Posted on Friday, January 19th, 2018
As we start the new semester, putting in good habits for our health and wellness is really important to continue to be successful. Counselling Services are happy to be able to provide a number of programs this semester to help achieve the best success they can. Some great information to help you succeed can be found in our Mental Health Matters Newsletter >>
Winter Mental Health Programs
- STRESSED? ANXIOUS? – What about Chill Café? A 6-week program to help with managing stress and anxiety in a more effective way. Thursdays Feb 8-March 22 (excluding Feb 22) from 2-3:30 pm in Room 308 sign up at chillcafe.eventbrite.ca
- Need to improve your physical well-being and exercise? Join us for snowshoeing, yoga, and walks with Wellness In Nature Days (WIND). We are adding new activities regularly. See our up to date programs at fb.me/WINDACOV
- Having challenges with Alcohol or Drugs? What about Eating Challenges? Gaming or on the internet too much?
SMART Recovery works to help with various behaviours that can be addictive and helps by teaching skills to overcome these challenges. This is a student-run and for students only program. Thursdays at 4 -5:30 pm in room 216.
- Want to be able to help a friend at risk of overdose?
Opioid Information and Harm Reduction Workshop for students – Wednesday Feb 7th 2:30-3pm room 435.
- Wanting a safe space to meet with open-minded people and enjoy lunch together. Join us for Positive Space – Tuesdays at 12-1pm in room 308
- Wanting a place to be creative and learn or practice art skills. Join us for Coffee House Art Space on Mondays from 5-7 in room 122
Posted on Thursday, January 11th, 2018
In the fall of 2000 Algonquin College’s Pembroke Campus launched one of the most innovative college programs in Canada. The Outdoor Adventure program capitalized on the growing worldwide thirst for high adventure activities and the need to train individuals to work in the industry.
Fast forward 17 years and the program is known around the world as its graduates have become the program’s greatest ambassadors, sharing their story of how they found a college program that finally met their expectations for post-secondary education. Students in the program spend three days a week on campus completing business courses in topics such as risk management, accounting, finance, and marketing. The other two days are spent at Wilderness Tours Resort, Mount Pakenham ski hill or other outdoor destinations where students earn certifications in a variety of outdoor skills including swift water rescue, alpine skiing and snowboarding, rock climbing, ice climbing, mountain biking and more.
Students also have opportunities to participate in international expeditions, such as the group of second-year Outdoor Adventure students who recently spent a week in Iceland testing fat bike technology in a country that is struggling to deal with its overnight success as a tourism destination. That learning experience was recently highlighted by CBC Radio, giving the program some great exposure and demonstrating how innovative the program has become, in this case as a leader in testing new technologies to address sustainability concerns.
The introduction of the Outdoor Adventure program has resulted in several spin-off programs being created that allowed the Pembroke Campus to carve a niche as Eastern Canada’s leading outdoor education post-secondary school. Other programs that are also offered at the campus include Outdoor Adventure Naturalist, Action Sports Park Development, and Environmental Technician.
The next time you go on a big adventure, don’t be surprised if your trip guide is a graduate of Algonquin College’s cluster of outdoor adventure programs. After all, program graduates are scattered in countries around the world, because the adventure tourism industry holds no geographical boundaries. The world is truly at each student’s fingertips.
Posted by Jamie Bramburger, Manager of Community and Student Affairs
Posted on Monday, January 8th, 2018
On December 27, 1942 the Ottawa Valley experienced its worth disaster. 36 people were killed and more than 200 were injured when a passenger train, known as the “Pembroke Local,” was struck by a troop train loaded with soldiers at the Almonte Train station. Many of the victims were from the Ottawa Valley, as people who had been home for the holidays were making their way back to Ottawa when the accident occurred.
Well known musician, Mac Beattie, recorded a song about that fateful night some 75 years ago. It tells the story of how the train was packed and running late when it was plowed into by the troop train as it was stopped in Almonte to pick up more passengers. Through a partnership with the North Lanark Museum, the Algonquin College Speaker Series will explore what led to the crash, the aftermath of the investigation, and hear videotaped interviews with survivors of the crash.
The Almonte Train Wreck presentation on February 8th will kick off a year of Speaker Series events that are focused on local history. It will be followed by a March 19th presentation on the Flying Bandit, the story of Gilbert Galvan, an American convict who led a double life in Pembroke in the 1980’s. Galvan would fly from Pembroke, using the regional airline, Pem-Air, to fly to Toronto where he would transfer to larger airlines and commit almost 60 bank and jewelry store robberies before being arrested by the Ontario Provincial Police at the Pembroke Airport.
