Attend One of the Most Reputable Colleges in Toronto

When the concept of community college was developed, its aim was to offer students job-focused, practical training that was both affordable and would hold up in the workforce. Today, it is one of the most popular options for a respected post-secondary education. In Canada, many students choose community college because it is still a most cost-effective option that allows for flexible scheduling, shorter in-school time, smaller classroom sizes, hands-on training and, in a lot of cases, field placement experience. Among colleges in Toronto, Centennial College is a top choice for all of these reasons and more. In total, this Canadian college supports annual enrollments of 16,000 full-time students and 22,000 part-time learners. It is also recognized as one of the most culturally diverse post-secondary institutions in Ontario. Almost 100 ethno-cultural groups are represented and 80 languages are spoken on campus.

This post-secondary institution is actually the oldest publicly funded community college in Ontario and today has four campuses (Ashtonbee, Morningside, Progress and Centre for Creative Communications) that are situated to serve the eastern portion of the Greater Toronto Area. The community college offers full-time programs in more than 100 fields of study, falling into the categories: Business, Community and Health Studies, Technology and Applied Science, Hospitality Tourism and Culture as well as Communications, Media and Design. The wide range of offerings makes Centennial College an ideal post-secondary institution for students looking to turn an interest into an employable skill set. All programs emphasize experiential learning with laboratory instruction, paid co-operative education opportunities, and industry and agency field placements.

Centennial also offers a variety of innovative degree programs. Five joint-degree programs in paramedicine, journalism, new media studies, environmental science and technology and applied microbiology are taught in conjunction with the University of Toronto Scarborough, and the Bachelor of Science Nursing program is delivered jointly with Ryerson University. Centennial was among the first colleges in Ontario to receive approval for applied-degree programs in computer and communication networking, and software systems: design, development and management.

In addition, this community college also has part-time studies options. One of these options is Distance Learning, which is facilitated entirely online. Designed with flexibility in mind, online courses at Centennial College save travel time while allowing students to enjoy qualified instructors, communication tools, discussion boards and forums, a sense of email access with your classmates, digital assignment capability, and more. The other part-time options is Continuing Education, which provides its students with experienced instructors who understand adult learning needs; offers flexible, learner-centered teaching methodologies; provides practical hands-on knowledge to place relevant theory into context and perspective; recognizes and respects both the level of maturity and work experience of its students; provides effective instructor to student ratio and an optimal classroom size enabling competent peer interaction.

Motive Power Technician Program Opens Door to Further Study or Rewarding Career

"The Motive Power Technician program - Technical program will prepare all students for a career in the automotive field," says an instructor in the program offered at Toronto's Centennial College. "We actually have labs that include our transmission lab, our engine lab, fuels, electrical, electronics, and our chassis systems. We train our students for a number of career opportunities once they leave here. We open a lot of doors." Meanwhile another instructor adds, “Many of our students end up back at Centennial College, either in body work or mechanical. Some of them go onto dealerships to work at part departments and that sort of thing."



While these insights offer a great general overview of the Motive Power Technician program, which is accredited by the Canadian Automotive Repair and Service (CARS) National Accreditation Board, let’s take a closer look at some of the standout details and features. First and foremost, applicants to the Motive Power Technician (Automotive) - Technical program, must have completed at minimum an Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) or equivalent or are 19 years of age or older. They must also obtain the compulsory English 12C or U credit or skills assessment, or equivalent and the Math 11M or U, or 12C or U or skills assessment, or equivalent. However, it should be noted that possession of minimum admission requirements does not guarantee admission to the program.

The emphasis of this motor vehicle technician program is on motor vehicle technology, which is taught through a combination of theory and practical training. Students are based in Ashtonbee Campus, which houses the largest transportation training centre in the province of Ontario and the labs mentioned by the instructor. These labs are equipped with cars, car parts and the most up-to-date tools that are found in the industry.




Taking two years to complete, the first semester of Motive Vehicle Technician sees students participate in courses that are common to both the administration and technical streams. This allows them to determine which aspect of the industry is better suited for then. Among the topics covered in this first semester are: applied mechanics, engines, transmissions, fuels, alignment, vehicle technology, mathematics and more. Meanwhile, the second semester sees a focus on component design and includes topics such as transportation administration, applied vehicle dynamics, and higher levels of topics offered in the first semester. The last two semesters concern themselves with the highest level of topics such as engines, alignment, transmission and others such as air conditioning, technical drawings, properties of materials and more.



All of the in-school content taught in this motor vehicle technician program is the same as the Automotive Service Technician (AST) apprenticeship qualification. This ensures students are prepared to enter the industry as well as be successful on exemption testing for licensing qualification. Students who decide to pursue a career upon completing the motor vehicle technician program can apply for jobs as automotive apprentices, service advisors, lead hands, repair technicians, automotive service and parts management or automotive import/ export.

Automotive Service Technician Apprenticeship is the First Step to Success

Some people who want to become automotive service technicians may be limited in obtaining an education because they cannot afford to take time off work from their current automotive position to advance their education. At Centennial College, students don't have to choose. With the post-secondary's automotive service technician training, there is an earn-while-you-learn approach. That makes it possible to learn while still making a living. How? First, during the three eight-week in-school sessions of the automotive service technician apprenticeship, students may qualify for income support through Employment Insurance Canada benefits or training allowance. Meanwhile, there are also five periods of 1,800 hours with an employer during which students are fully compensated for their work. In addition, if that time period doesn't fit their schedule, students can complete the program by attending one day a week for three years or two evenings a week for three years.

To apply for this automotive service technician training, students have completed an Ontario Secondary School Diploma or equivalent and be employed as an apprentice. However, they cannot apply directly to the college or ontariocolleges.ca for admission. For general information about apprenticeship registration, students are asked to contact the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities.

