College

A New Car or a College Education?

What’s a better investment? Buying a new car or enrolling in a college program? The answer is very obvious, but too many families don’t hesitate to finance a vehicle, but they second guess the cost of post-secondary education.

SimplValidate your chose, Algonquin College, Pembroke Campusy put, buying a car is a short term purchase while enrolling in post-secondary education is a life long investment in your future.

Society has been programmed to believe that higher education is expensive and out of reach for many families, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. The recent transformation of the Ontario Student Assistance Program has made access to post-secondary training greater than it has ever been.

More grants are available for students with lower incomes, the threshold for family income eligibility for student loans has increased and the application process has been simplified. Moving forward, students will also have a much clearer picture of what their investment will need to be in their education, allowing families to have better information sooner to make their plans for college.

High School Student, Algonquin College, Pembroke Campus

The next time you see the sticker price of $25,000 or $30,000 on a new vehicle that is tempting you, just think how that money could be better spent on earning a post-secondary credential that will carry its value for the rest of your life. Going to college is often a life-changing experience for a student that propels them into a career with higher lifetime earnings, more employment opportunities, enhanced confidence, and eventually more disposable income for things like new cars.

The bottom line is a higher education credential doesn’t depreciate and if you commit to life-long learning, you’ll continue to open doors for yourself. The little black book is a certificate, diploma or degree that will maintain its value and never run out of gas.

Need more convincing, check out Algonquin College’s graduate placement report.

The Sideline Master-Pre-Apprentice Graduate Leaves His Mark on the Football Field

Aiden Maher knew it was going to be a long day when he arrived at six o’clock in the morning on November 1st at TD Place field. The Ottawa REDBLACKS were playing that evening and after a day of pelting rain and high winds, Maher understood the field would need a lot of work to get it ready for the team’s final home game of the season.

Aiden-Maher-Grad-RedblacksThe 23-year old Petawawa native had moved to Ottawa five years earlier to secure consistent work as a carpenter, but when he saw an advertisement for a job with Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group, he applied and landed a position helping to set up and tear down major events like concerts. He was working part-time in carpentry but thought the extra hours working in the entertainment business would help pay the bills.

After a few months on the job, Maher was asked, if he would be interested in helping the field preparation crew. He was curious about the work and once he started doing it, he really enjoyed it. He has now been doing it for five years as one of the organization’s leading Playing Surface Technicians, responsible for painting on both the TD Place field and the ice at the Ottawa Civic Centre.

“It’s a job that can be very demanding”, but Maher loves it. There is a lot of precision to the painting, whether it’s using a stencil to complete the Canadian Football League logo or it’s painting the numerals on the 110-yard long field. “There are some similarities in the carpentry work that I do in that you have to be really focussed to do the job well. Concentration is important,” says Maher.

After graduating from General Panet High School, Maher had enrolled in a pre-apprenticeship Construction Trades program at Algonquin College’s Pembroke Waterfront Campus in 2015. The program lasted six months and allowed Maher to complete level one of the theory portion of the carpenter apprentice training program. Students in the program also received a work placement experience, including a large group assignment to re-build Pembroke’s aging waterfront boardwalk.

Boardwalk project student group

“I enrolled because the program was free and I was always doing carpentry work when I was a kid. It was a great experience and got me started in my career,” says Maher. After finishing the program, Maher quickly found work in his trade, but when he was laid off from his job, he and his sister decided to move to the nation’s capital.

His first focus was on finding someone who would take him on as an apprentice so he could continue to hone his skills as a carpenter. It didn’t take long to find a small company that hired him on a part-time basis. That arrangement afforded him the opportunity to look for other work and that’s how he found himself on the sidelines of TD Place Field, keeping a watch on the playing surface.

On game nights, he blends in with the many other team officials who are watching from field level, standing near his alma mater, the Algonquin College Loggersports team. But, there is one thing that stands out. On this cold November night, it’s his jacket, covered in paint streaks, recognition of a hard day’s work.

Posted by Jamie Bramburger, Manager of Community and Student Affairs

The Sky’s the Limit for Forestry Students

There can be a bit of a misconception when it comes to career paths for students who study forestry. Students enrolled in the Forestry Technician and Urban Forestry – Arboriculture programs at Algonquin College’s Pembroke Campus, soon realize that the sky’s the limit when it comes to possible career opportunities after they graduate from the program.

