Peterborough & the Kawarthas Home Builders Association Launch Women In Trades Programs

The Peterborough & the Kawarthas Home Builders Association (PKHBA) has launched two Women in Trades programs with a networking event at the Habitat for Humanity Peterborough & Kawartha Region Lakefield ReStore on Wednesday afternoon.

Photo by David Tuan bui.

Roughly 30 women in skilled trades and construction attended as PKHBA marked the occasion by announcing new programs designed to promote and support women in skilled trades and construction.

PKHBA had launched was the Ambassador Program in partnership with the Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board (KPR), Peterborough Victoria Northumberland Clarington Catholic District School Board (PVNC) and Fleming College. Its goal is to encourage more women to pursue careers in skilled trades.

The event had representatives from these school partners speak about the programs available for women in skilled trades:

• Johanne Denley (PVNC) highlighted the Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program (OYAP), the Young Women’s Conference hosted by Skills Ontario in Toronto, and partnerships such as Junior Achievement for FemSTEAM programs.

• Danielle Moher (KPR) discussed the Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM) programs, teacher and guidance training to support students interested in trades, the new Grade 9 Tech curriculum, and opportunities for high school students to gain hands-on experience at job sites.

• Mary MacLeod (Fleming College) spoke about the Building Bridges, dual credit programs and the college’s partnerships with local schools. She noted that over 1,400 high school students had the opportunity to work with tools—some for the first time—sparking an interest in hands-on careers.

The Mentorship Program was also launched as it provides women in construction with guidance and support from experienced industry leaders within the PKHBA membership. It covers four key topics: entrepreneurship, workplace culture, systems and processes and sales and marketing.

“The power of women supporting each other is unmatched,” said Andria Cowan, ACM Designs owner and PKHBA Women in Trades Committee Chair. “By coming together, we can create positive change, open new doors, and inspire future generations of women to explore rewarding careers in the skilled trades.”

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Fleming College Welcomes All At Spring Open House On March 22

Fleming College invites everyone to discover their future at its annual spring Open House on March 22, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

File Photo.

Attendees can explore Fleming’s campuses and learn about the diverse programs and exceptional student resources. 

Visitors can tour the Peterborough Sport and Wellness Centre at the Sutherland Campus in Peterborough, meet with faculty and chat with students about their experiences in Fleming’s wide range of programs. Information about accessibility, student experience, athletics and diversity and inclusion services will also be available. 

The Frost Campus in Lindsay will offer a variety of hands-on activities and demonstrations. Guests can enter a contest to get a chance to press a detonator and blow up dozens of watermelons during Fleming’s Blasting Techniques program demonstration.  

At the Haliburton School of Art + Design, attendees can speak with students and instructors, tour the art studios and walk along the adjacent Sculpture Forest Trail. 

Those interested in firefighting careers can visit the Eastern Ontario Emergency Training Academy in Norwood, where faculty, staff, and students from Fleming’s Pre-Service Firefighter Education and Training program will be available to answer questions and provide insight into the program. Firefighters will be on location from surrounding communities, training for situations they encounter regularly, a moment not to be missed. 

Registration to attend Open House is available online.

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Fleming College's Haliburton School of Art and Design to Offer Courses During March Break

Fleming College’s Haliburton School of Art + Design is offering courses for kids, youth and adults to have fun this upcoming March Break, announced on Thursday.

Photo courtesy of Fleming College.

Young artists (ages five to nine) can get their hands dirty and creative in Kids Art Camp: Wild About Clay. According to Fleming, participants will explore three-dimensional art through various hand-building techniques such as pinching, coiling and slab work as they create unique clay masterpieces. They will find natural objects to press into clay and sculpt their favourite animals.

Teens and adults (ages 17 and up) can engage in Canadian winter through Painting the Winter Landscape. Participants will paint in real-time or work from photographs, drawing inspiration from Haliburton’s scenery, including the Sculpture Forest.

