Postgraduate Certificate in Career Development Practitioner

at George Brown College - St. James Campus Canada

You have a passion for food, cooking, and health and realize that people are becoming more concerned about nutrition and lifestyle. You can incorporate culinary skills and nutrition as you train for a rewarding career in the Culinary Management – Nutrition program.

In this two-year diploma program, you'll learn how to work in a variety of environments including the food service industry to meet the demands of increasingly health-conscious consumers. This program combines instruction in culinary techniques, food service management, ingredient knowledge, healthy recipe, menu, and food product development with the latest advances in the field of nutrition. You'll learn in a dynamic setting that includes demonstrations, lectures, and hands-on culinary practice.

You’ll also complete a seven-week industry externship placement in your final semester, which will give you a great head start as you begin your career.

PROGRAM STANDARDS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES
The graduate has reliably demonstrated the ability to:

• Provide advanced culinary planning, preparation, and presentation for a variety of food service environments using a range of classical and contemporary techniques.
• Apply basic and advanced food and bake science to food preparation to create the desired end product.
• Contribute to and monitor adherence of others to the provision of a well-maintained kitchen environment and to the service of food and beverage products that are free from harmful bacteria or other contaminants, adhering to health, safety, sanitation and food handling regulations.
• Ensure the safe operation of the kitchen and all aspects of food preparation to promote healthy workspaces, responsible kitchen management and efficient use of resources.
• Create menus that reflect knowledge of nutrition and food ingredients, promote general health and well-being, respond to a range of nutritional needs and preferences, and address modifications for special diets, food allergies, and intolerances, as required.
• Apply business principles and recognized industry costing and control practices to food service operations to manage and promote a fiscally responsible operation.
• Apply knowledge of sustainability, ethical and local food sourcing, and food security to food preparation and kitchen management, recognizing the potential impacts on food production, consumer choice, and operations within the foodservice industry.
• Select and use technology, including contemporary kitchen equipment, for food production and promotion.
• Perform effectively as a member of a food and beverage preparation and service team and contribute to the success of a food-service operation by applying self-management and interpersonal skills.
• Develop strategies for continuous personal and professional learning to ensure currency with and responsiveness to emerging culinary techniques, regulations, and practices in the foodservice industry.
• Contribute to the development of marketing strategies that promote the successful operation of a food service business.
• Contribute to the business management of a variety of food and beverage operations to foster an engaging work environment that reflects service excellence.

The Business – Human Resources program at George Brown College in Toronto provides students with a practical approach to human resources management that prepares them for a variety of careers within this growing field. They will learn to:

• Design human resources policies and programs that adhere to employment legislation
• Attract, retain and develop a productive workforce
• Manage employee diversity
• Ensure health and safety at the workplace
• Advise on employee/labour relations

Our program enables you to work towards obtaining the professional designations offered through the Human Resources Professional Association of Ontario (HRPA). For information about obtaining professional designations in HR, please contact the Human Resources Professional Association of Ontario.

Program Learning Outcomes
The graduate has reliably demonstrated the ability to:

• Participate in the recruitment, selection, and retention of employees.
• Participate in performance management processes.
• Participate in the planning, delivery, and evaluation of employee orientation, training, and development programs.
• Contribute to an organization’s success through effective employee relations.
• Assist with the administration and communication of the organization’s total compensation plan.
• Participate in organizational health and safety policies and practices.
• Apply current and emerging information technologies to support the human resources function.
• Implement organizational development strategies aimed at promoting organizational effectiveness.
• Communicate human resources information accurately and credibly in oral, written, and graphic form.
• Plan and act on personal professional development plans to achieve ongoing competence in human resources professional practice.
• Identify the human resources component of a business plan.
• Assist in the collection and analysis of human resources data.

The Honours Bachelor of Commerce (Culinary Management) meets industry demand by preparing students with the depth and breadth of knowledge commensurate with an honours level, undergraduate commerce degree specializing in culinary management. Combining commerce, culinary, food studies, and externship experiences, this degree program prepares graduates for kitchen, operations management, food development, or entrepreneur positions. Through our culinary management courses, students will gain an understanding of eight key areas:

• Culinary Proficiency
• Culinary Theory
• Accounting and Finance
• Marketing and Communications
• Human Resources and Risk Management
• Specialized Business
• Research
• General Knowledge (Liberal Studies)

Your Field Education Options
Take part in a unique and robust externship. George Brown works with employers and industry partners to identify potential work experience opportunities. Students are also strongly encouraged to pursue self-directed industry work experience opportunities they believe will provide the learning experiences they value and meet the program's learning outcomes. This valuable work experience can in turn be added to your resumé.

In addition to more formal on-the-job work experience, George Brown College strives to provide learning opportunities with real-world challenges and customers.

