The winter season looks a little different for Culinary Management graduate Andrew Craig. Instead of icy cold, snowy weather, the Class of 2012 alum is enjoying sunshine and a warm breeze in beautiful Hawaii.
“The
idea of ‘aloha’ is very present and I’ve learned to embrace this. I’m truly
enjoying my time on the island,” said Andrew about his Maui lifestyle.
Andrew is the Food and Beverage Manager at the Fairmont Kea Lani Maui, where he is responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operations of the LUANA Lounge and assists with managing the Kō Restaurant. The Fleming graduate ensures high standards are met and continuously elevates the experience. He also processes orders, staffing, scheduling, forecasting and event organization for the outlet.
“I
love being able to create a personalized and memorable experience,” said
Andrew. “I strive to keep everyone happy in the operation so that we can all
work together to create amazing moments for other guests and colleagues.”
Andrew relocated to Maui recently for this opportunity with Fairmont. Prior to this role, Andrew was an Assistant Manager at the Fairmont Royal York, a Manager at the Library Bar in the Fairmont Royal York, and spent two years as a Supervisor at the Fairmont Banff Springs through the Fairmont’s Leadership Development Program (now called the Inspire Program).
“The
learning doesn’t stop once you’ve finished your program,” said Andrew. “There
is always a new method or variation to be learned about and that’s half of the
fun in the job. I’m always taking every opportunity to expand my learning and
it’s played a big part in my career taking me to where it is now.”
After
graduating from Fleming College, Andrew went on to earn his Bachelor of Applied
Business – Hospitality Operations Management at Niagara College, applying some
of his Fleming College credits towards a degree. Andrew said he utilized many
of the skills he developed at Fleming to succeed in university.
“I
gained a kitchen skillset that taught me everything from mise en place through
restaurant service execution. I even had the opportunity to create my own
business with The Corner on Sixth, which gave me the chance to work through all
the many variables associated with running a restaurant,” said Andrew about the
skills he developed at Fleming College. “It was an amazing experience that not
only showed me many classic culinary techniques and recipes through the labs
and classes, but allowed for countless opportunities for off-site events that
honed my hospitality skillset in real-world scenarios.”
Andrew
said he would recommend the Culinary Management program to others, saying,
“Absolutely! It has given me the knowledge and wherewithal to confidently carry
out my hospitality career in both culinary and front-of-house managerial
positions.”
Food means more than nourishment to Matthew Brohm. For the
Chef Training graduate, food is his passion.
“I love making food that makes you melt inside, I want to
make food that makes you chew just a little slower, I want it to make you think
‘wow’ and practically be speechless,” he said. “My job is not my job, my job is
my passion. Everything about it, I love.”
Growing up, Matthew dreamed of a culinary career. He would happily
tell family and friends that he would be a chef one day.
“I was always in the kitchen watching, smelling and listening
to the crackling or sizzling,” said Matthew. “Cooking was my passion before I
even knew it.”
In high school, Matthew competed in culinary competitions, volunteered
to cook and serve assorted buffets, and graduated with a Specialist High Skills
Major (SHSM) in Hospitality. After deciding that college was his next step, Matthew
participated in Student for the Day multiple times at Fleming College to see if
his local college was the right fit.
“So already I was very familiar with Fleming and knew the
instructor chefs very well,” said Matthew. “For myself, there was no better
choice than Fleming.”
Matthew enrolled in the Chef Training program, which is now called Culinary Skills, and graduated in 2016.
“My Fleming College experience couldn’t have been better,” he
said. “Having the professors actually know your name and want you to succeed is
amazing. It’s more than just a classroom, it was a community where everyone
cared and the students were not just a number.”
Through the program, Matthew said he developed the skills and
knowledge to grow his culinary career.
“The program helped me grow as a professional in so many
ways. Cooking is obvious, but what I took for granted then, I am now so
grateful I learned,” he explains.
Matthew credits being able to use Excel, place food orders,
cost out menu items, understand front of house, and supervise as a sous chef in
labs as some of the skills he developed at Fleming that have proved useful in
his career.
“There is so much you can get out of the program. It all has
fast-tracked my career in the culinary industry,” he said.
Matthew currently works as the Sous Chef at Silvertip Resort
in Canmore, Alberta. He is responsible for ensuring the kitchen runs smoothly,
helps create menu items, places food orders, ensures food quality, helps
progress and train new cooks, runs the line on busy nights, cleans and scrubs
ovens, delegates tasks and more.
