Friday, December 30, 2011

Centennial College’s School of Hospitality Is About Nationally Respected Training

If you’re looking for a School of Hospitality that offers its students skills that are applicable anywhere in Canada, look no further than Centennial College. Now is a great time to consider a career in hospitality as last year, 19.6 million people took overnight trips to Canada and professionals are needed in accommodation, food and beverage, transportation, travel services, and recreation and entertainment, to ensure that tourists are return.

The first public college established in Toronto, Centennial College has been training students since 1966. Its School of Hospitality is well respected for ensuring that any program under its umbrella teaches students business topics (marketing, human resources, finance, and industry operations) in addition to hospitality-specific ones. In addition, many of the School of Hospitality offerings include a hands-on component such as a field placement or internship during which students apply what they have learned in-class and obtain new knowledge.

Intake for the programs in the School of Hospitality occurs three times a year with start dates varying from year to year but generally occurring in late August or early September, early January and early May. Classes finish at the end of April or early May, depending on the calendar, unless a student chooses to fast track and take summer courses. Students are timetabled for approximately 20 to 25 hours per week, with classes being scheduled between 8:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m.

School of Hospitality programs are conducted out of Progress Campus, which has many on-campus facilities and tools to ensure that students gain hands-on experience prior to graduation. For example, students may train for the food and beverage or restaurant management industries at the on-campus Horizon Restaurant. At this living lab, students learn everything from preparing freshly made food and serving to scheduling, reservation recommendations and menu management. In addition to the restaurant, School of Hospitality students also practice their skills at the Centennial Conference Centre. Comprised of eight meeting rooms (including two large ballrooms and a variety of meeting rooms), it provides ample opportunity for students to have real life encounters. Uniformed in traditional black attire, students take pride in their work, paying attention to the smallest details and ensuring that every event is truly flawless.

The combination of academic learning and hands-on practice described is offered to students via full-time School of Hospitality programs such as: Event Management (Festival and Conference); Food & Beverage Management (Food and Beverage Management, Kitchen Management, Baking – Commercial Bakeries); Hotel and Resort Management (Hospitality Foundations, Hospitality Services, Hotel and Resort Management, and Hotel, Resort and Restaurant Management); and Tourism & Travel Operations (Hospitality and Tourism Administration, Tourism Management – Cultural and Heritage Tourism, Culture and Heritage Site Management, and Tourism & Travel).

Programs offered at the School of Hospitality vary in prerequisites. It is recommended that students carefully note the requirements of their program of choice before applying.

Bioinformatics Courses Result in Futuristic Career

Do job titles such as bioinformatics analyst, bioinformatics and research technician, application, software or database developer; and bioinformatics software developer interest you? Have you completed a college advanced diploma or university degree in computer science, software engineering or related discipline? Can you offer proof of English proficiency as well as a transcript of your college record and resume? If you answered ‘yes’ to these questions, you may want to consider attending bioinformatics courses at Centennial College in Toronto, Ont.

Before we look at the bioinformatics courses of Centennial College, let’s take a look at the field and what entails. Bioinformatics is an exciting new area that merges biology with information technology and computers. It uses the creation and advancement of databases, algorithms, computational and statistical techniques and theory to solve formal and practical problems arising from the management and analysis of biological data. Recently, there has been a demand for professionals who have attended bioinformatics courses at a reputable post-secondary institution. This demand actually exceeds supply, and employment is found at research centers, universities, private companies and government institutions. However, skills in bioinformatics can also be utilized in the pharmaceutical, agricultural and environmental industries and in all areas of biotechnology.

Centennial College’s bioinformatics courses prepare students for work in all of these places in a concentrated training format, which is completed in 12 months and results in a post-degree bioinformatics certificate. Due to its pace, this program (officially known as Bioinformatics for Software Professionals) is targeted to students with existing software backgrounds. Faculty members who lead the bioinformatics courses in the program are knowledgeable and approachable with diverse business experience and academic credentials and encourage a mature learning environment.