Artists are guided by the techniques of artists such as Tom Thomson, Lawren Harris, Doris McCarthy and Kim Dorland to develop their own interpretations of the winter landscape.

These courses run daily from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Haliburton Campus from March 10 to 14. 

Registration is now open and can be done online.

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Fleming Night Hits Peterborough Memorial Centre For Petes Game On Feb. 13

The Peterborough Petes are hosting college students again with Fleming Night when they host the Ottawa 67’s at the Peterborough Memorial Cetnre on Feb. 13.

Photo courtesy of Kenneth Andersen and the Peterborough Petes.

The night celebrates Fleming students, staff, faculty and alumni.

Members of the Fleming community, including alumnus and social media influencer Brendan Carpenter, will participate in a ceremonial puck drop. Announcements recognizing Fleming College will play throughout the game.

The game is the second part of a home-and-home series between the two teams being played on back-to-back days.

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Peterborough Lakers Partner With Fleming College Students For Business and Marketing Consultation

As a final project for 39 Fleming College students, they are providing business and marketing consultation for the Peterborough Lakers in a partnership announced at the Peterborough and District Sports Hall of Fame on Friday morning.

Pete Dalliday (right) addresses the Fleming Students during a Q&A session. Photo by David Tuan bui.

The students are from the General Business program within Fleming College’s School of Business and IT Applied Projects class. The collaboration will run until April for the undergraduate students.

“This collaboration project is to build awareness and sales for the Peterborough Lakers,” said David Swales, program coordinator and professor. “The project itself is to create the strategy and identify deliverables; we’re acting like consultants.”

Students are responsible for conducting research to create a consulting package on how to raise ticket sales and gain sponsorships for the Lakers. Pete Dalliday, Lakers director of community engagement, laid out an overview of the organization’s current status and goals of what they are looking to achieve.

Swales says the students are well-equipped with the tools to effectively help the Lakers reach their goals.

“So many of them have such great social media skills so there’s a lot of expertise they can bring,” he explained.

After the Q&A session, the students were given a tour of the facility and treated to briefly watch an ongoing hockey game at the Peterborough Memorial Centre.

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Fleming College Introduces New Continuing Education Language Courses

Fleming College is expanding its in-person Continuing Education language course offerings at its Frost Campus in Lindsay and Sutherland Campus in Peterborough.

Photo courtesy of Fleming College.

Starting in January, both campuses will offer Conversational French (Level 1 and Level 2, with Level 3 launching in spring), Conversational Spanish (Beginner and Intermediate), American Sign Language (Level 1—Part A, with Part B arriving in spring) and Conversational Italian (Level 1 and Level 2).

All classes are taught by faculty who are native speakers of the language.

The French, Spanish, and Italian courses are focused mainly on building conversational skills.

Students who complete both parts of the American Sign Language course will have reached Level 1 proficiency of ASL, as recognized by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL).

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Fleming College Introduces FastPass to Grant Credits From Prior Education or Experience

Fleming College has introduced FastPass to determine whether credits are based on prior education, work or volunteer experience, certifications and licenses, traditional or organizational learning, or life experience apply to their programs.

Photo courtesy of Fleming College.

Students can easily check their eligibility for Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR).

“PLAR can kickstart a new student’s program by giving them credits for skills and competencies they’ve earned elsewhere,” says Sherry Gosselin, Fleming executive vice president, information technology. “That way it shortens the duration to graduation, can reduce the money they spend, and can get them to the workforce faster.”

The FastPass tool also boasts helping decide which program is the best fit according to Fleming. The FastPass credit predictor can identify which program would match up best with a diploma after uploading a résumé.

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Fleming College Alumni Nominated For Premier’s Awards

Six Fleming College alumni have been selected as nominees for the this year’s Premier’s Awards.

The Premier Awards were founded in 1992. Photo courtesy of Fleming College.

Colleges Ontario administers the Premier’s Awards, the advocacy voice for Ontario’s 24 colleges.