Once they have gone through the application process and been accepted, students will discover a program that puts the emphasis on ensuring they obtain a good working knowledge of all of a vehicle's systems: engines, electrical/electronics, fuels, transmissions and drivelines, steering, suspension and brakes. This occurs through the provinces largest transportation training centre, Ashtobee Campus. This facility houses workshop labs that simulate a real life environment and include tools of the trade and entire cars and car parts that have been donated to the school, on which students practice. Leading the students are professionals from the field who can offer one-on-one instruction as well as share their own experiences. More specifically, during their in-school sessions students learn car systems by attending the following automotive service technician training courses: Drive Train Systems, Electrical/Electronic & Emission Systems, Engine Systems, Work Practices and Procedures, and Suspension/Steering and Brake Systems.

After learning about a certain aspect of being an automotive service technician, students spend time with an employer showcasing their skills, encountering customers and practicing in a real-life setting. Upon graduation from Centennial College, students have the potential to be hired by their apprenticeship employers, full-time. In fact, more than other industry, the automotive service technician field looks for apprentices and workers who enter the sector having already experienced hands-on situations. Positions for those with automotive service technician training can be found in: vehicle and parts manufacturers, dealers, garages and service stations, retailers, governments, corporations with their own fleets as well as in self-employment.

Centennial College: Canadian tire MAP32 Program

General Motors Technicians Benefit from Centennial College's Brand of Training

Writing vehicle damage repair estimates, repairing broken or worn mechanical components, maintaining repair and service records, installing equipment, components and systems; testing vehicles both before and after repair; and repairing electrical wiring, circuits, fixtures, brakes, transmissions, electrical systems, breaks and tires — these are some of the responsibilities of trained General Motors technicians.

In order to have a long lasting career in this field, interested parties must be properly trained. Schools across Canada offer general automotive service technician training. But Centennial College's Automotive Service Technician General Motors of Canada ASEP (MAP 32) specifically trains students on the latest GM vehicle systems, with emphasis on diagnosis and repair following recommended GM service procedures. This puts students at an advantage when it comes to the stiff competition they may face upon completion of the GM technician training.

Applicants to this offering must be currently employed as an automotive apprentice at a General Motors of Canada dealership. In addition, they must also possess at minimum an Ontario Secondary School Diploma or a GED or equivalent. Interested parties can apply directly to the College. Acceptance to the GM technician training is based on successful completion of all entry requirements and space is limited. It should be noted that if students are not currently General Motors employees, they may be selected through an interview process. Once they've been accepted, they are required to obtain an employer and register as a MAP apprentice with the Apprenticeship Branch of the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities.

The Centennial College GM technician training has students alternate between the college and their employer for a total of 64 weeks (32 weeks with each). As such, the offering is longer than traditional apprenticeships, allowing for a more in-depth knowledge of General Motors vehicles and procedures. During the in-school aspect of the General Motors technician training, students are based in Ashtonbee Campus, Canada's largest transportation training centre. At this facility they have the opportunity to use tools that are common in the field and practice on actual GM vehicles that have been donated to the school. This gives them an overall idea of a real-life General Motors technician's experience.

A large portion of the in-school aspects of the program involves vehicle electrical and electronic systems diagnosis and repair. There are five specific courses within the GM technician training, in which students participate: Motor Vehicle Gear Trains, Electrical/Electronics & Fuel Systems, Motor Vehicle Engine Systems, Applied Work Practices and Procedures, and Suspension/Steering and Brakes. These courses encompasses all of the latest GM vehicle systems, with emphasis on diagnosis and repair, following recommended GM service procedures. Meanwhile, the employer aspect of the GM technician training allows students to apply their new knowledge, obtain tips from seasoned professionals with years of experience in the field and network. During their employer sessions, students are compensated for their work.

General Motors Automotive Service Education Program at Centennial College

Electrical Engineering Technicians undergo extensive training

With constant evolution in electronics, a career as an Electrical Engineering Technician is challenging but rewarding. The job of these technicians is to solve technical problems in research and development, manufacturing, sales, construction, inspection, and maintenance by using science, engineering and mathematical principles. They often assist engineers and scientists. Electronic engineering technicians normally work 40 hours a week and spend their time in labs, offices and manufacturing plants. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that jobs in the field are expected to grow by five per cent between 2008 and 2018.



The electronic field is split into two categories - hands-on and theoretical. In the hands-on aspect of the electronic engineering technician field, techs may fabricate parts such as coils, terminal boards and chassis, using bench lathes, drills and other machine tools. They may also write computer or microprocessor software programs and test the electronic units that they’re helped to put together. If there are problems, the techs will identify and resolve equipment malfunctions. Lastly, the professionals in this field may have to provide user applications and engineering support for new and existing equipment with regard to installation, upgrades and enhancement.



On the theoretical side, electronics engineering technicians may research equipment and component needs, sources, competitive prices, delivery times and ongoing operational costs. They may also write reports and record data on testing techniques, laboratory equipment and specifications to assist engineers while also maintaining system logs and manuals, reading blueprints, wiring diagrams, schematic drawings and engineering instructions for assembling electronic units.



No matter where your interest lies, you must first attend an Electrical Engineering Courses in Canada, such as the one offered at Centennial College in Toronto. During the two years that it takes to complete the undertaking, you will develop technical expertise in areas such as wireless communications, data communications, microcontrollers and industrial systems.



This is achieved through courses such as Electronics Shop Practices (students gain practical skills in repairing and testing cables, transformers, potentiometers, connectors, switches, speakers, discrete components and integrated circuits); Digital Electronics (introduces digital circuits); Technology Mathematics (covers intermediate topics in algebra and trigonometry); Microcontrollers (introduces students to the basic concepts of the hardware and software of a microcontroller); and more. Working in fully-equipped labs will help to ensure you understand the topics well.