His
most memorable career moment was as a chef de partie, when he was asked to
train a kitchen steward who didn’t have any cooking experience.
“It
wasn’t an easy task, but within two weeks I had given him a drive. He wanted to
learn and wanted to succeed. By one month, he could hold his ground and kept up
with everyone,” said Matthew. “Now he’s in school for culinary. It was an
awesome feeling knowing I had an impact in his career choice.”
Matthew
said he recommends Fleming College to others who are considering a culinary
career.
“By the end of this program, you will have real work experience and be able to hold your ground in any kitchen,” he said. “I would recommend this program over and over again.”
Mark Melong is ending his studies at Fleming College with two major
wins: a Gold medal in Metal Fabrication at the Skills Canada – Ontario competition
and the School of Trades and Technology G.E. Outstanding Achievement Award.
But the Welding and Fabrication Technician graduate worked hard for this, both inside and outside of the classroom, and is proud to serve as Valedictorian at the School of Trades and Technology convocation ceremony.
“The message that I will give to my classmates is to not settle for
anything less than you feel you deserve,” said Mark. “Strive for greatness and
push your boundaries to keep bettering yourself. Don’t be afraid to take risks
in your career in order to get to where you want to be. Above all, find what
you love to do, because we spend almost half our lives working, so it might as
well be somewhere you want to be every day.”
Mark was introduced to welding in high school and enjoyed it, so he
completed his first-year apprenticeship during grade 12 through the Ontario
Youth Apprenticeship Program (OYAP). He wanted to learn more and build his
resume, so Mark chose to earn his Welding and Fabrication Technician diploma at
Fleming College.
“I had a ball of a time at Fleming,” said Mark. “Getting to know my
classmates and professors was the best part about it all. By the last semester
there was only about 16 students in the class and we were a very tight-knit
group. We went through a lot in the past two years, so it made us become the
best of friends.”
During his first year at Fleming College, Mark lived in Residence and
loved the experience of meeting amazing people from different Fleming programs.
Mark’s Residence Advisor (RA) inspired him to become an RA for his second year
of studies at Fleming, and Mark said it’s one of the best decisions he’s ever
made.
“I gained so many skills that I never knew I needed,” said Mark. “The
team I worked with was full of amazing and inspiring people. This made my
second year one of the best years of my life and being able to go to the Skills
competition at the end was the cherry on top.”
Mark attended Skills Canada – Ontario, Canada’s largest skilled trade
and technology competition, during his second-year at Fleming. It was his third
time in the competition, having earned 3rd Place in grade 12 and 7th
Place during his first-year at Fleming. This time, Mark walked away with a
Bronze medal in Welding and a Gold medal in Metal Fabrication.
“I absolutely loved going to the competition. The vibe of the whole
event is that of prestige and pride in the trades. Being in a room with the
best welders in college and going head-to-head with all of them is
exhilarating,” said Mark. “Also, being able to hang out with your professors
for three days is fun too.”
For the Welding competition, Mark had six hours to follow a blueprint
to fit and weld metal pieces (that were cut to shape) using a welding machine.
In the fabrication competition, Mark had an I-beam, metal pieces (not cut to
shape) and equipment to fit and weld everything to the specifications of the
provided blueprint. Both are challenging and competitive, so Mark is honoured
to win Gold in Metal Fabrication and Bronze in Welding against competitors from
other Ontario colleges.
“It’s an absolutely wonderful feeling,” said Mark. “It was so nerve-racking
waiting for the awards. When I heard my name called and I looked over and saw [program
coordinator Darryl Madussi] with the biggest smile on my face, it made me feel
so accomplished. After three years of competing, it was nice to win Gold.”
Mark said Fleming does a good job exposing students to the variety of techniques and
accompanying theory for welding.
“The final welding project we did allowed us to touch upon many
different aspects of the trade to see what we enjoyed the most,” said Mark on
the fourth-semester Industry Showcase, where students display their pressure
vessel project. “From that, many of my classmates decided where they wanted to
apply for jobs and many of them got hired from it.”
Mark labels the Industry Showcase as his favourite Fleming College
memory.