Meanwhile the bioinformatics courses themselves are intensive, hands-on and problem-based. They include course work and an individual research thesis. Specific bioinformatics courses within the program include: Molecular Biology and Genomics (students are introduced to the exciting field of molecular biology through an analysis of its origins, exploration of its key concepts, and an investigation into its future potential. Topics covered include genes, genomes, functional genomics, and the major tools and techniques used in the field of molecular biology); Current Topics in Bioinformatics (introduces “culture” of bioinformatics through an analysis of current applications and exciting advances in the field. Subject matter will vary based on invited guests, but may include topics in comparative genomics, pharmacogenomics, microbial genomics, systems biology or environmental bioinformatics); Database Design and Biological Data Management (students design, utilize, and integrate biological databases to facilitate novel approaches for biological data management, retrieval and analysis. Students also evaluate major database implementation issues and demonstrate software project management skills); and more.

To balance these in-school bioinformatics courses, this program also has a co-op component, which gives students a unique skill set and training that are in high demand in the field. Upon graduation students who have completed all of the bioinformatics courses at Centennial College have been hired by: OICR, Ontario health network, Ontario hospitals and the provincial government.

Monday, December 19, 2011

Creativity, Business Skills and Strategic Thinking Developed in Advertising Programs

“Centennial College’s three-year Advertising program is a journey, to say the least,” says graduate Andrew Learner of one of Ontario’s respected advertising programs. “It gives students an unparalleled opportunity to grow and learn — from bright young students into capable young professionals. Centennial is a school that isn’t rooted in the past. It teaches the concepts of traditional and cutting edge advertising, applied practically to what’s relevant today. As I continue to grow in my field today, I use the fundamental knowledge I learned from Centennial to approach and complete everything I do!”

If you want to have an experience similar to Andrew’s while preparing yourself with the critical skills you need to succeed in the advertising field, you may want to consider applying to Centennial College’s advertising program. Now is a great time to do so as the Bureau of Labour Statistics estimates employment will increase by 13 per cent through 2018. As an applicant, you are expected to present at minimum an Ontario Secondary School Diploma or equivalent or be 19 years or older. Another academic requirement is the possession of compulsory English 12C or U credits or skills assessment or equivalent. Lastly, attending a program admission session is highly recommended.

Once you are accepted, you will discover an Advertising program led by a team of seasoned advertising instructors who possess vast experience in the industry. Starting out using a generalized curriculum that covers all areas of the field, these professionals will help you develop your instincts and strategic abilities while learning to meet deadlines in a professional and creative environment. In the three years, you’ll learn the entire advertising process, including: research, developing strategies, campaign planning, copywriting, production, media planning and buying. Also, firm deadlines, multi-tasking, working under pressure and delivering professional presentations are all real-life scenarios taught through the advertising program at Centennial. Specific courses within the advertising program include: Interactive Communications, Broadcast Buying and Measurement, Copywriting, Administration and Finance, Advertising Campaign Management, Advertising Issues, Professional Practice, Strategic Planning, Digital and Social Media and more. In your fifth semester, you’ll enter a specialized stream that provides advanced learning in copywriting, media planning and buying or account service.

To round out on-campus training, the Advertising program also offers an industry field placement in the last semester that will see you applying your knowledge in an advertising firm. This is also an opportunity to network.

Companies that have hired advertising programs graduates include: Agency 58 ninety, Boom Marketing, Grey Canada, MacLaren McCann, Saatchi and Saatchi, Starcom and more. Graduates pursue careers in account management, media buying and planning, marketing, copywriting, production, direct marketing, promotions and event marketing.

According to the Bureau of Labour Statistics, in 2008, over 80 per cent of advertising, marketing, promotions, public relations, and sales managers worked 40 hours or more a week.

Friday, December 16, 2011

Honda Technicians Have an Important Job

In the automotive word, Honda Motor Company and its Honda technicians have done quite well. Not only has Honda been the world’s largest motorcycle manufacturer since 1959, it’s also the world’s largest manufacturer of internal combustion engines measured by volume, producing more than 14 million internal combustion engines each year. As of August 2008, Honda surpassed Chrysler as the fourth largest automobile manufacturer in the United States. Honda is the sixth largest automobile manufacturer in the world. If you are interested in working for this company, you may want to consider attending Honda technician training at Centennial College.