Program Learning Outcomes
The graduate must maintain good standing with a minimum 2.3 program GPA (67% or above). Graduates will have reliably demonstrated the ability to:

• Distinguish among and apply current practices from industry and scholarship relating to accounting, marketing, customer service, human resources, supply chain management, health and safety, costing and pricing, hospitality, and risk management.
• Identify, appraise and/or apply various methods, skills, tools and systems used in a variety of disciplines related to culinary practice and study.
• Research and analyze societal, environmental, cultural, economic, culinary and/or market demands at local, regional and international levels.
• Collaborate effectively as part of a diverse culinary management team in order to develop strategies to realize organizational objectives in a variety of food service environments.
• Drawing on fields of study and practice, develop and manage strategic partnerships, customer service and relationships.
• Plan and execute fundamental contemporary cooking techniques that reflect an advanced knowledge of food theory and practice, nutrition and professional systems used in the culinary industry.
• Use management theories and methodologies in order to provide recommendations for realizing organizational objectives specific to different kinds of culinary operations.
• Develop a new food product, business and/or event, in order to facilitate market realization.
• Apply advanced management techniques and theories to support large-scale, multi-unit culinary operations.
• Monitor changing practices and evolving knowledge related to culinary management to select strategies for lifelong learning and professional advancement in the field of study.
• Examine personal strengths, weaknesses, and knowledge limitations in order to develop strategies that promote growth and build leadership potential.
• Communicate information and concepts using advanced verbal and written skills that reflect disciplinary norms.
• Use qualitative and/or quantitative information to develop cogent arguments, make sound judgments and apply concepts, principles and techniques that inform or enhance diverse types of culinary operations.

The Interactive Media Management graduate certificate program responds to a growing need within the design industry for a new skill set – one that crosses the traditional disciplinary boundaries of advertising, industrial, graphic and new media design.

This program empowers designers with the latest real-time interactive tools and technologies. With the integration of these technologies into public and commercial settings, such as museums and retail environments, as well as the education and medical sectors, designers need to be armed with key knowledge of interface design, information visualization and virtual spaces. They have a mission to create friendly systems and interfaces that dramatically improve the lives of consumers and sellers alike.

The program combines design education with software instruction and hands-on workshops to configure interactive design strategies using existing and emerging display technologies. You will be exposed to best practice examples and real-world models. You are encouraged to generate a unique design strategy and test it through an applied project directed toward the development of a fully functional, interactive demonstration prototype ready for a public audience.

Program Learning Outcomes
The graduate has reliably demonstrated the ability to:

• Facilitate effective completion of both individual and collaborative interactive media projects.
• Use and evaluate best practices and tools to design and develop dynamic, rich-­media content.
• Conduct and evaluate a thorough assessment of the requirements of a complex interactive media project.
• Coordinate the development, budgeting, planning and professional presentation of a complex interactive media project.
• Design and coordinate a complex media project (interface, navigation, graphics, text treatment) using best practice design and development principles and applying conceptual and theoretical frameworks.
• Manage the building of effective and dynamic complex websites and/or mobile applications.
• Propose solutions to ethical and professional issues arising in an online environment.
• Apply research and conceptual skills to propose optimal solutions for mobile/multimedia/web development problems and facilitate these skills within the project team.
• Provide creative leadership that results in the effective design, development and implementation of complex interactive media projects.
• Evaluate the financial, technical and artistic success of a complex interactive media project and present recommendations for improvement.

The Deafblind & Intervenor Studies program is a one-year certificate that will prepare you to work with individuals who have a combined vision and hearing loss. Significant components of this program are delivered online. This program is open to both Deaf and non-Deaf students.

Preparing students to be the eyes and ears for people who are Deafblind
Do you have a passion for helping others? Want to work in a dynamic and evolving sector? Are you creative and a good communicator? If you want to make a difference, consider becoming an intervenor and work with people who are Deafblind.

This one-year Ontario college certificate will prepare you to work with individuals who have a combined vision and hearing loss. You will learn various communication methods to support individuals with deafblindness in accessing information and interacting more fully with their environment.

Most courses are delivered online with some in-person content (semester 1 is delivered fully online; the first seven week of semester 2 are taught in-person and the second seven weeks are taught online).

What you will learn

• How to work with Deafblind children and adults – many of whom are often medically fragile.
• American Sign Language (ASL) – a visual language that is adapted to accommodate for the vision loss of those with this dual sensory loss.
• Professionalism, values and ethics, health and aging.
• How to interact with members of the Deafblind community both virtually and in-person. For those attending from outside of the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), interactive sessions will be arranged in your community.
• You will get hands-on experience through field practice. This may be completed across Canada in your community through George Brown College partnerships.

Welcome to Canada's centre for education in Food and Restaurant Management.
Take your career to the next level with an education that combines hands-on, experiential learning with exposure to today’s Food & Restaurant Management leaders.