“We got all dressed up and showed off our pressure vessel project that
took us 15 weeks to complete. We were all so proud of what we had built and all
the skills we had learned,” said Mark. “To see the few classmates that I started
with in Week 1, and how far we had come, made me proud to be working with such
amazing people.”
Now that Mark has finished his classes at Fleming College, he is
working at Chematics Inc. in Pickering, Ont. The shop builds custom pressure
vessels for the mining and gas industries, as well as nuclear operations and
other industrial applications.
The Class of 2019 graduate plans to gain more skills at Chematics and doesn’t
want to set any long-term career plans in stone, as he’d like to keep an open
mind and consider all the different routes available to him. But what Mark does
know for sure is that he will strive for greatness, push his boundaries, keep
bettering himself, and not be afraid to take career risks.
Photo (left to right): Sophie Crowder, Kayla Daluz, Chef Steve Benns
Sophie Crowder remembers the nervous excitement she felt
entering the Toronto Congress Centre, taking in the grandeur of Canada’s
largest skilled trade and technology competition.
In Skills Canada – Ontario, skilled trade and technology
students aim to impress their educators, family, friends and prospective
employers, competing for Gold, Silver, or Bronze medals and the opportunity to
compete at the Skills Canada National Competition. From there, competitors may
go on to the WorldSkills Competition.
This was Sophie’s first experience at Skills Canada – Ontario, having just completed her first semester of Fleming’s Culinary Management program. Sophie was joined at the competition by faculty mentor Steve Benns and fourth-semester student Kayla Daluz, who was competing for her second time.
“Having this opportunity in my second semester is a
privilege,” said Sophie. “I felt as prepared as I could be. I trained five days
per week two weeks prior to the competition, working from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on
everything.”
Each year, Fleming Culinary enters two students in the
culinary arts competition at Skills Canada – Ontario. The first-year student is
expected to try their best and take in the competition so they feel fully
prepared next time, and the second-year student is expected to enter as a
strong competitor ready for the challenge.
In the culinary arts category, students complete two
modules. For Module 1,
Kayla made:
Mushroom Gougère: Shitake and shimeji mushrooms,
bacon, green onions and brie stuffed in parmesan choux pastries
Cured Trout Appetizer: Quick cured trout on
crispy brioche rounds topped with grainy mustard and chive cream cheese and a
candied fennel chutney
Roasted Beet Tart: Slow-roasted beets, red onion
marmalade, thyme, goat cheese and pistachios served in a savoury tart
Kayla’s Module 1. Photo by Dean Michelsen.
Sophie made:
Shimeji Mushroom Gougère: Pan-seared shimeji
mushrooms, bacon, roasted red pepper and brie stuffed between parmesan and
gruyere choux pastries topped with a lemon, white wine, chive and chili jelly
Cured Trout Open-Faced Sandwich: Quick cured
trout on crispy challah points topped with chive cream cheese, pickled
shallots, and a candied fennel and mango chutney
Waldorf “Style” Tart: Celery root, royal gala
apples, mint, goat cheese and pistachios served in a savoury tart
Sophie’s Module 1. Photo by Dean Michelsen.
and for Module 2,
Kayla made:
Lobster Cannelloni: Fresh egg pasta stuffed with
lobster, shallots and tarragon, finished with lobster glaze, tomato confit,
chive white wine butter sauce and microgreens
Deconstructed Lemon Meringue Pie: Lemon curd
white chocolate mousse, tuile cannoli, Italian meringue and citrus gelée finished
with blueberry sauce, a sugar spiral, and assorted fruit
Kayla’s Deconstructed Lemon Meringue Pie. Photo by Dean Michelsen.
Sophie made:
Lobster Cappelletti: Pasta stuffed with lobster,
fennel and shallots, finished with tomato confit, lobster glaze, citrus
vinaigrette and microgreens
Deconstructed Lemon Meringue Pie: Lemon curd,
tuile cookie and Italian meringue finished with raspberry sauce, a sugar stick,
and assorted fruit
Lobster Cappelletti by Sophie. Photo by Dean Michelsen.
Although Sophie and Kayla were separate competitors, Sophie
was pleased her work station was beside her Culinary Management peer. It gave Sophie
the opportunity to not only work on her dishes, but observe a seasoned pro.
“She was calmer than I was. She carried herself well and
followed her plan step-by-step. The way she carried through her work impacted
me and I’ll remember it for next year,” said Sophie.