To become an Electrical Engineering Technician, the appropriate education is required. Centennial College offers a two-year program in this field that sees students graduate with an Ontario College Diploma. Gaining entry into the undertaking requires the possession of an Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) or equivalent or being 19 years of age or older. You must also have compulsory English 12C or U or skills assessment, or equivalent and Math 11M or U, or 12C or U or skills assessment, or equivalent.

Complete Heavy Duty Equipment Courses at Centennial College In Just Two Years

“This is an introductory program for students to get into the heavy equipment industry,” says Angelo Spanno, a professor in the Heavy Duty Equipment Technician program at Centennial College. “The program consists of an eight-month in-school portion. Then the following eight months is done during a co-op term actually working for an employer on a full-time basis for the entire eight months. Then there’s a final eight-month portion to finish the program.” While Angelo outlines the technical aspect of this undertaking, Kelsey, a student, expands on why the program is worthwhile. “I decided to take the [heavy equipment courses] because I thought it was there was a good demand. As the economy gets worse, there’s always going to be construction jobs; there’s good pay and I like working with my hands. The coolest part of the program is just getting to play with the equipment and circuit boards, learning to use all the different tools and how to perform maintenance.”

In order to benefit from the heavy equipment courses offered at Centennial College, students must complete the application process. This includes being able to present at minimum an Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) or General Educational Development (GED) or equivalent. Non-academic requirements include: satisfactory results in a program admission session, experience and mechanical aptitude, resumé and English proficiency.

As Angelo mentioned, the students in the program split their time between Centennial College and an employer in the field. When they are in-school, students participate in courses that give them the necessary knowledge to go into their co-op placement and not be lost. Heavy Equipment Courses include: Drive Train Systems (covers differential, final drives and power dividers, power shift transmission systems), Hoisting and Rigging Technology (fundamentals and principles of leverage and power, mechanical advantage, material strength, and more); Engine Systems (designed to provide the apprentice technician with an understanding of the fundamentals and concepts or internal combustion engines); and others. In addition, working out of Ashontbee Campus — the largest transportation training centre in the province — students train on heavy duty equipment assemblies in fully-equipped heavy duty equipment labs.

Meanwhile, the eight months of practical training sees students at a heavy equipment facility, working among professionals in the field. This is an opportunity to not only apply what was learned in school but also to network and get to know professionals in the field. Many students end up staying on as full-time employees at their co-op placement upon graduation as they enter the apprenticeship aspect of their careers.

Speaking of graduation, once the program is completed students go onto to become heavy duty equipment technicians, service managers, service writers or coordinators, equipment company representatives, or college or industry teachers. Professionals are not only employed in a variety of positions, but also in a variety of industries that include: forestry, construction, mining, transportation, landscaping, land cleaning, farming and more.

Avionics Programs Train Students in Electronic Systems

Airlines/operators, manufactures, the military, aviation training companies, aviation repair and overhaul and aviation equipment/avionics companies are just some of the organizations that hire graduates of Canada’s Avionics Programs. Once such program is offered at Centennial College as a two-year offering called Aviation Technician – Avionics Maintenance. This particular program trains students in skills from basic electronics to sophisticated avionic systems used in modern aircraft.

If you are interested in applying for Centennial College’s avionics program, you must have completed at minimum an Ontario Secondary School Diploma or General Education Development or equivalent or be 19 years of age or older. You must also have completed the compulsory English 12C or U or skills assessment or equivalent and Math 11M or U or 12C or U or skills assessment or equivalent.

Once you are accepted, you partake in a program that is both approved by Transit Canada and certified by the Canadian Aviation Maintenance Council. The emphasis in Avionics Maintenance is on the aircraft’s various electronic systems: electrical power distribution and control, navigation, flight instrumentation, communication and radar. Aviation maintenance servicing practices and procedures, as well as aviation regulation requirements are also included. Students are given equal time in theory and lab training, which allows them to gain both theoretical and practical knowledge. Specific courses within the avionics program include: Avionics Fundamentals (principles, concepts, operations and indications relating to avionics instrument and navigation equipment/system; aircraft directional and measuring equipment/ systems are studied); Digital Avionics Practices (student learn about digital logic and devices including numbering systems, Boolean algebra, logic gates, integrated circuit types and operational amplifiers); Pulse Navigation Systems (pulse navigation systems are studied, including air traffic control transponders, distance measuring equipment, radar and collision avoidance systems); and more.

Shop work on various aircraft is also included. It is carried out of Centennial College’s Ashtonbee Campus, which is the largest transportation training centre in the province and includes an airplane hangar. All instructors within the Aviation Technician Schools have years of experience and extensive technical expertise as aviation technicians. In addition to seasoned teachers, there are also guest speakers and panelists who come in to share personal stories and lecture about industry-related topics.

Students in the aviation technician school must achieve a minimum C grade in all courses to graduate. Please note that Transport Canada accreditation requires both a minimum B grade in every course and an absentee rate of less than five per cent of the total program hours. Graduates who meet attendance requirements, project completion requirements, and attain 70 per cent in each course, are granted up to 18 months credit towards their Aircraft Maintenance Engineer’s licence (E rating).

Upon avionics program graduation, students go on to work as technicians whose jobs include: maintaining engine operations, flight patterns, navigation systems, radio communications and weather radar systems. In addition, they inspect, test and double-check electrical power distribution and control as well as flight instrumentation.

Communications Training at Centennial College Includes Social Media

“What we try to do is hone your skills so we can get you connected to the world of public relations/ corporate communications in the Toronto market, which is a highly competitive market,” says Christine Smith, the program coordinator for Centennial College’s public relations/ Communication Skill Training. “Like most college programs, we do have an eight-week field placement. One of the neat things about our field placement is that it is in the final eight weeks of their two-semester program. Our program is probably one of the leading-edge PR programs that’s incorporating social media. When they leave, they’ll have a portfolio that shows everything from a news release to their own blog to producing an event with a team. More importantly, they can go to their employers and say, ‘I can advise you on social media.’”

