Diploma in Social Service Worker

at Durham College - Oshawa Campus Canada

Enter the field of environmental health and safety management and launch a career where no two days are ever the same. As a graduate of this program, you will apply technical knowledge of safety hazards, health risks and dangers to prevent injuries and illness while supporting broader public safety. Become a highly skilled professional with the expertise to manage the social, health, environmental and legal issues associated with the built and natural environment. With the implementation of new legislated requirements in Canada regarding workplace safety and environmental protection standards, job prospects in this field are continuing to grow. Combine strategic problem solving with strong interpersonal skills as you perform environmental audits, deliver training, implement safety controls, conduct incident investigations, develop controls and contingency planning and prepare technical documentation and records in a quality-controlled environment. You will also be well-positioned to pursue the Certified Health and Safety Consultant designation upon graduation.

As an Environment Health and Safety Management graduate, you will be able to:

• Perform work audits in environmental and occupational health and safety in compliance with legislation to prevent workplace risk exposure.
• Design evidence-based training programs that use industry best practices for evaluating the health and safety of built and natural environments.
• Evaluate technical, environmental and industrial hygiene procedures and systems in their alignment to legislation, regulatory standards and guidelines.
• Conduct material testing in the laboratory and on site using qualitative sampling methods and statistical data analysis to determine contaminants and hazards.
• Propose health and safety recommendations that respond to concerns arising from audit findings, risk and life cycle assessments and the review of report documentation.
• Prepare health and safety technical documentation to record the results of investigations of the built and natural environment.
• Manage project communication with partners to ensure consistency and maintain quality.
• Develop emergency responses to industrial and natural disasters by assessing and minimizing environmental and labour impact.

The Social Service Worker program combines academic study with practical experience to provide graduates with the skills, knowledge and attitudes required to work in the diverse and complex field of community and social services. The program focuses on the development of front-line interviewing and counselling skills that will prepare students to work with individuals and groups in a variety of social service settings, including group homes, women’s shelters, addiction and mental health facilities, employment programs and services for seniors.

This program combines classroom work with practical experience to provide you with the skills, knowledge and attitudes required to work in the diverse and complex field of community and social services. It focuses on the development of front-line interviewing and counselling skills that will enable you to work with individuals and groups in a variety of social service settings. In addition to theoretical models, methods and skills of social service work practice, you will receive extensive training in:

• Community organizing and development
• Crisis intervention
• Group work
• Life skills methodology
• Social welfare policy and social justice

Whether it’s a small business or a large publicly traded corporation, accounting professionals are needed in all areas of the economy, in both the public and private sectors. Our program is taught by industry-connected professors who will give you the skills and knowledge to excel in the field. You will learn how to apply the latest tools and technologies – making you instantly valuable to an employer.

You will have the opportunity to hone your skills and gain valuable work experience through a co-operative education (co-op) option or field placement. This program gives you a powerful combination of knowledge, skills and real-life work experience. 

Today’s businesses and essential services depend on complex information and data management systems. Designing, developing and keeping those systems up-to-date with the business processes they support is the domain of programmer analysts. In a digitized world, the ingenuity and technical know-how of programmer analysts are in demand. From transportation networks to critical hospital databases to social network-driven applications, analysts design and develop the systems that are key to the success of all businesses and services in today’s digital world.

As one of the top ten in demand professions in Canada, public relations professionals, including communications and media relations specialists, share vital messages through attention-grabbing writing, video, social media, special events and fundraising campaigns. Regardless of the field – sports, fashion, music, television or health-care – a creative PR professional is an essential part of any successful business or non-profit organization. In this growing industry our graduates are highly sought after and enjoy a wide range of career opportunities. The hands-on curriculum includes two unique field placements. Durham College is the only compressed program in Ontario, which allows graduates to enter the workforce in just two calendar years.

This program is approved by the ADR Institute of Ontario (ADRIO) and students in the program receive a 16-month student membership with ADRIO. This program is also approved by the Ontario Association for Family Mediation (OAFM) and Family Dispute Resolution Institute of Ontario (FDRIO).

If you are a university or college graduate or a professional wishing to gain additional conflict resolution skills, as well as an Ontario college graduate certificate, this program will provide you with the tools, knowledge, and practice to effectively negotiate, analyze and resolve conflict in various settings such as:

• Workplace
• Family
• Community
• Education
• Health care
• Human resources
• Justice
• Advocacy

This program also offers an experiential learning component that enables you to participate in the operation of Campus Conflict Resolution Services.