Kayla said she did feel calmer her second time at the
competition.
“I was super nervous my first year and I didn’t know where
anything was. It was way easier the second time around, I knew how things were
laid out, I knew where the ingredients were, I knew what to expect,” she said. “I
felt prepared. We trained a lot; every opportunity I had in between classes I
was training. And then straight everything for two weeks leading up to the
competition. I got to the point where I could measure by eye.”
It was worth the hard work and effort, as Sophie earned 5th
Place and Kayla took home a Bronze Medal.
“Sophie, I am blown away. She is crazy talented just going
into the program, and getting 5th on her first time? She will go
somewhere,” said Kayla, who added that she placed 7th her first time
competing. “And I love Chef Benns. I spend a lot of time with him training and
I am so grateful to be training under him. He is super talented.”
For Sophie, the competition was spectacular, and she is
excited to compete again next year.
“Ontario Skills was just spectacular, and it didn’t feel
real until the closing ceremony. It took a long time to get here and I was so
proud!” said Sophie. “I was taking photos of Kayla at the podium all teary eyed
like a proud mom. Everything happens for a reason and I’m doing what I get to do
and what I’m meant to do. I am so grateful.”
A Culinary Career Path
For both Kayla and Sophie, the path to Culinary Management
was not easy.
When Kayla got pregnant in high school, she waited until her
son was older to pursue her education. She went to PACE, which offers students
the opportunity to earn college credits, and Kayla signed up for a dual credit
in Fleming’s Culinary program.
“My chef instructor pulled me aside and recommended I
continue this because he said I’m good at it,” said Kayla. “That meant a lot to
me. I’m here now and the chefs are all proud of me, so I know I’m doing good
here.”
Kayla’s advice to students at PACE is to find a career they
love.
“If you love it, it comes,” she said. “When I walk in that
kitchen, I feel a wave of happiness. If you love it, it’s there, it’s worth it.
Seeing people’s reactions to my food, saying ‘I couldn’t do this! It’s crazy,
it’s like art!’—that makes it worth it.”
She admits that training for the culinary industry and for competitions
can be “hard, tiring and frustrating” with a four-year-old, but is grateful for
her support system.
“My support system is great, especially my mom. She wants me
in ‘Top Chef,’ she thinks I can go far,” said Kayla. “And my son is proud of it
now. I showed him my medal to explain all that I’ve worked for, and he was
excited and he’s proud.”
For Sophie, a culinary career didn’t seem possible for her
due to health concerns.
When Sophie was 15, she slipped on wrapping paper and fell.
Although she felt sore, Sophie wasn’t concerned until days later when her thigh
was severely swollen. She visited her family doctor, who wrote Sophie a note
for the hospital saying he suspected she had a blood clot.
Unfortunately, Sophie had to wait nine hours at the hospital
as the clots spread. Once she was able to see a doctor, she had some blood
tests done, followed by an ultrasound. When Sophie was wheeled out of the
ultrasound, that’s when she realized something was wrong.
The accident had crushed Sophie’s collateral veins. The
doctor injected Sophie with blood thinners and sent her to Sick Kids Hospital,
who told Sophie if she had sat for another hour in the hospital her leg
would’ve been amputated. She had ongoing healthcare treatments, including blood
thinners, and was told culinary required too much standing for her to pursue.
Instead of culinary school, Sophie moved to Peterborough
from Mississauga to study anthropological archaeology at Trent University.
While she enjoyed finding connections between archeology and her passion (such
as food vessel artifacts from Pompeii) and loved living in the city of
Peterborough, Sophie still dreamed of a culinary career.
When her health improved and her doctor gave Sophie the all
clear to study Culinary Management, she dropped out of archaeology and signed
up for Culinary Management at Fleming College.
“I have a riser on my cutting board, I wear a back brace
sometimes while cooking, and I wear compression socks,” said Sophie. “But this
is the dream. I am so grateful I get to do it.”
Future Plans
Sophie, who began Culinary Management this January, will
start training for the next Skills Canada – Ontario competition in September.
She hopes to create a fine-tuned action plan, get her timing down, and come in
feeling more prepared.
“It’s such a cool experience,” she said. “I wouldn’t trade
it for the world.”
Kayla, who graduates from Fleming College this June, has
been hired at Rolling Grape Vineyard as the Executive Chef. She will create a
food program from scratch, which includes building a wood-burning oven for
pizzas and growing fresh herbs.