Let’s take a closer look at the Centennial College public relations program (officially known as Corporate Communications and Public Relations) based on Christine’s description. The one-year program is geared towards graduate students. Therefore, applicants are required to possess an official transcript demonstrating proof of successful completion of a post-secondary diploma or degree program. Applicants will also be required to attend an information session that includes writing and editing exercises and will have to submit a portfolio of writing and a resume. Those who can present a combination of partial post-secondary education (two year minimum) and relevant work experience may also be considered for Centennial College’s Communications Training.

Once in the undertaking, students learn to research, write, plan, edit, design and implement everything from strategic communications plans and employee newsletters to gala dinners for hundreds of people. They also learn to create communications strategies that influence employee attitudes, shift stockholders’ opinions and tell an organization’s story to the media. Specific corporate communications courses covered in the program include: Public Relations Writing (in a writing lab using computers, students practice writing news and feature stories typically found in internal corporate publications, news releases for the media, fact sheets, backgrounders, and reports); Media Relations (developing familiarity with media directories, creating targeted media lists, pitching stories to the media, monitoring media coverage, framing answers to questions from the media and designing special events to attract media attention are examined and practiced); Design and Layout (students develop visual sensibilities based on the fundamentals of effective design); and more.

In addition to the in-school corporate communications courses, students in communications training participate in an eight-week field placement. This placement offers them the opportunity to apply the knowledge they learned within the program and to get a glimpse at the field they will enter upon graduating from the public relations program.

According to an April 2009 survey on PayScale.com, the median salary for a PR manger is $65,959.

Biotechnology College Program Offers Career Variety Upon Graduation

Would it surprise you to know that all you need to apply for the Biotechnology College program at Centennial College is: an Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) or equivalent, or mature student status (19 years or older); English Grade 12 C or U or equivalent, or skills assessment; Math Grade 11 M or U or Grade 12 C or U, or equivalent, or skills assessment; and an interest in starting your career in the position of quality control technician for reputable companies? Well, get ready to be surprised because those are the only application requirements for the Biotechnology Technician – Industrial Microbiology program, which takes two years to complete.

Once students are accepted, they enter a program that is so reputable it has obtained two important accreditations. First, the Canadian Council of Technicians and Technologists nationally accredits this biotechnology college program. In addition, the Ontario Association of Certified Engineering Technicians and Technologists recognizes the Biotechnology Technician - Industrial Microbiology program as meeting all the academic requirements for certification in the Technician Category. These national accreditations support program quality and provide mobility for graduates. In addition, the biotechnology technician offering is a repeat recipient of the Centennial College President’s Academic Program Recognition Award for outstanding student satisfaction.

The program itself is conducted out of Centennial College’s Morningside Campus, which is the most high-tech campus of the college’s four locations. This is a good thing because as a student named Mohammed describes, there is a lot of hands-on learning. “The program basically involves the study of microorganisms in detail as to the characteristics of the microorganisms, where they’re found, what they are, their names, their length and shape,” he says. “The labs, for sure, are very exciting as it involves hands-on [practice]. For example, there are labs that involve staining of samples or streaking of streak plates.”

Some highlights of the biotechnology college undertaking include: practical training in industrial microbiology as well as chemistry (analytical and organic) and biochemistry; isolating, enumerating and identify microorganisms from many types of samples (water, soil, air, your body, food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic products); preparing specimens for staining; becoming proficient in aseptic handling of materials; accurately calibrating and using a range of instruments such as pH and BOD meters, Gas Chromatographs, spectrophotometers (regular/IR/UV), HPLC’s etc.; preparing microbiological media and reagents and culture pathogenic microbes; designing and performing microbiology experiments; and using microorganisms to assay pharmaceutical products.

Specific courses in this Biotechnology Technician offering include: Chemistry, Occupational Health & Safety, Microcomputer Applications for Technology, Mathematics, Lab Instrumentation, Statistics for Applied Science, Food Microbiology, Organic Chemistry, Analytical Chemistry and more.

Once students graduate, they become Biotechnology technicians (also known as bench technicians), and have the responsibility of assuring quality control in areas of manufacturing such as food, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics. Companies that have hired students of the Biotechnology Technician program include: Kisko Products, Hermann Laue Spice Company, Apotex Inc., Agropur - Divisional Natrel, Mill Street Brewery, MAXXAM Analytics, Campbell Soup Company, bioMerieux Analytics, Griffith Laboratories and Cosmetica Laboratories Inc.

Graduates may also apply for certification through the Ontario Association of Certified Engineering Technicians and Technologists (OACETT) to use the following professional designation: CTech (Certified Technician).

Court Clerk Training Offers Many Law-Related Career Options

Imagine finding employment with prestigious institutions such as The Ministry of the Attorney General (Ontario Court of Justice, Ontario Superior Court of Justice), municipal courts, tribunals and boards, official examiners, and court reporting services. It’s possible if you’re interested in becoming a court clerk and attend Court Clerk training at Centennial College, which includes the all-important municipal court training aspect. In these various places of employments, court clerks have a multi-faceted role that includes the implementation of courtroom procedures, in addition to working with judges, lawyers and other courtroom personnel. The court clerk training at Centennial (officially known as Court Support Services) is so respected that even professionals from the Ministry of the Attorney General are singing its praises. “We look forward to the opportunity of working with the graduates of the Centennial College Court Support Services program,” says Ali Maqbool, Supervisor, Court Operations, Family & Small Claims Court, Ministry of the Attorney General.