In this four-semester diploma program, you will build knowledge in the areas of wine, beer, cocktails and the art of eating and dining. You will expand on these fundamentals with an understanding of food and beverage cost control, financial success, service leadership and human resources management – all the areas of successful restaurant management.

During your studies, you will apply your understanding of theory through unique learning techniques and invaluable practical experience. You will have the opportunity to:

• Take over The Chefs’ House, our state-of-the-art restaurant and learning facility, where you will manage all aspects of operations including designing and selling tickets, working with industry partners, performing cost analysis and designing the food and beverage menu in partnership with our culinary students.
• Embark on an educational, virtual adventure via our Restaurant Simulation, where you will revitalize and transform a failing restaurant into a profitable enterprise by using decision making, management and financial planning skills.
• Brew your own beer and learn about the brewing process through our hands-on Beer Tasting, Brewing and Theory course.
• Join a European Travel Tour (optional) with your peers and experience unique cultures, cuisine, languages and history while learning from our international industry partners.
• Gain real-world food and restaurant management experience through a 14-week, local or international field placement in your final semester.

To further develop your network and connection to the industry, you will have the opportunity to interact with industry leaders from the Hospitality and Culinary sectors via our:

• Annual Student/Industry Networking Events.
• Annual Career Fair for both permanent and temporary career opportunities.
• Local tours of Food & Restaurant Management leaders in the heart of downtown Toronto.

The four-semester Business diploma program prepares students to carry out a variety of business functions within local, national and global settings. Graduates will have demonstrated a practical understanding of key principles and practices necessary for success in the field of business.

Students who graduate from this program are prepared to work in diverse team settings and contribute to projects with practical presentation and research skills. They can use their functional knowledge in many areas of an organization (including accounting, finance, human resources and marketing), to achieve strategies within cross-functional teams.

This learning experience will enable you to:

• Use current concepts/systems and technologies to support an organization's business initiatives.
• Perform work in compliance with relevant statutes, regulations and business practices.
• Develop strategies for ongoing personal and professional development to enhance work performance in the business field.
• Apply principles of corporate sustainability, corporate social responsibility and ethics to support an organization's business initiatives.
• This Centre for Business program is part of our School of Management.

Program Learning Outcomes
The graduate demonstrates the ability to:

• Identify and discuss the impact of global issues on an organization’s business opportunities by using an environmental scan.
• Apply principles of corporate sustainability, corporate social responsibility and ethics to support an organization’s business initiatives.
• Use current concepts/systems and technologies to support an organization's business initiatives.
• Apply basic research skills to support business decision-making.
• Support the planning, implementation and monitoring of projects.
• Perform work in compliance with relevant statutes, regulations and business practices.
• Explain the role of the human resource function and its impact on an organization.
• Use accounting and financial principles to support the operations of an organization.
• Describe and apply marketing and sales concepts used to support the operations of an organization.
• Outline principles of supply chain management and operations management.
• Outline and assess the components of a business plan.
• Develop strategies for ongoing personal and professional development to enhance work performance in the business field.

Community Worker (Fast-Track) is a dynamic social justice program grounded in the principles of and respect for human rights and anti-oppression practice. Students are prepared to work with largely urban-centred, diverse communities across a range of issues (i.e. poverty, housing, food-justice, immigration and settlement, etc.) in ways that are responsive to their multiple and changing needs.

If you are passionate about human rights and social justice, committed to working with diverse communities, bring a mature and professional approach to your education and field work, and are prepared to take on a course load of 20+ hours per week, this program is for you.

What can you expect from the Community Worker (Fast-Track) program?

• The three-semester Community Worker (Fast-Track) program combines classroom instruction with supervised field placements. Theory, analysis and practice are presented through a variety of innovative instructional tools developed from popular education and learner-centred approaches to teaching and learning.
• Highly participatory classes of dialogue, debate, activities, interactive lectures, guest speakers and panels, and group work provide students with a program of study that is current, exciting and critically engaging.

What key skills will you learn?
Throughout the program, students will have the opportunity to develop a variety of important and high-demand skills, including:

• Anti-oppressive and intercultural practice in working with diverse populations (including youth, immigrant communities, Indigenous populations)
• Critical analysis, research and writing
• Group facilitation and leadership
• Individual and group counselling
• Conflict mediation and restorative justice
• Community organizing, activism and advocacy
• Community development, project design and proposal writing
• Policy analysis and rights-based advocacy

Features of the Community Worker program include:

• Strong ties with over 350 agencies across the Greater Toronto Area (GTA).
• Founder and lead organizer of the annual Tommy Douglas Institute that brings communities, students, educators and activists together to explore higher education and social justice in the 21st century.
• The full-time Community Worker (C101) program has been graduating community workers for more than 40 years.