“A huge bonus for me is that I can stay included at Fleming
College because of the Culinary program’s collaboration with Rolling Grape,”
said Kayla. “I’ve asked the chefs here what it takes to teach. They have given
me so much, so I’d like to give back.”
The construction industry is a consumer of resources and raw materials and a contributor to solid waste, but Fleming Construction Engineering Technician graduate Tyler Fenton is hoping to improve the environmental impact of construction with sustainability.
“Sustainability is not the silver bullet, but
it’s a powerful tool to drive change for the better,” said Tyler. “Through
pursuing higher levels of sustainability, we can lower the waste produced by
construction activities, make the buildings we build healthier for occupants,
reduce our greenhouse gas emissions, reduce the energy required to run these
buildings and create more affordable living for people moving into urban
areas.”
As a Sustainable Buildings Solutions
Coordinator, LEED Green Associate at EllisDon Corporation, Tyler is responsible
for ensuring that projects achieve different levels of sustainability
certification: LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design)
certification, Toronto Green Standard certification, or both. Tyler’s
department services EllisDon projects across Canada, including hospitals,
commercial towers, schools, train stations and institutional buildings.
“It’s very exciting to be a part of such a wide
variety of projects that serve many different functions in their communities,
but that are all striving for excellence in design, construction and operation,”
said Tyler.
Fleming education and
network leads Tyler to success
Tyler worked on-campus at the Office of
Sustainability while attending Fleming College and one of his responsibilities was
to book guest speakers to talk to Trades students about sustainability in the
construction industry.
One of his speaking events featured the
Director and Program Manager from the Sustainable Building Solutions department
at EllisDon and, through this experience, Tyler started growing a network at his
dream place of employment.
When he graduated, Tyler emailed the CEO of
EllisDon seeking a job opportunity (scroll to “Proud Fleming College graduate”
for how they met). Unfortunately, it didn’t work out as Tyler had hoped…
“Because I did not have industry experience, they
couldn’t justify hiring me at the time,” he said. “They told me to go get some
experience and re-apply in the future.”
So, he did.
Tyler worked as a Construction Coordinator at
Dufferin Construction for one year to get the experience he needed. And when he
re-applied to EllisDon, he got the dream job this time.
Confidence in the KUBE
is why Tyler chose Fleming
Tyler didn’t always dream of working in
construction. With a resume ranging from wildland firefighter to tree planter, bartender
to labourer, and even a gig in the jewelry industry, Tyler took his time finding
the right career fit.
When he decided on construction and engineering,
Tyler chose Fleming because the program introduces students to various trades
to give them an understanding of the different disciplines they’ll encounter on
job sites.
“I was very impressed with the D-Wing in particular,” he said. “In no other educational facility I’d visited had I seen anything like the KUBE. This made me confident that I would be in a good learning environment.”
Adding, “I would absolutely recommend that
prospective students go and visit the campus, go to the Open House, because it
will give you a perspective on where you’ll be learning and if it’s what you’re
looking for.”
Proud Fleming College
graduate
“I’m very happy with my Fleming experience and
I’m proud to tell people that’s where I went to college,” he said. “Overall,
you’ve got a beautiful, newly renovated, top-of-the-line building to learn in,
instructors who are passionate and have real world experience, and as many
opportunities to learn or get involved as you can handle.”
Now that Tyler has graduated from Fleming, his
advice to students is to get involved.
“The more you get involved, the more
opportunity you’re going to have when you graduate,” said the Class of 2018
graduate.
The permeable pavement project led Tyler to
representing Fleming College, the Office of Sustainability and FastStart at the
2017 OCE Discovery event, where he met EllisDon CEO Geoff Smith (who Tyler emailed
for an interview when he graduated).
“In my experience, the connections I made
through my student worker position in the Office of Sustainability opened the
door to my dream job,” he said. “And the skills and knowledge I gained from the
program and from the instructors I got to know allowed me to land the job. It
wouldn’t have happened that way if I hadn’t gotten involved in the things that
I did.”
In Canada, only one third of graduates in science, technology, engineering and math – also known as STEM – are women. By increasing women in STEM subjects, we can fuel change that will impact our future, which is why the theme for International Women’s Day this year is #InnovateForChange (source: Status of Women Canada).