Griffin Kozij, Urban Forestry - Arboriculture, Algonquin College, Pembroke

Take for example Griffin Kozij’s story. Before registering in the program, Kozij had operated a successful landscaping business. Now, as a recent Urban Forestry – Arboriculture graduate, Kozij is taking the skills that he learned during the 8-month program and expanding his business.

He admittedly came into the program with a love for working in the outdoors but didn’t know much about being an arborist. He now says, “It’s all about trees. You can go into the program knowing absolutely nothing and graduate as an experienced climber.”

Kozij also has some advice for others who are unsure if they will be making the right decision if they are considering a career in forestry. “Don’t let your uncertainty hold you back. If you appreciate nature and trees it is definitely a good fit. You learn about climbing, but also about how trees and a forest in our urban environment can have such a big impact and be so important,” says Kozij.

Becoming an urban forester has allowed Kozij to expand his business and customer base. He can now offer more services and he has needed to add more team members to meet client expectations. He is much more knowledgeable and appreciative of how enrolling in a forestry program can open up doors to unexpected opportunities. “There are so many avenues that you can go into – you are not just going to be a climber – there are a hundred different paths from office work, to consultation, to forest management. You can even continue your studies.”

Julian Alvarez-Barkham, Urban Forestry - Arboriculture, Algonquin College, PembrokeLeveraging previous post-secondary education and continuing his studies is exactly what Julian Alvarez-Barkham decided to do. Also an Urban Forestry – Arboriculture graduate, Alvarez-Barkham thought he would enter the forestry workforce immediately after graduating, but had a change of heart when he discovered the Masters of Forest Conservation program offered at the University of Toronto.

Although he is not getting to climb as many trees as he did during his time at Algonquin College, Alvarez-Barkham appreciates how that practical experience helped prepare him for his university studies. “The Urban Forestry – Arboriculture program helped me develop a solid foundation in dendrology, tree assessment, soils, and urban forestry that I can build upon as I further my education. The Algonquin College faculty’s passion and enthusiasm for tree care was an incredibly important aspect of my education. Their dedication has motivated me to learn more and to keep improving. Their value to the program cannot be overstated.”

Nikki Domingo, Forestry Technician, Algonquin College, Pembroke

Photo Credit: Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry

When it comes to passion for the forest and education, few programs can challenge the 50-year history of Algonquin College’s Forestry Technician program and Nikki Domingo is proof of that. Domingo graduated from the program a few years ago and says, “I wouldn’t be where I am today had it not been for the amazing schooling and networking support I received from Algonquin staff.”

This past summer, Domingo was fighting forest fires in the Pickle Lake, Ontario area. Her passion for forest firefighting was sparked during her placement in the final semester of the Forestry Technician program in 2015. She is now into her second year as a Fire Ranger Crew Boss. “My role is to apply adequate fire suppression in a safe manner while supervising the crew members.

Nikki Domingo, Forestry Technician, Algonquin College, Pembroke

Photo Credit: Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry

Some of the fires can be very intense. As a crew boss, Domingo’s role includes being a “cutter.” “When the helicopter can’t land I get out in a hover exit with a swamper and fell trees to cut a helipad. Once the helipad is cut we set up a pump and start laying hose to the fire. When we reach the fires’ edge, I jump on the nozzle and we begin to suppress and wrap the fire until it’s out.”

When all three graduates were asked if they thought they would be where they are now when they started their forestry studies, all answered no. But isn’t that the point of higher education? It opens up opportunities to transform hopes and dreams into lifelong success.

If a career in the outdoors is what you are looking for, now is the perfect time to apply to our forestry programs and start on your new path this September with us.

Alumni Experience the World and Make Us Proud

It’s amazing how far Algonquin College alumni will travel to leave their mark around the world. Whether it’s their career or personal interests that spur them to do great worldly things, the College is proud of how they have taken the Algonquin brand and are sharing it with a global audience.

Naomi Fong, Algonquin College, Pembroke CampusIn recent weeks there have been several great examples of Pembroke Campus alumni showcasing their talent on the world stage. Social Service Worker graduate, Naomi Fong, captured national headlines when she won Canada’s first medal at the Invictus Games in Sydney, Australia. The military veteran competed in several sports and made it to the podium twice, earning bronze medals in the Women’s Road Cycling competitions.