Program courses are organized into four core areas:

• Community work theory and practice
• Social and political analysis
• Group skills and counselling
• Field placement and seminar

Not only will you develop relationships with our community partners through field placements, you will also meet with sector professionals in your classrooms at networking events, guest panels and program electives taught by agencies and practitioners currently working in the field (i.e. Community Legal Issues, Urban Aboriginal Peoples’ Perspectives in Community Development, Housing and Homelessness).

Who are the Community Worker (Fast-Track) faculty?
The experienced educators that make up our faculty bring their passion for education and change to create a highly engaging and dynamic learning environment. Coming from backgrounds in local, national and global activism, they remain active on social issues and maintain close ties to communities, activists and organizations.

What kind of students enrol in the Community Worker (Fast-Track) program?
Graduates from other degrees and diploma programs interested in learning more about social justice and community development enrol in this program. Our students are a diverse group of students with broad social and community experiences.

Program Learning Outcomes

• The graduate has reliably demonstrated the ability to:
  • Establish constructive relationships with individuals concerned with community work.
  • Describe their personal values and motivation as a community worker.
  • Serve in a variety of grassroots community organizations especially in the areas of co-operatives, seniors and community legal services.
  • Be comfortable in community work roles ranging from direct service to classical advocacy and organizing.
  • Understand and articulate the special needs of multicultural groups.
  • Analyze social inequalities and demonstrate creativity in the organization of new services and institutions to meet community needs.
  • Work with groups to identify their own needs.
  • Access existing services and community resources.

Social Service Worker (Accelerated) is an innovative one-year program (three semesters) designed to guide you in developing the knowledge, values and skills to work directly with a wide range of people in need.

This program stream is available to college and university graduates with a diploma or degree related to the field of social or community work. In this program, you’ll learn to identify and act upon the systemic barriers that can impede access to social and economic justice in today’s society.

Students will examine the expanding professional roles and responsibilities of social service workers in large urban centres and within a rapidly changing society.

In addition to the theoretical models, methods and skills of social service work practice, you will learn about:

• Group facilitation
• Allyship and anti-oppressive practice
• Counselling skills
• Social change and proposal development
• Social innovation
• Mental health
• Substance use and addiction

Many of the Social Service Worker faculty have professional experience with:

• Marginalized communities
• Institutional health and social service organizations
• Federal, provincial and municipal governments
• Research and initiatives in social innovation
• A range of not-for-profit organizations and agencies
• Direct practice with individuals, families, groups and communities

George Brown College has been delivering this nutrition program with great success for more than 30 years. We'll build on the culinary skills you already have by teaching you about food modification, clinical nutrition, physiology, nutrition analysis, sanitation and safety. Through classroom instruction and work placements, you'll learn how hospitals, retirement homes and long-term care facilities provide their patients and residents with nutritious food and care.

This top nutrition program is accredited by the Canadian Society of Nutrition Management, which is necessary for employment as a Food and Nutrition Manager in Ontario.

Program Schedule

• The schedule for the Food and Nutrition Management program is based on a five-day week, Monday to Friday, with classes from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. This allows students to pursue part-time positions in related health-care fields while in school.

Your Field Education Options

• As part of the program you will practice your skills by completing a work integrated learning opportunity in our student-run Café. Students will complete 35 hours including weekends as this models our café business operation. This valuable work experience can be added to your resume.

Program Learning Outcomes

• The graduate has reliably demonstrated the ability to
  • Plan menus to accommodate the nutritional, dietary and medical needs, cultural and religious requirements, and personal preferences of clients.
  • Manage handling, preparation and service of food to ensure compliance with relevant legislation, policies, procedures, and industry best practices for health, safety, sanitation, quality assurance and client satisfaction.
  • Manage nutritional needs of diverse clients in health care and other food service settings in collaboration with or under the direction of health care professionals.
  • Support others to work professionally and ethically in accordance with industry, organization and legal standards.
  • Monitor relevant local, national and global trends, emerging technologies, changes to legislation and best practices to enhance work performance and guide management decisions.
  • Deliver customer service that anticipates, meets and/or exceeds individual expectations and is consistent with organization standards and objectives.
  • Manage hiring, coaching, training, scheduling, work performance and evaluation of department staff in accordance with human resources, labour relations, workplace health and safety, and industry best practices.
  • Manage inventory, suppliers and procurement of goods and services according to industry best practices, financial constraints, and principles of social responsibility and environmental sustainability.
  • Analyze food and nutrition services and operations, and manage the implementation and evaluation of changes, to support continuous improvement.
  • Plan and manage budgets consistent with organization objectives and legal requirements for food and nutrition service departments.
  • Select, use and support the use of information and industry-specific technologies to enhance individual work performance and the management and delivery of food and nutrition services.
  • Promote food and nutrition services and healthy living to support marketing plans and the general well-being of stakeholders.