development to enhance work performance.
• Apply basic business principles to biotechnology practices.
• Identify and apply discipline-specific practices that contribute to the local and global community through social responsibility, economic commitment and environmental stewardship.

Students also have the option to gain real-world experience through a paid co-operative education (co-op) work term (see Additional Information for more details). Please note that places in the co-op version of the program are subject to availability. Students who elect to apply to the non co-op version of the program may not have the opportunity to transfer to the co-op version at a later date.

Propel your intrigue for aviation into a career

The two-year Aircraft Maintenance Technician Ontario College Diploma program gives you hands-on experience to help propel you into your future. You study at the Ottawa campus as well as at the Canadian Aviation and Space Museum.

Through a series of classroom-based courses and extensive practical labs, you acquire the skills specific to becoming an Aircraft Maintenance Technician. Learn through the repair and maintenance of mechanical and electrical systems within an aircraft, including:

• Hydraulics
• Fuel systems
• Environmental instrumentation
• Engine
• Control surfaces and undercarriage
• Repair of the aircraft body 

Because of an expected higher-than-normal retirement rate of licensed Aircraft Maintenance Engineers, and the recent growth in the aviation sector, an increasing number of job opportunities is expected.

To become a licensed Aircraft Maintenance Engineer, Transport Canada requires you to complete two years of basic training at an approved institution followed by 48 months of full-time employment and proof that specific maintenance tasks have been completed. Graduates of this program with high academic standing are eligible for accelerated accreditation by Transport Canada, which provides an 18-month experience credit towards a Transport Canada AME license.

You should be prepared for entry-level positions, which may be available in smaller airports or centres, and may include rotating shift work. 
 

This one-year Ontario College Graduate Certificate program prepares students for a career in design research and strategy. Professionals in this field examine the intersection of research, technology, business and design to apply a human-centred approach to solving problems. These professionals work in a variety of fields, including private, public and government organizations, to provide strategic direction for system, product, policy and/or service design. The skills gained in this program complement a myriad of professional backgrounds, from designers, computer programmers and engineers looking to update their skillset to public servants and social scientists looking for new ways to draft policies and model services.

Students collaborate with industry partners in a design studio setting throughout the program to find solutions for real-world issues.

Learning Outcomes
The graduate has reliably demonstrated the ability to:

• Apply a universal, interdisciplinary design approach to overcome complex problems and create intelligent solutions that address social, technological and economic challenges.
• Manage a holistic, human-centred process to deliver design strategies, products, systems and services for government, corporations and non-profit organizations.
• Design collaboratively in an interdisciplinary studio environment to produce communication, products, systems and service projects for a variety of media.
• Apply primary and secondary research methodologies to the design process using a think/make practice model to achieve project outcomes that meet user needs and adhere to industry standards.
• Adhere to the professional practices of a design studio to facilitate and manage the success of design teams in achieving project goals.
• Participate in an iterative, multi-phase design process in order to create testable prototypes and realized products.
• Liaise and negotiate project direction and process with stakeholders to produce strategies and outcomes that align with business objectives.
• Present and defend research results and design outcomes to a diverse audience using effective communication strategies.
• Identify and apply discipline-specific practices that contribute to the local and global community through social responsibility, economic commitment and environmental stewardship.