Fong, who suffers from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, was an Honours student at the college and completed her studies last spring. She served nine years in the armed forces. Preparing for and competing in the Invictus Games has given Fong a means of dealing with her illness and has also provided her with a life experience like none other. While at the Games, Fong was honoured to be the flag bearer for Team Canada, and she also had the opportunity to meet Prince Harry, founder of the games and British soccer star, David Beckham.

Alma KeuhlWhile Fong was competing in the Invictus Games, Alma Keuhl was in Turkey at the 40th World Arm Wrestling Championship. The Personal Support Worker (PSW) graduate was introduced to the sport as a young girl by her father and has competed across Canada. Keuhl had a 6th and 10th place finish, results she considers to be “Fantastic, for my first worlds,” as she took on arm wrestlers from around the globe. Now back in Canada, she is continuing her work as a PSW, sharing her arm wrestling experience with her clients, who are among her biggest fans.

Susan and Richard Schmaltz, Algonquin College, Pembroke Campus

In 2003, Practical Nursing and Early Childhood Education graduate, Susan Schmaltz, became the only Pembroke Campus alumnus to win a prestigious Premier’s Award at the annual showcase of successful Ontario college graduates. Only a handful of these awards are handed out each year. Schmaltz was recognized for her incredible humanitarian work in Guatemala where she established a charitable organization to support young children and families living in poverty.

With her husband, Richard, at her side, Schmaltz created early learning centres and schools and operated them for more than 15 years in the third world country, raising hundreds of thousands of dollars to support the most vulnerable people in Guatemala. They operated these schools within a large dump in the inner city, a place of extreme poverty. Now, she has written a book entitled, “Beyond Belief.” The book is very personal, describing the author’s spiritual journey that led her to pour her heart and soul into a life-changing experience.

The world really is a small place, but how our alumni are experiencing it, is a great story to share and it’s just the tip of the iceberg. There are many more worldly stories to be told! #BeAlgonquinProud #MakeAlgonquinProud

Posted by Jamie Bramburger, Manager of Community & Student Affairs

Giving Back!

For five decades Algonquin College’s Pembroke Campus has been an integral part of the Ottawa Valley’s economy. Our graduates have provided a constant source of employees for local businesses and have started up many new companies while our students have been active in community organizations that need volunteers. What is sometimes overlooked is the contribution the College’s students, staff and graduates make through fundraising efforts and the reciprocal benefits that come from this work.

Jason Blaine is the best known Pembroke Campus alumnus to embrace giving back. Over the past five years, his annual charity concert and golf tournament in Pembroke has raised more than $400,000 for various organizations, including the College. The Canadian Recording Artist and Business graduate had provided $100,000 through his charitable fund to the college’s capital campaign when the new Waterfront Campus was being built and then followed up by committing an additional $100,000 to establish an endowment for bursaries to support students in financial need.

Students in the Office Administration-Executive program have also embraced community service through their philanthropic efforts. To help raise awareness about homelessness in Renfrew County, the students built cardboard houses and then had to endear a driving rainstorm while they stayed overnight in their make-shift shelters. Their efforts attracted so much community interest, they raised more than $11,000 for the Grind, the centre that is supporting homeless people in Pembroke’s downtown.

 

The College has certainly been the benefactor of many donations. $2.5 million was raised to support the overall construction costs of the new campus, and many new bursaries have been established through generous community donations. There have also been donations made to renew equipment and to build training facilities on campus. Recently an anonymous donor helped fund a Personal Support Worker lab that replicates a home care setting. The Brick in Pembroke donated the furniture for the lab which will greatly contribute to better preparing graduates of the program to support the elderly in their homes.

Giving back builds stronger communities. We’re proud that Algonquin College is doing its part to get involved in fundraising projects and that the community has recognized the College’s importance to the region by continuing to support its students through financial donations for bursaries and equipment. It feels great to receive, but even better to give back.

Posted by Jamie Bramburger, Manager of Community and Student Affairs

You Missed the February 1st Application Deadline. Now What?

Ontario Colleges aggressively promote the importance of applying to a program prior to what is known as the “equal opportunity deadline” on February 1st. It certainly is an important date in the application cycle, but if you missed it, there is a silver lining.