Taking just two semesters to complete, the undertaking is designed as a certificate program on the recommendation of the Ministry of the Attorney General. Applicants interested in Court Clerk Training must have completed at minimum an Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) or equivalent or be 19 years of age or older. Academic requirements include compulsory English 12 or U, or skills assessment, or equivalent. Applicants must demonstrate an acceptable level of English language proficiency in order to be considered for admission. Applicants whose first language is not English, and who have studied in an English language school system, for less than three full years may meet English proficiency requirements by providing satisfactory results an English Language Proficiency test.

Once they are in the program, students are introduced to the procedural rules, municipal court training, court reporting and transcribing as well as specific laws such as family law and criminal law. The courses within the offering are led by experienced court clerk training faculty members who work within the court system and provide students with the legal and practical hands-on learning through small class sizes, newly upgraded computer labs, simulated courtroom settings, and practical, career-oriented assignments. In addition to in-class learning, court clerk training at Centennial College sees students take numerous trips to the various courtrooms and tribunals in order for them to see first-hand exactly how their career roles work. Lastly, the program offers a practical on-the-job experience. “The unique thing about [this court clerk training] is that it contains a practicum portion. We have an assimilated courtroom within Centennial College, so the students will actually be able to practice taking an oath and presenting before judges,” says Patty-Ann Sullivan, the program coordinator.

In order to graduate from the court clerk training program, with its focus on Municipal Court Training, students are required to attain a minimum C grade average and an overall minimum GPA of 2.0.

Master Menu Management and Much More in the Hospitality Management Program

Do you possess an Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) or equivalent, or have mature student status (19 years or older)? Have you completed your English Grade 12 C or U or equivalent, or skills assessment? Do you have an interest in the food industry? If you answered ‘yes’ to these questions, you career path may benefit from attending the Hospitality Management program at Centennial College. And now is a great time to get training as The Canadian Tourism Human Resource Council (CTHRC) anticipates that the food and beverage services sector will grow to employ 1.95-million people by 2015. The CTHRC has also reported that 68 per cent of employees within this sector are young Canadians.

At Centennial College, student spends two years in the Hospitality Management – Restaurant and Catering program (as it is officially known) and graduate with an Ontario College Diploma. “The instructors imparted all the necessary knowledge and shared their experiences that are needed to be successful in the hospitality industry,” says Bertrand Yeung a program graduate. These Hospitality Management Program instructors lead students through a combination of theory and practical training that includes business practices in accounting, purchasing, human resources, supervision and cost control. More specifically, the training covers courses such as Purchasing for the Commercial Kitchen (designed to demonstrate to the learner the procedures required to build an integrated purchasing system for food and non-food items. The learner will investigate the responsibilities of the purchaser and learn to apply quality standards and ethical conduct); Menu Management (participants in this practical, hands on course will examine the concept of the menu as a marketing tool, it’s design and layout and how to evaluate its effectiveness and profitability); Dining Room Management (students examine how the dining room manager is responsible for establishing the standards of service, motivating, monitoring, recognizing and training staff and for providing the environment, equipment and tools necessary for them to be able to exceed customer’s expectations); and more.

In addition, students have access to the facilities on Ashtonbee Campus that help them obtain hands-on experience. These hospitality management program facilities include a hospitality management centre and real restaurant called Horizons at which students serve and learn to deal with real customers.

Lastly, a 15-week field placement is required for students of the Hospitality Management program. This course provides two days per week of meaningful work experience in approved positions within the food and beverage industry, enabling students to better understand the dynamics of the industry, increase their knowledge of industry practices and obtain a competitive advantage of experience in the job market. The hospitality management program industry partners include: Cara, Darden Restaurants, Red Lobster, Prime Restaurants, Shoeless Joe’s, The Keg, SIR Corp., cruise lines and hotels.

Lastly, should qualified students wish to continue their education, they can do so with the hospitality management program’s articulated partners: Athabasca University, International Hotel Management Institute (Switzerland), Vancouver Island University, University of New Brunswick and Royal Roads University (B.C.).

Complete Business Marketing Training In Three Years

Do you have an interest in managing the links between an organization and its customers? Have you completed an Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) or equivalent, or mature student status (19 years or older); English Grade 12 C or U or equivalent, or skills assessment and Math Grade 11 C, M or U, or Grade 12 C or U or equivalent or skills assessment? If you answered ‘yes’ to these questions then you may want to consider attending the Business Marketing Training at Centennial College, officially known as Business Administration – Marketing.

This three-year offering emphasizes a broad-based training in business. Thanks to this approach, it readies students for a variety of careers within marketing, while also covering specific business marketing training skills such as marketing research, marketing communications (which includes advertising and promotion), interactive marketing (which includes direct marketing, e-marketing and customer relationship management) and brand planning. As a result, students of this business marketing training go onto become sales representatives, direct marketing coordinators, marketing research analysts, sales and promotion coordinators, assistant product managers, and customer relationship managers.

Students benefit from a dynamic and interactive environment that is facilitated by experienced faculty members who encourage learning through case studies, guest lectures, presentations, projects, and computer simulations and technologies. In addition, the Marketing program, which includes Product Marketing Training, is facilitated from Progress Campus, which houses many other business courses and allows for networking and interacting with peers from similar programs.

The business marketing training sees students, in their first semester, completing courses that are common to most Centennial College business programs. In this first year, courses include: Strategies for Business Success, Fundamentals of Business, Microcomputer Applications Software, Business Operations and more. Once they are comfortable and have a solid business foundation, students partake in more specialized business marketing training. This is achieved through courses such as Interactive Marketing (focuses on those marketing strategies that are fast emerging as key to effectively communicating with today’s consumers. Interactive marketing, as developed in this course, concentrates on three interrelated components: relationship marketing, direct marketing, and digital marketing); Professional Selling (intended to provide background to the development of successful sales presentation skills that will enhance participants’ ability to develop sales presentations to satisfy customer needs and wants. Emphasis will be placed on pre-selling activities, techniques and procedures to use during the sales interaction and post sales activity); Principles of Marketing (provides an overview of contemporary marketing, emphasizing the management of the product/service, price, promotion and distribution areas of an organization within a changing environment); and more.