The Honda technicians employed by dealerships have a variety of tasks, including: diagnosing problems using Honda diagnostic equipment; performing repairs and preventive maintenance on engines, transmissions, electrical systems, brakes and tires. Honda technicians also conduct vehicle inspections. All of these skills are taught at Centennial College, which sees students of the Automotive Service Technician Honda Canada Inc. AHAP MAP32 Apprenticeship (as it is officially known) alternate between the College and their employer for a total of 64 weeks (32 weeks with each). The length of the program offers students more in-depth and longer school sessions than those students in traditional apprenticeship programs.

During the in-school portion of the Honda technician training, students learn out of Ashtonbee Campus. This location is fully equipped with the tools that Honda technicians use in the industry as well as generously donated Honda parts and vehicles on which students can practice. The training sees an emphasis on electronics and the diagnosing of mechanical systems. All aspects of vehicle technology are embodied in the program, including electrical, body electrical, engine, transmission, steering, front-end, and all other aspects that would allow a Honda vehicle to be serviced. Specific courses presented in the Honda technician training include: Applied Work Practices and Procedures, Motor Vehicle Engine Systems, Steering, Suspension and Brakes; Electrical Electronics and Fuels, Motor Vehicle Gear Trains, and more.

After they have grasped the skills needed to enter the workforce, students spend time with their Honda employer dealing with real-life situations, networking, and shadowing professional Honda technicians who have years of experience. During this aspect of the Honda technician training, students are compensated for their work.

Applicants to the offering must possess an Ontario Secondary School Diploma or a GED or equivalent. They are also required to be employed by a Honda dealership or be selected through an interview process. Candidates may apply directly to Centennial College, with successful applicants obtaining an employer and registering as a MAP apprentice with the Apprenticeship Branch of the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities. The application for the Honda technician training can be completed online. It should be noted that acceptance is based on successful completion of all entry requirements and space is limited. Some students within the Honda technician training at Centennial College may be eligible for Employment Insurance during the in-class aspect.

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Health Informatics Program Gets You Into the Field in Three Years

“What’s unique with this particular Health Informatics program is it actually prepares software engineering trained students and teaches them what the healthcare industry is like,” says professor Sity Safario of Centennial College’s Health Informatics Technology offering. “It teaches them about healthcare structure and the health information systems that are available within it. I recommend the Health Informatics program at Centennial College for anyone who is very much interested in software engineering but also wants to help people.”


While Sity gives a great overall view of the Health Informatics program, let’s take a closer look at some specific details. First and foremost, Health informatics technology is an industry that deals with information, computer science and health care. It is concerned with the resources, devices, and methods that optimize the acquisition, storage, retrieval, and use of information in health and biomedicine. It is applied to the areas of nursing, clinical care, dentistry, pharmacy, public health and biomedical research. Graduates of Informatics Technology are able to analyze and model data, develop healthcare databases and apply different computer medical-imaging techniques. They are also able to use tools, algorithms and health informatics methods for hospitals, schools, healthcare agencies and public health departments.


To enter the Health Informatics program, Centennial College expects that applicants have completed at least an Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) or equivalent or be 19 years of age or older. Students must also possess Compulsory English 12C or U or skills assessment, or equivalent and Math 11M or U, or 12C or U, or skills assessment, or equivalent. To graduate from the program, a Minimum C grade average is required.


Once in the program, students spend three years studying Health Informatics courses that emphasize object-oriented software design methodologies, user-oriented interface design, structure of healthcare information systems, telehealth, data security and privacy in healthcare systems. The health informatics program also focuses on technologies such as C#, Java, J2EE, Oracle, MS-SQL Server, Unix/ Linux, Microsoft’s .NET, HTML/ XML, Rational/ WebSphere, Data warehousing and Data mining, and BI tools in healthcare systems and more. Specific courses within this Health Informatics program include: Programming, Software Engineering Fundamentals, Introduction to Database Concepts, Functions and Number Systems, Web Interface Design, Discrete Mathematics and more. All courses are also delivered using leading-edge technology that is geared towards industry standards. To complement theoretical learning, the offering includes two software development projects in the field of health informatics. These real world business applications require students to utilize all the technical, systems and business skills gained during their studies.


Graduates of Health Informatics Technology can work as: applications developers, health data analysts, database developers, systems implementation specialists, record assistants and business/systems analysts.