Diploma in Architectural Technician

at George Brown College - Casa Loma Campus Canada

Design can change the world. Architectural technologists are key members of a project team and play a vital role in turning conceptual design ideas into technical construction documents and practical, buildable solutions. This three-year program provides you with the essential knowledge base and fundamental skills required to work as an architectural technologist within the many companies and sectors of the architectural and construction industry. Performing tasks of a technical nature, you will be part of a team of professionals and tradespeople involved in the building design, construction and management process.

Rising fuel costs, indoor air quality and climate change are all factors in raising awareness of the true cost of energy, and the need for energy-efficient building environmental system design, construction and maintenance.

This program has been developed to address the current and future needs of the heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration (HVAC/R) industry. In the first two years you will study residential and some light commercial systems. In the third year there is an additional focus on commercial systems.

You will develop a firm understanding of the factors involved in designing, building, controlling and maintaining energy-efficient building environmental systems for a wide variety of requirements.

The program covers the basics of air system and hydronic (water) system theory, required to design distribution systems and select appropriate fans, pumps, heating and cooling plants, and system controls for larger buildings.

The program follows industry-standard design practices for environmentally responsible and energy-efficient residential, commercial and industrial systems, as established by the Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Institute (HRAI), the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) and the Canada Green Building Council.

Program Learning Outcomes

• The graduate has reliably demonstrated the ability to:
• Relate effectively to heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration supervisors, coworkers and customers.
• Comply with applicable acts, regulations, legislation, and codes to maintain personal and public safety.
• Solve scientific, mathematical, and engineering problems related to designing, operating, and installing energy systems for commercial and industrial complexes.
• Prepare and analyze detailed drawings, and compile technical specifications for energy systems.
• Design, operate, and install energy systems for commercial and industrial complexes.
• Develop strategies for ongoing personal and professional development that lead to enhanced work performance and career opportunities, and keep pace with industry changes.

The General Arts and Science one-year (two semesters) certificate is designed for students who wish to develop the skills and competencies required in college, university and the workplace. The program allows students to explore subjects within the Humanities, Social Sciences, Natural Sciences, and Science and Mathematics; and to develop skills in critical thinking, oral and written communications, and career development. An effective career counselling component helps students consider their options for a vocationally specific college education, as well as their interests and eligibility for university/degree transfer.

As a student in the General Arts and Science one-year (two semesters) certificate program, you will develop the skills and competencies required in college, university and the workplace. The program allows you to explore subjects within the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, and science and mathematics; and to develop skills in critical thinking, oral and written communications and career development. An effective career exploration component helps you consider your options for a vocationally specific college education, as well as your interests and eligibility for university/degree transfer.

Program Learning Outcomes

• The graduate has reliably demonstrated the ability to:
  • Develop, through general knowledge gained in a wide range of subjects, insight into both self and society.
  • Develop flexibility and clarity of both thought and expression in order to develop communications competence to a level required by business and industry.
  • Understand and utilize critical thinking processes and problem solving techniques.
  • 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.
  • Employ basic vocational skills drawn from the areas of the Humanities, Social and Behavioral Sciences of Vocational Studies (Business, Technology).

Whether it’s online or console, cell phone or PC-based, the game industry in Canada is large and growing rapidly. Game developers and publishers in the Greater Toronto Area range from small specialized units to mid-sized companies to Microsoft, Nintendo and other industry leaders.

Computer and game programmers are the fundamental resource for companies that develop, produce, distribute and market computer-based games. In fact, our industry advisors tell us it is the technical skills that are most in demand – a demand that this George Brown program is focused on meeting.

Students in George Brown’s three-year Game – Programming advanced diploma program will learn the technical skills they need to be successful in the job market by learning “the language of gaming” (C and C++), as well as artificial intelligence, 3D graphics and much more.

The added advantage of this program is that students will also be taught by George Brown’s School of Design faculty throughout the program, working closely with design students to create games, explore all aspects of the game industry, and learn to work in teams, just as they will in industry. Classes take place at George Brown’s Casa Loma and St. James Campuses. Some courses are offered online, and in some semesters, evening courses may be required.

Note: Students who start the program in January (Winter term) will be required to attend classes during the summer months (May to August).

Program Learning Outcomes

• The graduate has reliably demonstrated the ability to:
• Analyze the differences in game genres in order to develop games that meet the needs of specific markets.
• Analyze the history of video games to compare various approaches to game development.
• Support the development of games by identifying and relating concepts from a range of industry roles – programming, design, and art.
• Contribute as an individual and a member of a game development team to the effective completion of a game development project.
• Develop strategies for ongoing personal and professional development to enhance work performance in the games industry.
• Perform all work in compliance with relevant statutes, regulations, legislation, industry standards and codes of ethics.

Looking to transition careers or fill in the gaps to gain advanced blockchain development skills?