This annual celebration recognizes college graduates' significant social and economic contributions on a provincial and global scale.

Colleges can nominate alumni in seven categories: Skilled Trades, Business, Community Services, Creative Arts and Design, Health Sciences, Recent Graduate and Science, Technology and Engineering.

The Fleming College nominees for 2024 are:

Skilled Trades
Dylan Stadtke: Mechanical Techniques Plumbing (2016), HVAC Technician (2018)
The co-owner of Pristine Plumbing Peterborough, Dylan’s business is thriving, reflecting his dedication to high professional standards and community involvement. In addition to two Fleming diplomas, Dylan completed the Construction Leadership Program at Fleming in 2022, demonstrating his commitment to leadership and excellence in his field. Beyond his professional achievements, Dylan is deeply committed to men’s mental health and is a strong proponent of promoting women in trades. His dedication to these important issues underscores his role as a leader and innovator in his industry.

Health Sciences
Francine Sam: Practical Nursing (2024)
Francine Sam began her nursing career while living in Australia where she was enrolled in university for nursing. She ended up moving to a rural village in northern Uganda where she did humanitarian work for seven years alongside her young family, caring for vulnerable children and their communities. It was through her experiences there that compelled her to further her education at Fleming College. Francine recently graduated as a Practical Nurse and was the Valedictorian of the School of Health and Community Services and is now working as a Registered Practical Nurse in the Emergency Department at her local hospital.

Community Services
Heather George: Museum Management and Curatorship (2008)
Heather George is an influential leader in the Canadian museum sector. As Executive Director of the Woodland Cultural Centre, she advocates for Indigenous perspectives and creates opportunities for Indigenous artists and curators. As the Past President of the Canadian Museum Association and current Vice President for the Indigenous Heritage Circle, Heather advances the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Call to Action #67, urging museums to engage in reconciliation with Indigenous peoples. In 2021, she led a national review of museum policies in relation to the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP). This review involved Indigenous communities and museum professionals, culminating in recommendations to change sector standards and develop federal repatriation laws.

Science, Technology and Engineering
Matthew Wilson: Conservation Biology (2024)
In 2022, Matthew Wilson made a significant decision to leave his career in the shipping industry and return to school. He was driven by a desire to pursue a more meaningful path, he chose to focus on addressing the pressing environmental and natural world challenges facing our planet today. Matt has always had a deep passion for animals and nature. Over the years, he has worn many hats, including biologist, arboricultural field technician, and research assistant. Recently, Matt enrolled in the Conservation Biology Program at Fleming College, where he graduated as Valedictorian of the School of Environmental and Natural Resources. Driven by a strong desire to make a positive impact on our climate, Matt is committed to preserving our natural legacy for future generations.

Recent Graduate
Jacques Graveline: Business Administration-Marketing (2022)
Jacques Graveline was a Student Ambassador for Fleming Indigenous Student Services and Fleming Student Administrative Council. He graduated from Fleming College with an Advanced Diploma in Marketing in 2022 and has been extremely involved in the College since. Elected as Board Chair at Fleming SAC in 2023, he passionately advocates for students to ensure an exceptional college experience. Jacques is a leader in the Peterborough community, supporting the United Way homeless initiative and Dragon Boat Races for Breast Cancer, while creating and implementing marketing strategies as the Marketing Assistant at Bridges Peterborough. Jacques is currently the Governance and Advocacy Coordinator with the Fleming Student Administrative Council.

Creative Arts and Design
Aaron Robitaille: Graphic Design-Visual Communication Advanced Diploma (2020)
A 2020 graduate of Fleming College’s Graphic Design (GDV) program and recipient of the Muriel Cooper Award for Design Excellence, Aaron launched “Aaron Robitaille Design” and developed notable branding for Haven Brewing Company. Her expertise spans large-scope murals, websites, and mentoring local artists, with work featured across Ontario. She is currently an instructor at Fleming College and acts as Vice Chair and member on Artspace’s Board of Directors, Peterborough’s only artist-run centre. The GDV program’s comprehensive training and community partnerships were pivotal in her success, fostering a blend of art and design that continues to drive her career and contributions to the local arts community.