You can still apply to college and there’s a very strong chance you will be able to register in a program for the fall of 2018.

AC's Muskrat Lake Research Team

The reason is that colleges offer dozens of programs and with such a huge menu to choose from, only a select number of college programs fall into the category of oversubscribed. Programs in health care are a good example of highly competitive programs where the February 1st deadline is very real, and those who apply later run the risk of not being admitted into the program or ending up on a waiting list.

For many other programs, colleges review applications on a first-come, first-served basis. While seats remain open, colleges will continue to make offers of admission.

Pembroke Campus, Games Day

So the best advice is to apply sooner, rather than later. While missing the February 1st deadline won’t prevent you from attending college, the longer you procrastinate, the more difficult it will be to secure a seat in a program that you are interested in.

You can apply online through the Ontario Colleges Application Service. Your $95 application fee will allow you to choose up to five college programs, including three at any one college. Post-secondary is a great investment and the bottom line is, it’s not too late to apply.

Posted by Jamie Bramburger, Manager of Community and Student Affairs

More Canadians Enrolling in Post-Secondary Education-More Needed in the Skilled Trades

As a nation, Canada is one of the most educated populations in the world. New national census data indicates that more than half (54%) of Canadians between the ages of 25 and 64 had either college or university qualifications in 2016, an increase from 48.3% from a decade earlier.

It’s a trend that Canada can be proud of, but it also sends a message to young people about the importance of continuing on to higher education. The labour market is demanding it with almost all new jobs being created requiring a post-secondary credential.

Masonry - Heritage and Traditional, Algonquin College, Perth CampusA deeper look at the statistics shows that more young men are turning to the skilled trades for their career pathway. That’s encouraging because here in Renfrew County several manufacturers recently participated in a forum to work on community strategies that can help them address some of the challenges they are experiencing in attracting skilled workers. The data says that the proportion of young men who had earned an apprenticeship certificate in Canada increased from 4.9% in 2006 to 7.8% in 2016, but locally there are still more jobs than people to fill them in some trades areas.

Of course, there is plenty of room for women in the trades and initiatives to encourage women to take the pathway as well, but one of the more concerning statistics is that men are not enrolling in post-secondary education at the same rate as women. For the trades, which traditionally have attracted more men than women, that’s a call for action.

Skilled tradesAt Algonquin College’s Waterfront Campus in Pembroke, there are some initiatives underway to help fill these labour market gaps. The Options Skilled Trades Fair has been offered to local high school students for the past 15 years as a grassroots effort to educate high school students on the career opportunities that are available through apprenticeship training. It has been very successful and there are plenty of stories of these students going on to trades school and becoming apprentices.

Our Campus offers full-time programs in Construction Techniques and Motive Power Technician, two important industries in the local labour market. The College also offers various pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship programs such as General Carpenter and welcomes feedback from local industry on their needs. In order to offer a program, a critical mass of students is required, and through partnerships with local companies, the potential is there to expand programming if a concerted community effort is made to promote the jobs that are currently difficult to fill. If that message gets out, more male and female students will be interested in enrolling in a program that can help them achieve their goal to work in the skilled trades.

Our country is getting older. The national average age has been creeping up for several years. Here in Renfrew County, the average age is over 45 years old. That statistic alone is enough evidence that we need more young people to fill the jobs that are being vacated in our workforce. Let’s start by getting more youth engaged in the skilled trades.

Posted by Jamie Bramburger, Manager of Community and Student Affairs

Waterfront Campus Enrolments Top 1,000 Students for First Time

On Friday, September 1 at 11:44 a.m. Algonquin College’s Pembroke Campus made history. When second-year Practical Nursing student, Laura Edmonds, walked into the admissions office to enroll for her fall classes, she became the 1,000th student to register for the fall intake of students.

Student #1000It was the first time in the fifty year history of the campus that the enrolment in full-time programs exceeded four digits. Edmonds was greeted by clapping and congratulations by the admissions staff who were on the watch for student number 1,000, knowing the historical significance for a campus that started with 16-full-time students when it opened its doors in 1968.

The record enrolment is continuing a trend that started several years ago when the campus began introducing several unique programs that have helped it attract students from outside of Renfrew County. Programs like Outdoor Adventure, Urban Forestry-Arboriculture, Applied Nuclear Science and Radiation Safety continue to pull out of town students, and have been the primary reason why developers have built three privately owned and operated student residences to house visiting students.