Manveen Kour is part of that change. Having studied electronics and communications at the University of Jammu, Manveen is adding a graduate certificate to her resume by taking Fleming College’s Wireless Information Networking program. She plans to grow her career in IT after graduating this spring.
“When I go to clients and look around their businesses, all I see are men. In an entire company, there is only a couple women!” said Manveen, who provides IT services through her Fleming applied project.
“I read online something like 20 to 30 percent of technology professionals are women, but I know companies want to hire women because equality is good. It’s not that the opportunity isn’t there, the women just have to go for it!”
One reason women are underrepresented in STEM subjects and careers, Manveen suspects, is because the interest isn’t nurtured from a young age.
“Where I’m from, India, there is inequality; boys are encouraged to take technology and women are not,” said the Wireless Information Networking student. “You have to encourage an interest in technology from the beginning, from your childhood.”
Manveen says she is fortunate her interest was nurtured from a young age the same way it was for her brother. She credits her father for this and feels very grateful for him.
“My brother would open up the computer and explore it because he was curious, and a lot of girls don’t do that because they’re not encouraged to,” she said. “The family plays a role in this and my father, right from the beginning, told me this is a great career and encouraged me. And I still call him when I have a question or dilemma, and he’s there.”
Teachers also play an important role in development, Manveen explains. She hopes teachers encourage girls and boys equally in developing STEM interests and pursuing careers in this field.
Manveen did feel encouraged by her family and teachers to study electronics and communications at the University of Jammu. During her university internship, she learned cloud computing and wireless networking, and really enjoyed it. She decided to enhance this skillset after graduating and moved to Canada for Fleming’s Wireless Information Networking program.
Manveen at her applied project.
“Canada is very welcoming, I didn’t expect it to be so sweet! I love Canada!” said Manveen, adding that everyone she has met at Fleming College has been very helpful.
Faculty members Darren Gethons, Alwyn Appiah and Mamdouh Mina, in particular, are three instructors Manveen credits for their support and motivation. Manveen recommends any students who are struggling to speak with their professors for their help and guidance.
This semester, the Fleming College student has a very busy schedule. In addition to classes and a part-time campus job at the Contact Centre, Manveen is working at Interface Technologies on Wednesdays and Fridays for her program applied project. As her applied project, Manveen is helping provide IT services to clients across the city for Interface Technologies.
“When I was interviewed for my applied project position, I was against three boys. I was the only girl in the interview and I got it!” said Manveen. “I was scared being interviewed against them, but my dad told me he had this vision and I will get it and don’t worry—and I did!”
Manveen recommends this career path to anyone interested in it and to find someone to cheer you on.
“For me, that’s my father. He keeps me going,” she said. “Aim big and don’t settle. Never settle, know you deserve more. Like my father always says, ‘the sky is the limit!’”
When you walk into the multi-story KUBE structure in the Kawartha Trades and Technology Centre, Mechanical Techniques – Plumbing students Amanda Hancock, Amy French and Kayla Wilford do not stand out amongst the group of students welding pipes, finding parts, and polishing finished projects.
And that’s just the way they like it.
“I don’t feel any different,” said Amanda on being a woman in trades. “They help when needed and I love it here.”
Amanda’s classmate Amy agrees, adding, “We all help each other out.”
It wasn’t too long ago when there weren’t many female students in trades programs at Fleming College. Since 2014, when the Kawartha Trades and Technology Centre opened at the Sutherland Campus, enrolment of female students grew from 3 per cent to 12 per cent.
Mechanical Techniques – Plumbing program coordinator Neil Maika said that while trades may still be a male-dominated industry, women employed in trades careers is on the rise.
“There is an immense opportunity here. Multiple employment paths are becoming available,” said Neil. “Also, all of my students are great. They respect each other, they help each other, and they are all very professional. All students are treated equally by both faculty and their peers, whether female or male.”
First-semester student Amanda said she did have some concerns before she enrolled.
After hearing amazing things about Fleming College from her brother, who took the Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning program, Amanda decided to give trades a try three years after graduating from high school. Amanda chose the plumbing program based on the recommendation of her friend’s stepfather, who is a plumber and loves his profession.
“I was worried about it myself, but they’re all nice. It’s no different being a girl here,” said Amanda. “We’re no different if we can do the job. And all the guys here are very friendly, kind and supportive.”