This unique Blockchain Development program at George Brown College in Toronto focuses on designing and implementing decentralized applications by leveraging blockchain technology. The three-semester program is designed to also thoroughly cover full stack development to give potential students all the tools they need to succeed in this emerging and exciting field.

This program has been developed with the support of blockchain industry professionals and is taught in a full-time executive format of approximately 20 hours per week of study over a 26-week time period. Co-op and work integrated learning opportunities are available during the third semester of the program. It is the first certificate in blockchain offered by a Canadian college.

The skills you’ll learn include:

• Smart contracts
• Design patterns for blockchain
• Distributed applications (dApps)
• Full stack development
• Blockchain architecture, security practices, laws and regulations, and more

Your Field Education Options
During the third semester of the program, students may choose whether to apply for a Co-op position or take a Work Integrated Learning course which includes an industry-sponsored project.

To be eligible for co-op, a student must complete all Semester 1 and Semester 2 courses. As well, an overall GPA of 3.0 must be achieved.

Program Learning Outcomes

• The graduate has reliably demonstrated the ability to:
  • Communicate essential concepts related to blockchain technology and its industry applications.
  • Implement best security practices for blockchain solutions.
  • Design cryptoeconomic models to solve business problems.
  • Design the architecture of decentralized applications and systems.
  • Develop decentralized applications leveraging blockchain technology.
  • Explain the legal implications, regulations, and industry standards that are relevant to blockchain technology.
  • Apply IT project management principles and best practices.
  • Contribute to the field and blockchain community through various open source projects, partnerships, and community involvement.

As a student in the Cloud Computing Technologies one-year graduate certificate program, you will gain a comprehensive and in-depth technical base through courses in the high-demand areas of system and network administration, cloud productivity tools, cloud computing design and implementation, and cloud computing security from the most popular and fastest growing cloud providers. Upon completion of this program, you will have gained experience in Microsoft 365, Microsoft Azure, and Amazon AWS. Experience in these cloud provider platforms ensures you will be workplace ready.

As a graduate of this program, you will possess the cloud computing design, administration and troubleshooting skills necessary to support any business and attract employers from all over the world. Through lab activities and projects, each course allows you to gain hands-on experience using technologies in real-world cloud computing scenarios. An optional work-integrated learning field placement is available for those who are not currently employed in IT and are looking to apply these new skills in the field.

As the cloud computing sector in the information technology (IT) industry continues to grow globally and our industry partners report technical skills shortages, George Brown College is helping to meet the market demand by educating IT professionals who understand all aspects of computer systems from on-premises to cloud computing.

Program Learning Outcomes

1. Create secure solutions that support highly available micro-services that meet client needs.
2. Implement enterprise level applications in hosted cloud environments that respond to client needs and business practices.
3. Architect and deploy fault tolerant solutions within cloud computing platforms to solve identified business requirements.
4. Automate security and resources for applications by using cloud computing tools to mitigate risk for organizations and protect assets.
5. Design and test code-based solutions to cloud computing problems that ensure security in depth.
6. Assess the viability of developing, deploying, maintaining and securing cloud computing solutions using a variety of resiliency testing tools.
7. Create and defend cloud-computing strategies used to solve identified business needs on behalf of a client.
8. Install and monitor a database management system on the cloud in response to specified requirements.
9. Design, develop, configure, troubleshoot, maintain, and upgrade computing systems and network infrastructures for the cloud.

The Construction Engineering Technician program studies the characteristics of various building types with an appreciation for the latest energy and environmental technologies. The program also focuses on areas that include:

• Interpretation of construction documents
• On-site building engineering and safety
• Quantity surveying (estimating labour, materials, and equipment required for a project)
• Building codes and construction contracts
• Site management practices

Laboratory courses provide practical building layout surveys and quality control testing of various building materials. You will also gain extensive computer experience, working with general business and Building Information Modeling (BIM) software and specialized construction management and estimating software.

Your Field Education Options

• Purpose and Definition of Field Experience
  • Field experience combines classroom learning with hands-on work experience structured to meet specific curricular outcomes. This approach to education relies upon a three-way partnership: the student, the institution and industry. Success depends upon the co-operative efforts of each party. It forms the basis for students’ experiential learning which is achieved when the cycle of experience, reflection, and learning is completed. It is a mandatory component of the T161 Construction Engineering Technician program. Field experience positions can be paid or unpaid. Both fulfill the academic requirement as well as strengthen students’ resumes, positioning them more effectively for future employment.
  • The field experience requires students to accumulate 100 hours of construction industry-related experience over the course of their third and fourth semesters. The field experience is facilitated through the Angelo DelZotto (ADZ) School of Construction Management, via collaborative efforts from the academic supervisors, program coordinators, and the chair.