The reporter who broke the story and co-authored a book on the flying bandit, Ed Arnold, will share details of how Galvan managed to elude law enforcement and will speak about his exclusive interviews with Galvan after his arrest and sentencing. Arnold was the managing editor of the Peterborough Intelligencer newspaper when the string of robberies was occurring. Three of the heists occurred in Peterborough, peaking Arnold’s interest, leading him on a journalistic investigation that led to him uncovering Canada’s most notorious bank robber.
On June 18, 1918, Pembroke experienced a great fire that destroyed several blocks of its downtown. On the 100th anniversary of the fire, local historian Bruce Pappin will lead a presentation and walking tour of the downtown and share details of where and how the fire started, what buildings were destroyed, the investigation of the blaze and how the fire was ultimately deemed to be an accident, despite many claims that it was deliberately set.
Pembroke is known as “Hockey Town Canada,” and for good reason. The first time a Pembroke hockey team played a game was in 1893. It ended badly as Pembroke was beaten 13-1 by an Ottawa club, but it started a love affair with the game that helped Pembroke produce three Hall of Fame players, multiple championship teams, and an interesting mix of players, personalities and politics. On December 5, the speaker series will explore how Pembroke earned the title of Hockey Town Canada.
Tickets are available now for all of these speaker series presentations. It will be a fascinating look back in time, covering some of the most interesting stories of the Ottawa Valley’s past.
Posted by Jamie Bramburger, Manager of Community and Student Affairs
Posted on Wednesday, January 3rd, 2018
The New Year always brings new perspectives and for many people a list of goals. One of those goals might be focused on career development or educational pursuits that can bring more joy to someone’s life.
This winter, Algonquin College’s Pembroke Waterfront Campus has freshened up its Continuing Education offerings with several new classes that offer either professional development opportunities or practical learning experiences that can be applied in the workplace or at home. A few examples include safe operation of a chainsaw or the working at heights certification course.
Each term the college reviews feedback it receives from students as it plans new offerings. That’s where the idea to offer an advanced seniors computer course came from. This course has been designed for seniors who already have a good working knowledge of computer applications, but would like to enhance their skills in using popular software programs like Word and Powerpoint. There is also a social media component to the course, something that will really help seniors who may have a volunteer position that requires them to promote their organization.
Dementia affects more than 46-million people worldwide. The disease primarily strikes elderly people and when it does it can be very difficult for the patient and their family. The college is offering two dementia courses this winter, one for families to better help them understand the disease and how to cope with it, and the other for healthcare professionals.
Medical terminology is a pre-requisite for office administration professionals to work in many healthcare settings such as hospitals and doctor offices. Having the course can open many doors for anyone who is interested in working in a healthcare environment. This course will be offered over several evenings beginning in mid-February.
On the playing field, athletes and children can move quickly, making it difficult to get action shots with your camera. The new Sports Photography class is intended to help Moms and Dads and photography enthusiasts get better photos during sporting events like hockey and soccer games.
For history buffs, Pembroke’s Early Years in Pictures will be a fascinating look back at our city’s history. Led by Champlain Trail Museum curator, Angela Siebarth, the presentation will feature many never before seen photographs that tell the story of Pembroke’s early settlers.
Ben Shillington has spent a lot of times in some of the coldest places on earth, like Lake Winnipeg, where a few years ago he led a winter fat biking expedition across the frozen lake. He’s also written a book on winter travelling. Shillington will bring his expert knowledge to the classroom when he teaches a course on winter camping that will be of interest to anyone who enjoys Canada’s coldest season and wants to experience it outdoors.
Other new courses being offered include an infant and toddler sleep seminar, acrylic painting with Pam McNichol, Moroccan cooking and other food preparation courses. There are also some popular returning courses such as grant proposal writing.
Registration is now underway in person at the college or online. Happy New Year.
Posted by Jamie Bramburger, Manager of Community and Student Affairs
Posted on Wednesday, December 13th, 2017
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.
A 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.
At 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
Posted on Friday, December 1st, 2017
What makes you happy? It could be an amazing meal, a great day of surfing, or simply cozying up with a good book and a warm latte—or it could be all of these things, and more. Canada consistently ranks among the top ten happiest countries in the world, and there are tons of reasons why. From the villages of Vancouver Island to the national parks of Newfoundland and Labrador, there is certainly no shortage of locales where you can “go to your happy place.” But which one is the happiest? Continue reading the expedia.ca article >>
Posted on Sunday, October 22nd, 2017
On a beautiful and unseasonably warm day 100 years ago Canada experienced its worst man-made disaster. On December 6, 1917 the French munition ship, the Mont Blanc, and the Norwegian war relief freighter, the Imo, collided in Halifax Harbour, setting off a massive explosion that flattened much of the Nova Scotian capital city, killing almost 2,000 people.
It was the largest man-made blast until the Second World War when an atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, Japan, but the events that led up to the catastrophic collision between the two ships continues to linger as historians piece together the burning questions of how did it happen and who should bare the blame for killing so many innocent people.