Her classmate Kayla, on the other hand, had no hesitation enrolling in the Mechanical Techniques – Plumbing program right after high school.
“I spent the last two summers working in trades with a friend. I helped with renovations, basic labour, installing showerheads, things like that,” said Kayla, who graduated from Thomas A. Stewart Secondary School last year. “I was torn between going straight into an apprenticeship or taking this program. I decided to take this program to help figure out if plumbing is the trade I want to do, instead of going straight into a specific apprenticeship.”
In the Mechanical Techniques – Plumbing program, students learn a variety of trade-specific skills. They are also introduced to installing, maintaining and repairing piping systems in residential, commercial and industrial settings to enhance employment opportunities.
Amy French, a mature student who started college after having children, said she chose the program based on job prospects.
“I’m told women in trades are wanted and needed, and specifically asked for, so here I am,” said Amy. “I chose plumbing because plumbing was the most expensive construction cost, and I want to build my own house one day. I feel like it’s the right career path.”
Amy said she feels being a mature student gives her an advantage. She feels more mature now than she did right after high school, she doesn’t party, and she is very focused on finishing school.
Her advice to current students is don’t be afraid to ask for help.
Amanda added that there are many resources available for help, such as asking faculty when you have questions, signing up for tutoring, and taking advantage of D2L.
Kayla reminds students to stay focused on school. “Pay attention, get your homework done, get your projects done—focus,” she said.
The Valedictorian for the School of Trades and Technology, Arts and Heritage, and General Arts and Science hopes his convocation speech inspires graduates to not let the fear of failure steer their lives. “Step out of your comfort zone and take risks,” said Jacob. “That is the only way to learn, grow and achieve greatness.”
Jacob came to Fleming College for the technical skills to deal with control systems, robotics and electronics in a lab environment. “Fleming has one of the best engineering labs when it comes to this type of work,” he explains.
Through the Instrumentation and Control Engineering Technician program, Jacob said he developed critical thinking, communication, teamwork, mechanical and electrical design, computer networking, electronics, process controls, automation controls and troubleshooting skills.
“My experience was amazing,” said Jacob about Fleming College. “I got the technical skills I desired, I got industry experience from the co-op, and had instructors and classmates turn into lifelong friends.”
One of Jacob’s favourite moments in the program was when the system works after hours of wiring PLCs and computers to sensors, and programming computer code to automate the system. “There is no better feeling than turning on the system and it working just like you designed it,” he said.
Jacob describes the Fleming community as inclusive, positive and friendly, and he “100%” recommends the Instrumentation and Control Engineering Technician program to others.
“There is so much work in the instrumentation and controls world. More and more processes are becoming automated and they need people who can design, run and fix these systems,” he explains. “The lab facilities are state-of-the-art and the instructors have been in the industry for a long time.”
Jacob received a job offer from Ontario Power Generation to work as an Instrumentation and Control Technician Apprentice at the Pickering Nuclear Generating Station, and plans to start work after graduation.
The surf’s up for 15 Fleming College students who are working on a multi-faceted project to help a west coast surfboard company expand overseas.
Swell Composites Supply Ltd., based in Richmond, B.C., is sponsoring three applied projects for business students. Applied projects, available within certain programs in the School of Business and School of Trades and Technology, see students spend their final semester finding innovative solutions to a real-world challenge. The students gain academic credit and on-the-job experience. At the same time, the project results provide new information, answer questions, contribute to planning, and lay the groundwork for future innovations.
For Swell Composites – Entropy Resin’s Canadian partner that is the Importer and Distributor of the complete range of composite materials used in Fiberglass and Resin manufacturing within the sporting goods, custom manufacturing and marine industries in Canada -, a team of students in the International Business Management program have been creating a logistics and export manual that will aid the company in exporting to international markets. As well, two groups of Global Business Management students have been analyzing the markets of targeted, specific countries.
International Business Management student Duy Vong says working in teams on the applied projects has been both eye-opening and uplifting.
“I have been very lucky to work with an incredible group of people who are super supportive. They always help me whenever I’m in need and help me get over my weaknesses and turn them into strengths.”
Duy added that working on the project has been an “incredible journey” thanks to the sponsor, Swell Composite Principal Cofounder Jimmy Stewart, who is also a Fleming alumnus.