Program Learning Outcomes

• The graduate has reliably demonstrated the ability to:
  • Develop and use strategies to enhance professional growth and ongoing learning in the construction engineering field.
  • Comply with workplace health and safety practices and procedures in accordance with current legislation and regulations.
  • Complete duties in compliance with contractual obligations, applicable laws, standards, bylaws, codes and ethical practices in the construction engineering field.
  • Carry out sustainability practices in accordance with contract documents, industry standards, and environmental legislative requirements.
  • Collaborate with and facilitate communication among project stakeholders to support construction projects.
  • Collect, process and interpret technical data to produce written and graphical project-related documents.
  • Contribute to the collecting, interpreting and applying of survey/geomatics and layout information to implement construction projects.
  • Identify and use industry-specific electronic and digital technologies to support the design and construction of projects.
  • Contribute to the resolution of technical problems related to the design and implementation of construction projects by applying engineering concepts, basic technical mathematics, and building science.
  • Assist in the scheduling and monitoring of the progression of construction projects by applying principles of construction project management.
  • Assist in the preparation of accurate estimates of time, cost, quality and quantity, tenders and bids.
  • Perform quality control testing and monitoring of equipment, materials, and methods involved in the implementation and completion of construction projects.
  • Apply teamwork, leadership and interpersonal skills when working individually or within multidisciplinary teams to complete work on construction projects

The Jewellery Arts program focuses on goldsmithing techniques and design skills that are necessary to succeed as a jewellery designer and goldsmith. You learn all aspects of jewellery making – sawing, filing, soldering, casting and polishing, and the particulars of working with silver, gold and gemstones. You are required to utilize various design strategies and study the wide variety of jewellery forms open to you as a designer. Skills in the application of the creative process are important. Use of technology and fundamental jewellery business skills are integral to the program.

You are encouraged to work to the highest goldsmithing standards as you create jewellery with precious metals and gemstones. Projects are designed to advance technical and design skills, while at the same time permitting individual expression. An annual jewellery exhibition showcases graduating students' projects. Students have the opportunity to participate in numerous competitions, and to volunteer for and attend industry events.

Program Learning Outcomes

• The graduate has reliably demonstrated the ability to:
• Create jewellery items in copper, brass, silver and gold, using adept goldsmithing skills for employment in the jewellery industry.
• Apply specialized jewellery skills to industry standards to inform technique and design.
• Devise jewellery design solutions to meet client needs taking both material and process requirements into consideration.
• Construct finished jewellery pieces according to given designs.
• Produce technical drawings and illustrations to communicate jewellery designs as required.
• Select fabrication processes to optimize jewellery production.
• Contextualize jewellery according to historical and stylistic qualities to assess provenance, materials and method of production.
• Produce industry quality jewellery items using the lost wax casting process.
• Incorporate polishing techniques to produce market ready jewellery items.
• Differentiate gemstones and their properties as required in the jewellery industry.
• Follow ethic, security and business practices consistent with jewellery industry standards.
• Employ jewellery tools, equipment and materials in a confident and safe manner.
• Use computer software (CAD skills) to produce 2D drawings and 3D models of complex jewellery forms, and digital manufacturing technologies (CAM skills) to produce industry quality jewellery items.
• Produce a professional portfolio that documents attained skills, including jewellery and jewellery designs, for employment applications and marketing opportunities.

Students in this program will gain an in-depth knowledge of the construction industry including:

• Methods and materials of construction
• Construction estimating
• Construction law, contracts and bidding
• Project management and control 
• Construction graphics and detailing 

This program shares the first four semesters with the Construction Engineering Technician program. Semesters 5 & 6 prepare you for a wider range of career options in the construction sector. This three-year program equips you for positions with higher levels of responsibility and accountability in such areas as construction planning, project management, estimating, budget and bid preparation, sustainable building science and engineering studies.

The Information Systems Business Analysis graduate certificate program at George Brown College is designed to meet the urgent need for professionals who can be the key liaison between business and information technology functions within an organization. Further, George Brown is recognized by the International Institute of Business Analysis as an Academic Member, and is proud to offer the IIBA® Academic Diploma.

This intensive program is designed for IT or business professionals who aspire to enter into a business analyst role, or practitioners who wish to enhance their experience with formal education. A deeper level of understanding of the business analyst role will be developed through unique learning techniques and invaluable practical experience. Participants will be engaged and supported by a team of business analyst consultants and faculty in developing critical skills and competencies in the areas of:

• Problem identification
• Documenting and analyzing user requirements
• Process and workflow modelling
• Communication and facilitation
• Project management
• Technical writing
• Leadership and management
• Decision-making

A key characteristic of this program is the applied nature of the curriculum. Students are immersed in the process of business analysis through case histories of real-world business issues, and are responsible for developing solutions. The uniqueness of this program is in creating a practicing business analyst rather than creating someone who knows how to do it. This program creates work-ready graduates who can do, and have done, the business analysis process through applied, hands-on experience.