Business marketing training at Centennial College is rounded out through a real-life experience called an industry project feature. Participation in this feature includes students working in team setting on a real project that is sponsored by an entrepreneurial endeavour, small business or major company. This is the students’ opportunity to show potential employers how well they work under pressure and in a professional situation.

To graduate from Centennial College’s business marketing training, students must maintain a C grade average and an overall GPA of 2.0.

Kitchen Management Courses Help to Launch a Hospitality Career

“The key skills we learn are sanitation, for one — always being clean and making sure there’s no chance that anything can be contaminated,” says Keith Ali of the hospitality program at Centennial College called Hospitality Operations – Kitchen Management. “Also, customer service — always put your customers first and know that they’re happy with their meals and they get what they paid for. [One day a week], we come in and we usually have to run the kitchen on our own. We get graded on how well we run the kitchen.”

While Keith offers great insight into this undertaking from a student’s perspective, let’s take a closer look at some of the details. First and foremost, this hospitality program takes one year to complete and results in an Ontario College Certificate, and the Smart Serve program and the National Sanitation Training certificates. To attend its Kitchen Management Courses, applicants must have completed at minimum an Ontario Secondary School Diploma or equivalent or be 19 years of age or older. Students must also have attended the compulsory English 12C or U or skills assessment or equivalent. It should be noted that possession of minimum admission requirements does not guarantee admission to the hospitality program.

This hospitality program and its kitchen management courses are designed to offer students a range of hands-on kitchen experience as well as business practices in accounting, human resources and supervision. Within their hospitality courses, students learn skills such as sanitation, hygiene and safety as well as quantity food preparation, practical supervision of food production, customer service, human resources and career planning, hospitality accounting, practical math, purchasing for the commercial kitchen and many others.

Meanwhile, hands-on practice in the school’s on-campus living lab-restaurant called Horizons allows students to interact with real diners and customers. This practice prepares students for their last semester Hospitality Program field placement. This opportunity provides meaningful work experience in approved jobs within the food service industry, enabling students to relate classroom theory to the practical world, while adding another educational dimension to their career preparation. Field placement enables learners to better understand the dynamics of the industry, increase their knowledge of industry practices and provides a competitive advantage of experience in the job market.

Students who have attended Centennial College’s kitchen management courses and hospitality courses have two options. First, they have the opportunity to stream into the second year of Centennial’s two-year Food and Beverage Management program. This further study will provide them with different opportunities and more knowledge. Secondly, they may enter the hospitality operations field as food operations managers — a position that sees them planning, organizing and directing a varied staff of food service personnel in a many types of food service operations, including catering and banquet, restaurants or specialty snack food service. Specific duties include: planning work programs, staffing for cash food service, interviewing and hiring employees, training employees, reviewing inventory, requesting and purchasing food supplies, planning menus and price points, supervising operations, observing quality of service and other such daily tasks.

Continuing Your Education To Advance Your Career

Sometimes, attending school isn't as simple as choosing a program and coming to campus five times a week for eight hours at a time. Sometimes, life gets in the way with jobs, other responsibilities, family duties, lack of money, a low GPA from high school and other such issues affecting your ability to obtain a full-time education. However, for those who are determined to advance their post-secondary credentials, continuing education is the best option. This route is created with flexibility in mind. It allows students a number of ways to obtain their education. For example, students can attend classes on-campus during the evenings and weekends or they can take their program entirely online.

With 160 continuing education program options, Centennial College's School of Continuing Education is a reliable choice that guarantees you graduate with a credential that will not only advance your career but is also well known in the field. These programs are offered at Centennial College's four centrally-located — Ashtonbee, Progress, Morningside and the Centre for Creative Communications. In addition, each campus houses specific Schools of study so that you are able to mingle and network with other students in your field. Studying on-campus offers features such as fully-equipped facilities, a classroom setting, group projects, labs, presentations and more.

If, however, travelling to campus is not an option for you, Centennial College offers another continuing education option. Known as Distance Learning, it is facilitated online through instructor-led study enabling students to work through course material and assignments in their own time and space, with 24-hour access to the online classroom. Online course delivery saves travel time, while still enjoying similar in-person benefits of a physical classroom such as: a qualified and industry-experienced instructor, communication tools, discussion boards and forums, a sense of email access with your classmates, digital assignment capability, and more.

All programs facilitated through the continuing education school have their own prerequisites and it's best to check each individual program's page to ensure that you have the necessary requirements to apply. It should also be noted that within certain programs there might be qualification requirements and costs for external accreditations, designations, certifications or recognitions. These are set by the granting bodies and not by Centennial College. In order to qualify for any of those external accreditations, designations, certification or recognition, students and graduates will need to follow the processes and meet the applicable requirements listed on the websites and materials of those external bodies. You'll be able to find more information when you apply online for the Continuing Education program of your choice. So just what types of programs are offered? Areas of study include: accounting, business, computer and information technology, early childhood education, fitness, media and design, health studies, and much more.

With nearly 22,000 learners each year in 160 programs that feature more than 1,200 courses and have a 97 per cent learner satisfaction, it is clear that Centennial College has a proud continuing education reputation.

Tourism Administration Prepares You For a Variety of Careers

“It’s a mixture of the hospitality side, where you get to learn about how the hotel operates from scratch, … and after that you get to learn how the tourism industry operates,” says Lexina, a graduate of the hospitality administration (officially known as Hospitality and Tourism Administration) at Centennial College. “Some of the program is labs and some of it is classes. After you finally finish your program, you go into co-op as well — depending on whether you choose it or not. I learned how to put together an event because for a final project for one of my classes, we had put together an event for graduation. I learned how to work with other people and time management was a factor as well.”