“He has taught us meaningful, real-life lessons, and he has provided a lot of information to helps us get our work done more easily and more quickly.”
Arielle Smith, an International Business Management student, says the three teams were “synergistic” and helped each other grow and develop over the semester. Like Duy, she also appreciated the support from their sponsor throughout the project.
“As a past Fleming graduate, Jimmy knows what it’s like to be in our shoes. He’s been able to offer us advice on what to do after we leave Fleming, advice about the industry, and has been a great overall guide for the project. He’s gone through information with us to ensure we have a solid understanding on the material, which has helped us in giving him an overall better final product,” she said.
Both Arielle and Duy said that communication between students and across projects presented a bit of a challenge at times.
“In order to be successful as a team, you need to have an effective channel of communication, to make sure that everybody is on the same page. Distance does not, and will not, stop a team from being successful as long as you know how to overcome the challenges,” said Duy.
Arielle says she is grateful for the applied project opportunity, as it will help her move forward into a career.
“With the experience I’ve gained from working for Swell Composites, I feel more prepared to enter the workforce than ever before,” she said. “I think it has been invaluable not only to myself but also the other groups. It’s easy for teachers to recreate situations for students to participate in, but there’s nothing like the real-life experience that we learned from the applied project.”
While many students leave the nest for college, Wireless Information Networking student Hannah Le moved to a new country for her studies. Raised in Vietnam, Hannah booked a flight to Canada to learn electronics, telecommunication and programming at Fleming College.
She describes Peterborough, Ont., as a peaceful, quiet city and appreciates the design of the Sutherland Campus building.
“I have had a wonderful experience at Fleming. My classes were so great with lots of excellent teachers, who were not only enthusiastic in class or lab but also gave timely responses to my email questions with very useful information,” said Hannah. “Fleming also had many activities inside and outside the campus, which gave me good chances to meet, communicate and connect with other students.”
The Wireless Information Networking graduate certificate focuses on the design, planning, implementation, operation and troubleshooting of wireless networks. For hands-on, real world experience, Hannah also completed a Field Placement at Genpak, a food packaging company.
“When I searched on the Internet about Genpak and knew that it has many plants in both the US and Canada, I thought this would be a great chance to see how this company handles their business,” she said. “Besides, I can still stay in Peterborough and meet my friends, while exploring the real workplace environment and working culture of the company.”
Hannah describes her colleagues at Genpak as nice, helpful, kind, supportive and encouraging. She said Field Placement has improved her communication skills, programming VBA skills, problem-solving, time management, and productivity. She added that Field Placement and Fleming College has also taught her a lot about Canadian culture.
“Field Placement is a great opportunity to gain experience in the real work environment. In the real world, not everything will be set up and fixed, so you have to face a lot more challenging problems and find the solutions to them,” said Hannah. “Field Placement helps me connect and apply what I have learned to the particular situations and develop my skills.”
Jennifer Seeley, Quality Assurance & Food Safety Coordinator at Genpak, was impressed with Hannah’s work.
“Hannah is one of those students that it just clicks with,” said Jennifer. “She took the placement very seriously in terms of her attendance, promptness and focus. She brought a lot of new ideas (to us) to the table with a number of the small projects that she worked on. Her friendly and curious outlook encouraged us to work a little deeper on some things, so that she could see and understand how things worked and why.”
Hannah had the opportunity to work in four different departments at Genpak: I.T., Engineering, Materials/Inventory, and Quality/Regulatory. Each supervisor was happy with Hannah’s work, writing in their feedback that she is:
“very knowledgeable and puts that knowledge to work in not only solving issues, but also learning” – I.T.
“always focused on her work and was great at noticing small details that needed attention” – Engineering
“pleasure to work with and eager to help” – Materials/Inventory
“we all benefitted from her help. She grasped concepts quickly, not only worked well independently but thought about what she was working on and could make valuable suggestions along the way. Hannah is definitely someone who can go far in her field” – Quality/Regulatory.
Fleming College offers many programs that feature Field Placement opportunities. Hannah’s advice to other students who want to excel on placement is to be confident, punctual and respectful, follow the responsibilities given in the Field Placement offer and be prepared, work hard and take it seriously, and do not hesitate to ask your teacher or supervisor for help.
There is one thing 
The surf’s up for 15 Fleming College students who are working on a multi-faceted project to help a west coast surfboard company expand overseas.