PembrokeThere are now more than 170 students living in residence and many more who are renting or boarding in other apartments and homes in the Pembroke area. The out-of-town student population has grown to be about 50 percent of the students enrolled in the campus.

The campus now offers 21 full-time programs leading to certificates, diplomas, and degrees. As Algonquin College’s largest regional campus, it is blossoming as it celebrates its fifth year of operation at its Waterfront Campus which has become an anchor for Pembroke’s downtown, igniting a renaissance of the city’s inner core. The best example is the new residences, but the energy that has been created has resulted in new stores, façade and building improvements and increased investment in infrastructure such as roads, sidewalks and bridges.

Rome was not built in a day, and it has taken a lot of work by the dedicated administration, faculty and support staff at the campus to bring about record enrolments. The college employees who worked so hard at the old campus to create an exceptional learning environment for students, while making do with inadequate facilities, paved the way for creating a caring culture on campus.

The new campus has taken that commitment to student success, excellent teaching and customer service to a new level. With a beautiful facility built along the picturesque shores of the Ottawa River, it has become a destination campus for both local and out of town students like Laura Edmonds of Cobden.

Not many people have the opportunity to make history. Edmonds did, by being in the right place at the right time. She is student number 1,000 at a campus that looks forward to four-digit enrolments being the norm, not the exception, as its plans for the next fifty years.

Posted by Jamie Bramburger, Manager of Community and Student Affairs at Algonquin College’s Pembroke Waterfront Campus

 

 

 

Top 5 Reasons Why You Should Attend Your Program Awareness Camp Day

Orientation for new college students is several months away, or is it? At Algonquin College’s Waterfront Campus in Pembroke, the college is committed to helping students get off on the right foot as they begin their college journey. To do this, the campus organizes a Program Awareness Camp day each spring to start building a relationship with its incoming class, an initiative that really helps students get comfortable with their new surroundings.

Algonquin College Student Success Specialist

 

Based on student feedback, here are the top five reasons why students should attend.

  1. Career clarity. The Program Awareness Camp day is full of experiential learning opportunities for students to better understand the program they are planning to enroll in. It provides enough of a snapshot for students to determine if it is the right fit for them.
  2. Meet your faculty. Building an early relationship with your teachers can really help students feel connected to their program. The faculty will be leading the activities so it exposes students to their teaching style and takes away some of the apprehension students may have about the learning environment.
  3. First Contact Meetings. These one-on-one sessions with faculty allow both the student and the faculty advisor to get to know one another better. The faculty advisor will ask a series of questions that could identify potential issues that need to be resolved during the summer months to better prepare a student for their academic program.
  4. Connecting with other students. There will be many incoming students who attend the Program Awareness Camp Day. This provides an opportunity to get a head start on meeting new friends and starting relationships prior to the start of classes. This fosters a much easier transition to college.
  5. Get to know your campus. The Waterfront Campus is built on a picturesque property on the shores of the Ottawa River in downtown Pembroke. The campus offers many great features including a fitness centre, gymnasium, specialized labs, a library that overlooks the river and much more. Taking advantage of a campus tour can help students picture themselves in their college program, experiencing everything that college has to offer.
Environmental Technician students working in their science lab

Attending a Program Awareness Camp day is time well spent. Parents are also invited to attend as there is a parent’s program that can also help Moms and Dads feel better about the decision their son or daughter is making in choosing to study at the Waterfront Campus.

This year’s Program Awareness Camp day is scheduled for Saturday, May 13th. There’s still time to register. You won’t regret it!

 

Posted by Jamie Bramburger, Manager of Community and Student Affairs

 

 

Research reveals 83% of college graduates secure employment within six months

Algonquin College GraduationAs Ontario’s college system celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, new research confirms college education continues to be an effective and swift route to employment.

The provincial Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) released today show 83 per cent of Ontario’s most recent college graduates found employment within six months of graduation.

“Colleges are experts at helping people find rewarding careers,” said Linda Franklin, the president and CEO of Colleges Ontario. “Our graduates’ professional and technical expertise will be even more important in the years ahead as new technology and automation create a heightened demand for a more highly qualified workforce.”

Read more of this Colleges Ontario article >>