While Lexina does a great job of offering her perspective on the three-year Hospitality and Tourism Administration program, let’s take a closer look. First and foremost, to apply students must have completed an Ontario Secondary School Diploma or equivalent or be 19 years of age or older. They must also possess compulsory English 12C or U or skills assessment, or equivalent.

Designed for those planning to build their futures in the tourism industry, this Hospitality Administration program truly reflects Canada’s second largest employment sector, which provides a diverse range of career opportunities. Courses cover a full range of business practices in marketing, human resources, finance and industry operations — as applied to the entire hospitality and tourism field. Students also gain valuable work experience through an individualized industry internship that is meant to provide a practical foundation for their career.

Specific courses within the Tourism Administration undertaking include: Kitchen and Dining Room Practices (learners experience a combination of food preparation and service theory reinforced by the actual practice of the concepts learned); Human Resources For Hospitality and Tourism Administrators (designed to introduce students to a variety of tasks and functions of a human resources department employee, administrator and manager in the current hospitality and tourism business environments); Hospitality and Tourism Marketing (students define marketing, distinguish between product and services marketing and demonstrate an understanding of consumer behaviour, market segmentation, the marketing mix and their application to the marketing plan); and more.

In addition to their courses, students have access to many on-campus resources that enhance learning, including a full-service hospitality management centre, on-site conference centre and state-of-the-art computer labs.

Once they successfully complete their Ontario College Advanced Diploma from Centennial College, students have two options. First, qualified graduates may be eligible to participate in an articulated program with selected universities, institutes and professional associations. These partnerships allow graduates to apply academic credit towards further study. The hospitality administration’s partners are: Athabasca University, International Hotel Management Institute (Switzerland), Ryerson University, Southern New Hampshire University (U.S.A.), University of Calgary, University of New Brunswick and more. The second option is for graduates to enter the field and find jobs in hotel and restaurant general management, human resources management, sales and marketing management, convention services coordination and tour coordination. The tourism industry boasts revenue in excess of $61.4-billion from 60,000 different companies that employ over 1.66-million Canadians coast-to-coast.

Graduate from Food and Nutrition Management in Just Two Years

“It’s not really a hospitality focus but it’s food service operations so the students do some cooking,” explains Bonnie Jasper program coordinator for the Food and Nutrition Management program at Centennial College. “We have four food labs in the program and there’s one in each semester. Although we’re not hospitality or culinary focused if you’re going to do a diet history on a client and they say they eat tuna and brussel sprouts, we need to know what those foods are. In order to be employed as a dietary manager and nutrition technician, you need to be a member of the Canadian Society of Nutrition Management. That’s what makes our Food and Nutrition Management program great, we accredited.”

Jasper gives a great overall look at this undertaking that is offered at Centennial College in the form of a two-year program and results in an Ontario College Diploma. Let’s take a closer look at her observations. First and foremost, it should be noted that to apply, you must present at minimum an Ontario Secondary School Diploma or equivalent or be 19 years of age or older. In addition, you must have compulsory English 12C or U or skills assessment, or equivalent and Math 11M or U or 12C or U or skills assessment, or equivalent.

As Jasper mentioned, the Food and Nutrition Management program holds an accreditation from the Canadian Society of Nutrition Management (CSNM). This ensures that graduates are automatically eligible for membership in the CSNM and OSNM (Ontario Society of Nutrition Management). CSNM membership is a requirement of the Ontario’s Ministry of Health and Long Term Care to work in a long-term care facility and most acute care facilities. With this accreditation comes a focus on Food Service Program and food and nutrition management that is taught through theory-based lectures and hands-on applications, during which students participate in on-campus food labs. Using Centennial’s Hospitality Management Centre for these labs, students learn the practical aspects of quantity food preparation and service and conduct experiments to learn the physical food properties. They also learn about topics such as: Principles of Sanitation, Safety and Hygiene; Kitchen Production, Introduction to Food Services, Food Properties Analysis, Mathematics for Food Service Management, Perspectives on Human Aging and much more.

To complement in-school study, students spend the final seven weeks of the Food and Nutrition Management program in a supervised work experience in a health care facility. The placement provides students with work experience to develop the managerial skills required to fulfill an entry-level position in the health care, food/nutrition industry upon graduation. These positions include dietary managers, nutrition technicians, food and nutrition managers, food service coordinators and quality control technicians.

An Inclusive Environment is Offered Through Child Studies Courses

Do you feel like your needs for ESL sensitivity are not being met? Do you wish to study in an inclusive environment where the teaching staff understands your needs? Does your interest lie in learning to be active in the community, in Child Studies Training or in a volunteer management program? If you answered yes to any of these questions then the Community and Child Studies Foundations program at Toronto’s Centennial College may be for you as it covers child studies courses, general English studies and more. It was created specifically with Canadian newcomers in mind to help them not only overcome communication obstacles but excel in further studies.

Taking just two semesters to complete, the undertaking is essentially a pathway for pursuing a career in the community services and child studies department. That’s because it offers the solid academic foundation students need to take on the more challenging and advanced courses of program such as Early Childhood Education, Child and Youth Worker, Developmental Service Worker, Community and Justice Services, Police Foundations, Recreation and Leisure Services and Social Service Worker. When students successfully complete the program, they obtain an Ontario College Certificate and apply to a Centennial College program of their choice.

Getting you to the academic level where you are prepared for these advanced child studies courses or volunteer management courses is executed in a number of ways. Firstly, it is ensured that you have the opportunity to develop academic and professional skills and attitudes, as well as be aware of the personal requirements needed to facilitate success in your program of choice or in the varied careers within the Community Services and Child Studies fields. In addition, you will participate in reflective practice to facilitate professional skill development, while enhancing communication competence in all language strands. Faculty members who are experienced in both Community and Child studies conduct all of the courses within the program. These faculty members not only support and guide you, they also utilize ESL collaborative teaching approaches.