The Halifax Explosion is a signature moment in Canadian history and will be the closing act on a year of Algonquin College speaker series events that have focused on the stories that have made Canada the country that is today on this its 150th anniversary year. Author Ken Cuthbertson will be at the Waterfront Campus in Pembroke on November 29 to share the story of the Halifax Explosion, also the title of his new book that has been released just in time for the 100th anniversary of the tragedy.
A few weeks later on December 13, acclaimed author and biographer, Charlotte Gray, will be on campus for her talk on the Promise of Canada. Gray has written a book about nine influential Canadians who left an indelible mark on Canada, a relatively young country that is still finding its way according to Gray.
Her stories will focus on some well-known Canadians such as Tommy Douglas, the fiery Saskatchewan politician who is known best as the father of universal health care, but also others who are less known, but their lives influenced Canadian society and culture either intentionally or by accident. The latter is the case for Elijah Harper, a survivor of residential schools, who halted Prime Minister Brian Mulroney’s Meech Lake constitutional accord and forced Canadians to take a deeper look at the plight of Indigenous peoples.
Gray has written a compelling history lesson for all Canadians, including telling the story of Bertha Wilson, Canada’s first woman to sit on the Supreme Court of Canada. Her Canadian story begins in Renfrew where she first settled in Canada after emigrating from Scotland with her husband who was a Presbyterian Church Minister. She eventually would attend law school and be at the centre of some of the most important judicial decisions in Canada’s history as a champion of the country’s Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
Others who made Gray’s list of great Canadians are Margaret Atwood, Emily Carr, Preston Manning, George-Etienne Cartier, Harold Innis and Samuel Steele, the first leader of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Through her storytelling, Gray shares how these Canadians impacted our country in a significant way.
The Canadian history series started last fall with Ray Argyle’s colourful talk on Newfoundland Premier Joey Smallwood, the last Father of Confederation. It has also included Steve Paikin of TVO’s the Agenda on his book on former Ontario Premier, Bill Davis, and his influence on the repatriation of Canada’s constitution, Tricia Logan on the Truth and Reconciliation Commission recommendations, Merilyn Simonds on Canada’s most notorious and historic prison-the Kingston Penitentiary, Roy MacSkimming on the Canada-Soviet 1972 Hockey Summit Series and Sean Conway on the Colour and Character of the Ottawa Valley Political Tradition, a fascinating history of Ottawa Valley politics.
It has been a rewarding experience to bring so much Canadian history to followers of the Algonquin College Speaker Series. At 150 years old, Canada has been around long enough to have some great stories to tell.
For more information on ticket purchase for these last two Canadian History guest speakers, please visit our Speaker Series website >>
Posted by Jamie Bramburger, Manager of Community and Student Affairs
Posted on Saturday, October 14th, 2017
Dear Parents/Guardians,
As you are probably aware, there is the potential for an interruption in classes at Ontario’s 24 public colleges, beginning on Monday, October 16th. While we hope a work stoppage will be averted, the College is making contingency plans in the event there is a labour disruption.
We know you have many questions and therefore I am providing you with a link to a special website that has been created by Algonquin College for students, families, and employees. This Algonquin College Strike Info website will provide you with the most up-to-date information on this matter.
Posted on Thursday, September 21st, 2017
A recent article on thestar.com outlines four sources of post-secondary financing you may not have considered.
When my son Ben was at Western University, he didn’t apply for the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP). The reason? He had a good summer job that enabled him to pay his own tuition, and my husband and I covered his living costs.
We didn’t find out until he was in law school last fall that had he simply applied for OSAP, he would have been eligible for a $3,000 grant and could have declined the loan. Yep, we felt like dummies. Continue reading thestar.com article >>
Posted on Tuesday, September 12th, 2017
For those considering studying at our Pembroke Waterfront Campus, a recent article by The Wedge: A New Voice for Eastern Ontario introduces those new to Pembroke to the charm that our City has to offer.
“We finally traveled to the far northwest corner of the wedge. This is a milestone in our 1.1 years since launch. This node is a city named Pembroke–the largest in the Ottawa Valley. It sits on the Ottawa River and has a few rivers running through it, the Muskrat River and the Indian River.
Pembroke is a good 45 minutes West of the Town of Renfrew and one hour from the Town of Arnprior. The three offer travelers a perfect ‘puddle-jumping’ trek across the Ottawa Valley. Pembroke is also 30 minutes or less from Algonquin Park and could bring a trip to a perfect close this Fall and year-round.
“Technicallyyyy, we are the smallest city in Canada.”
“Technicallyyyy, we are the smallest city in Canada,” a few locals said. This is invariably uttered with a grin and a low brow. So it seems, the needle wiggles around 16,000 population–the miracle number that identifies a place as a ‘city’ and no longer a ‘town.’” Read more of the Wedge: A New Voice for Eastern Ontario article >>