The Premier’s Award nominees will be recognized at a gala event in Toronto on Nov. 25 where the winners will be announced.

To nominate a deserving Fleming graduate for a 2025 Premier’s Award, please contact the Advancement and Alumni Relations Office at 705-749-5530 ext. 1197 or email alumni@flemingcollege.ca.

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Fleming College Receives $360,000 to Fight "Canada's Worst Invasive Plant"

The money will go to fighting a highly prevalent aggressive reed commonly known as invasive phragmites.

FLEMING COLLEGE PHOTO

Fleming is getting the funding from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada’s (NSERC) College and Community Social Innovation Fund (CCSIF).

Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of National Revenue, on behalf of François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry made the announcement last week.  

Fleming will partner with Nature Conservancy Canada, Ducks Unlimited Canada, and Saiwa Inc. to innovate the fight against what’s being billed as “Canada’s worst invasive plant”.

“We are thrilled to have the opportunity to help Nature Conservancy of Canada and Ducks Unlimited Canada with their important conservation work,” said Fleming president Maureen Adamson. “Together, we will provide conservationists and resource managers with valuable tools to effectively combat the spread of invasive plants that threaten our native vegetation.” 

The 3 year project is led by the researchers from Fleming’s Centre for Applied Machine Intelligence and Integration Technologies (CAMIIT) and School of Environmental & Natural Resource Sciences (SENRS).

It aims to advance automation in the detection and surveillance of the invasive plant using machine vision algorithms, remote sensing data, and innovative drone technologies.

CAMIIT’s Dr. Fereydoon Diba, in collaboration with Saiwa Inc., will develop a specialized drone with machine vision capability to recognize the invasive plant.

SENRS professor, Dr. Josh Feltham, along with Nature Conservancy Canada and Ducks Unlimited Canada will collect drone surveillance data.

Fleming students will assist with the project’s data collection and hardware development.

“This collaboration highlights the capabilities that technology and innovation can bring to natural resources, and the real-world problems that can be solved through applied research,” added Adamson. “It’s promising to see CAMIIT and SENRS combining forces with such highly respected national conservation organizations.”

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100 Women Peterborough Raises More Than $10,000 for Hearts 4 Joy

On Sept. 17, 100 Women Peterborough gathered at Fleming College to support individuals with intellectual exceptionalities (21+).

Photo by 100 women peterborough.

The event, hosted by the Advancement and Alumni Relations Office, benefited Hearts 4 Joy, a group that has been advocating for and enhancing the lives of young adults with Down Syndrome, Autism, or Learning Disabilities since 2020.

The initiative began in the backyard of one of Hearts 4 Joy’s co-founders and current board member, Norma Christensen.

“We are proud to nurture the talents of individuals with Down Syndrome, Autism, and Learning Disabilities,” said Christensen. “With the generous support from 100 Women Peterborough, we hope to purchase a new kiln and expand our product line.”

“I am incredibly proud of our group for donating over $10,000 to this remarkable organization,” said Rosalea Terry, a founding member of 100 Women Peterborough. “It’s a testament to the power of collective giving and the impact we can have when we come together.”

Hearts 4 Joy has seen its program membership expand to include 14 artists with intellectual exceptionalities, who have found a dedicated space to create and sell their work in the Charlotte Mews, called the Hearts 4 Joy Artisan Shoppe.

“We are overjoyed and thankful for this support,” said Debbie Quinlan, Hearts 4 Joy co-founder. “These funds will help us hire a web designer to create, launch, and maintain our first Hearts 4 Joy website, showcasing our unique products, raising awareness for upcoming events, and facilitating monthly donations.”

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