Specific community and Child Studies Courses topics in this program include: development of communication skills, basic overview of community and child studies, interpersonal skills, professional practice and ethics, psychology, health and first aid and others.

Applying for Community and Child Studies Foundations is simple. All you have to do is present at minimum an Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) or equivalent or be 19 years of age or older. You must also have completed the compulsory English 12C or U or skills assessment or equivalent. However, possession of minimum admission requirements does not guarantee admission to the program. Please be advised that the program is only open for admission to applicants who have been advised and assisted to register by the Centennial College Assessment and Advising Centre. You cannot apply directly to ontariocolleges.ca for admission to this program.

Developmental Services Workers Ensure Purpose in People’s Lives

In the province of Ontario, many organizations are hiring developmental services workers with training from Centennial College. These organizations include:

Community Living, Durham District School Board, Frontier College, Kerry’s Place, Toronto District School Board, York Region School Board and many, many others. Graduates of this undertaking are trusted and well-respected in the field as they are able to support the promotion and maintenance of health and well-being; promote the development of inclusive communities; display competent, responsible and professional behaviour and attitudes; identify and use personal development resources and activities that promote professional growth; facilitate the development of everyday skills; and provide support with respectful and empowering approaches. This DSW program enables the graduate to fill a variety of work roles (i.e. educational assistant, support worker, residential support worker and employment supporter).

Developmental Services Worker (DSWs) support individuals with developmental disabilities in a variety of settings, including school, work and home. They are, essentially, responsible for linking people with intellectual disabilities to their communities to ensure that they are valued members of society.

Taking two years to complete, the Centennial College program for developmental services workers focuses on balancing practical knowledge (through community observations, real-life examples, field placements) with theory (via projects and lectures) with a curriculum that reflects current issues and developments in the field. The emphasis of the undertaking is on understanding the nature of intellectual disabilities, personal support requirements and technique, communication and facilitation skills, critical and reflective thinking, team skills, time management and accessing resources. Specific topics covered include: Interpersonal Skill Development, Introduction to Disability, Valued Social Roles, Social Psychology, Pharmacology, History of Disability, Readings in Disability and more.

In addition to this training, students of the developmental services worker program also take part in two supervised field placements in semester three (two days per week) and semester four (three days per week). During this experience, students spend time in community organizations applying what they have learned in the classroom while gaining new knowledge by actively working with clients. Certain field placement agencies may require a criminal reference check prior to student placement. Certain criminal convictions may disallow placement in these agencies and program completion may not be possible.

If students want to further their education in the field of developmental services workers, they can do so by participating in articulated program with selected universities, institutes and professional associations. If they are eligible, these partnerships allow them to apply academic credit towards further study. The partner of the Developmental Services Worker program is Ryerson University (Disability Studies). Graduates with a B grade average or better can apply to Ryerson’s two-year post-diploma degree completion program, Bachelor of Applied Arts in Disability Studies.

College expects applicants to present at minimum an Ontario Secondary School Diploma or equivalent or be 19 years of age or older. Having completed compulsory English 12C or U or skills assessment, or equivalent is also necessary. English proficiency will be considered in the admissions process and a program admission session may also be required.

Complete Massage Therapy Training in Three Years

“This Massage Therapy program is a three year offering that takes the students from beginning stages of performing massage therapy,” says Laurie Copeland, a faculty member at Centennial College’s Massage Therapy Training. “It includes anatomy, physiology, pathophysiology, neuroanatomy, neuropathology and leads right into sports injuries, orthopedic injuries. Because we are pretty much self-employed once we get our license, the employment rate is 100 per cent. Other than that, studies or follow-ups of our grads have shown that they have secured some form of employment.”

While Laurie does an excellent job of providing an overview of the Message Therapy program, let’s take a closer look at specific details. Those who are interested in applying, must have completed at least an Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) or equivalent or be 19 years of age or older. They must also have finished the compulsory English 12C or U or skills assessment, or equivalent; Biology 11C, M or U, or 12C, M or U or equivalent and one of the following sciences: 11C, M or U, or 12 C, M or U Chemistry or Physics, or Exercise Science or equivalent. After receiving an offer of admission, students will receive a document to be completed by a doctor or a nurse who will confirm that the student meets the health requirements of legislated acts, ministry guidelines and agency policies.

Once they enter the Massage Therapy training, students will discover that the focus is on the assessment and hands-on treatment of the muscles, fascia and joints of the body to improve or maintain optimal physical health, function and mobility. As a result, students learn and implement a variety of techniques including: Swedish massage, facial and rhythmic techniques, trigger point therapy, remedial exercise, stretching techniques, wax baths, whirlpools and steam cabinets. In addition to courses such as Nutrition and Lifestyle Practices, Therapeutic Relationships, Fitness and Remedial Exercises, Issues & Research Literacy in Massage Therapy, students also obtain hands-on learning in an on-site Massage Therapy Clinic. In this clinic, students interact directly with clients who come with a wide range of complaints while having the guidance and support of an experienced Registered Massage Therapist faculty member.

Qualified graduates of the Massage Therapy training may write the registration examinations administered by the College of Massage Therapists of Ontario to qualify for Registered Massage Therapist (RMT) designation. Upon graduation, students are prepared to: consult patients about their medical histories and any stress or pain-related problems to determine whether massage would be helpful; develop treatments that specify which types of massages are to be used, as there are many modules; assess clients’ soft tissue condition, joint quality and function, muscle strength and range of motion; implement a variety of techniques including; maintain treatment records and consult with other health care professionals such as physiotherapists, chiropractors, physicians and psychologists in order to develop further treatment plans for the client.