Program Learning Outcomes

• Complete all work in a manner consistent with professional ethics and practice, mediation process and skills, a respect for self, others, and relevant law and legislation.
• Adhere to legal and professional ethics in the practice of delivering services to de-escalate, prevent, and resolve conflict.
• Recognize and analyze conflict situations.
• Determine the nature and degree of conflict within informal and formal settings by assessing client relationships and interactions.
• Select and apply appropriate conflict resolution and negotiation skills and techniques to enable parties to prevent and/or resolve conflicts.
• Resolve differences within workplaces, communities, and families by utilizing interest-based conflict resolution skills and techniques.
• Engage in reflective practice to build skill and professional competency.
• Create and implement personal and professional development plans to achieve ongoing competence in the practice of mediation and/or alternative dispute resolution professional practice.
• Analyze and produce documents required in the practice of mediation and/or alternative dispute resolution.
• Produce documents required in the practice of conflict resolution and mediation according to industry standards.
• Collaborate with colleagues, clients, and other stakeholders to enhance professional working relationships.
• Collaborate with colleagues, clients, and community to enhance professional working relationships.
• Apply knowledge of specialized substantive and procedural laws as they relate to mediation and/or alternative dispute resolution.
• Work within the legal parameters and the scope of practice for conflict resolution practitioners by following relevant substantive and procedural laws.
• Utilize time management, project management, and administration skills to meet client needs.
• Utilize management and administration skills in a mediation and/or alternative dispute resolution practice.
• Conduct intake meetings to gather, screen, and disseminate information required to identify issues, uncover interests, and determine the appropriate approach for resolving differences.
• Conduct interviews to gather, screen, and disseminate information required in mediation and/or alternative dispute resolution situations.
• Facilitate discussion with clients to explore the options and associated processes for resolving family disputes.
• Explain the process, principles, techniques and significance of mediation and/or alternative dispute resolution and how they apply to family disputes.
• Contribute to collaborative discussion about the application of restorative justice principles as viable alternatives for repairing harm and restoring relationships.

Find a way to make a difference with your creativity. The Fine Arts – Advanced program will push you along the path you have chosen, challenging you through critical discussions, pointing you to artists with similar concerns and aesthetics, and encouraging you to grow and achieve the potential evident in your preliminary explorations. This program will prepare you to address the complex challenges of the 21st century and promotes citizenship by educating you not only for careers and jobs in the visual arts, but also for your role as an active and engaged practicing artist in your community.

NOTE: Students enrolling in this program are required to purchase their own laptop. For specific laptop and software requirements for this program click here. 

This pathway is designed for individuals interested in pursuing a career in the engineering technology sector. This option provides the foundation necessary for success in college engineering technology programs such as architectural, biomedical, chemical, electronics, energy systems, environmental, mechanical, and water quality. Students considering a skilled trade program would also benefit. This program offers an opportunity to develop and refine the academic skills for science, mathematics, and communication that are necessary for admission to further studies. Some General Arts and Science courses are also transferable to other post-secondary programs. This pathway has the added benefit of helping students become better acquainted with post-secondary life, workload, and expectations.

Modern policing requires officers to possess highly developed social and communication skills, practical law enforcement knowledge, technical skills, and the ability to connect with the communities they serve and protect. In this program you will build these skill sets while gaining vital community outreach experience through a unique program that sees students work with youth from at-risk schools. Training also focuses on mental health strategies in policing related to community members and officers; students will earn their Mental Health First Aid certificate in their course of study.

This program will provide you with the skills and knowledge needed to pursue an entry-level policing position including a broad education in human relation skills and the interpretation of social interaction including the study of:

• Community policing
• Communication
• Investigation processes
• Police powers and procedures
• Professional ethics
• Race relations

You will be subject to all requirements of the Ontario constable selection process and local police requirements when applying for a position as a constable in Ontario. Please be aware that specific, minimum criteria such as vision and hearing standards will apply as will a clear Criminal Background Check (CBC).

The skills of Behavioural Science Technicians are increasingly in demand as Canada’s population continues to age, more people seek support for mental health and addictions, and diagnosed cases of Autism Spectrum disorder continue to rise. If you have an interest in human behaviour and a desire to help others improve their quality of life, then this interdisciplinary program is for you.

Through a comprehensive mix of theoretical, research and applied courses, you will develop in-demand professional competencies that link the science, clinical, communication and ethical aspects of behavioural science.

You will gain knowledge and skills of Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) to support clients from various age groups.  You will  learn how to assist with behavioural assessments and contribute to the design and application of behaviour change plans for clients with developmental disabilities, autism, acquired brain injuries, dementia and other conditions associated with aging.   

Graduates will enter the field with the ability to engage in ethical decision-making and collaborate with other professionals when providing behavioural treatment. Behavioural Science Technicians are employed in a variety of settings related to education, family support services, mental health treatment and gerontology.