 CCET Works With Industry on Customized Solution
Last year, Douglas Chaddock made a savvy business decision that has served his company extraordinarily well. The managing director of Syndications Canada, which is involved in property investment, event management, green energy projects, training and development, and publishing, agreed for his company to be a test case for some students in George Brown College’s Information Systems Business Analystprogram seeking to complete an authentic industry project. Three students in the one-year post-graduate certificate program, which is offered by the college’s Centre for Construction & Engineering Technologies, set about improving Taking Courses, the company’s web-based calendar of personal and professional development courses. They developed detailed recommendations for the company’s website developers on how to make the site more functional and user friendly.
This year, Syndications Canada is on its way to developing a new and improved online course calendar, thanks to the significant contributions of those Business Analyst students—one of whom Chaddock hired upon graduation to continue working on this project, as well as on others at his company. “They had the ability to translate what I was trying to achieve with the website into language that the coders could understand. They had the knowledge as well as the passion to get problems solved,” Chaddock says.
The Business Analyst program focuses on producing industry-ready graduates who have the knowledge and skills to effectively liaise between the business and IT functions of an organization. Launched last year and developed by and for industry, the program provides current and aspiring business analysts with practical and in-depth training that enables them to hit the ground running in the field. “Students gain the relevant technical skills, the competencies needed to assist and manage people, and the knowledge of and practise in the techniques, processes and tools needed to do the job,” says Tyler Krimmel, coordinator of and instructor in the program.
The three-semester program stands out for the applied nature of its curriculum, with its three case study-courses providing students with an immersive understanding of the business analyst profession, as well as ample opportunities to cultivate the abilities to excel within it. Taught by business analyst consultants and faculty, the program produces ready-to-practise business analysts who, with their finely-tuned skills in workflow modelling, project management, communication and much more, are able to develop solutions to real-world business issues.
Other companies that recognize the great industry value of this program include Scotiabank, IT/engineering/health sciences staffing firm Ian Martin, health care software manufacturer Infonaut and Porter Airlines, which have signed on as industry partners to offer students hands-on business analyst experience by tackling some of their IT-related challenges. “The program was developed based on the market needs of employers in the information and communication technologies sector,” Krimmel says. “Participants learn to become business analysts in real conditions, through an experiential learning process that’s grounded in the practicalities of the profession.”
Student Pioneers First Automatic Video-Moderation Program
A groundbreaking new approach to detecting and filtering out inappropriate video content online that could save Internet companies millions of dollars was developed by a George Brown College student.
Alecsander Granger, a student in the Centre for Construction & Engineering Technologies’ Computer Programmer Analyst program, played a pivotal role in developing the world’s first comprehensive video-moderation software that can recognize and censor most illicit content, such as nudity, profanity and racism. The software earned Granger the top prize at last month’s annual Polytechnics Canada Science and Technology Showcase, which celebrates innovative applied research initiatives taking place at nine Canadian post-secondary institutions.
“Right now, companies that allow the public to post videos online need employees to watch every single video. This is the only program that’s able to go through videos in real time by itself and determine with 90% accuracy whether or not something is offensive. It has the potential to save companies millions in moderation costs,” says Granger, 24.
Granger was hired by the college’s Office of Research and Innovationlast summer to help create the user-generated video moderation system for Viafoura, a Toronto-based social media startup that was seeking a more efficient way to censor unsuitable content on its cloud-based conversation and gaming platform. The company had obtained the rights to the algorithm for the software, which was originally developed by some PhD students at Ryerson, but needed to make it functional for its business.
“We took the concept and we turned it into reality—a fully functional product that Viafoura can deploy on its servers and commercialize,” Granger says.
The project, which received $22,000 in funding from the Colleges Ontario Network for Industry Innovation, included the involvement of two graduate students in the Business Analyst certificate program who determined the most effective and efficient way to implement the software into Viafoura’s operations.
“This multidisciplinary approach allows students from different programs to understand and participate in the entire life cycle of a project in their industry. For industry, it provides an all-inclusive solution to their business needs,” says Tyler Krimmel, Business Analyst program coordinator and professor, and principle investigator on the project. “By bringing students on board to help companies grow and commercialize research, companies get to see the quality of work they can produce.”
Viafoura is currently pursuing a patent for the software, with the intention of eventually offering it as a business solution to other companies with video-moderation needs. Granger and the two Business Analyst students are now working on enhancing the software with additional features and functionalities.
For Granger, contributing to the project has opened his eyes to how he can apply what he’s learning in his Computer Programmer Analyst program to real-world projects. Halfway through the advanced diploma program, Granger is enjoying using industry-standard computer programs such as Microsoft Visual Studio, NetBeans and SQL, and learning from instructors who “have the relevant knowledge and practical experience to bring the course material alive.”
Granger has seen his career prospects expand since presenting at Polytechnics Canada, where he received attention from representatives at Canadian government agencies and from executives at leading industry companies—including IBM—some of whom wanted to buy the software on the spot. For now, he’s continuing his studies and, on the side, working on his own mobile digital applications and exploring consulting opportunities. Whichever path his career takes, he’s confident his George Brown training will guide him toward success.
Says Granger: “I feel like getting everything I need and want at George Brown, and I’ve already started working on industry projects, so I feel I’m going in the right direction, and will be able to apply these skills almost immediately.”
Student Excels at Computer Networking Competition
 The latest aspiring computer networker to place within the top ranks of the Cisco NetRiders IT Skills Challenge is a student in the Computer Systems Technician program at George Brown College.
Joseph Arnup, a fourth-semester student in the advanced diploma program run by the college’s Centre for Construction & Engineering Technologies, placed second in Canada and 15th in North America in the annual competition last fall.
“When I found out how I did, I felt good about what I accomplished. It was a great experience that I think helped prepare me for the field,” says Arnup, 29.
Arnup was one of 700 competitors from six provinces and 39 U.S. states who took part in the competition, which is geared towards post-secondary school students participating in Cisco Networking Academy programs. Over the course of six weeks between mid October and early December, participants tested their networking and IT skills by completing a series of online exams and simulation activities on Cisco Certified Network Associate Routing & Switching (CCNA) material. The North American competition is one of several NetRider events that take place in more than 80 countries worldwide.
Usually, students choose to complete all four modules of the CCNA Exploration curriculum before entering the rigorous competition to boost their chances of success. But Arnup, a former cook who’s eager to start his new career, took part while partway through the third course.
“He’s an A plus student, and he wanted to leap ahead and learn on his own what’s in the next module so that he could compete. He performed well—it was a big achievement,” says Stephan Caneff, one of Arnup’s professors.
Beyond Arnup’s knack for networking and strong drive, his success in the competition was fueled by his superior training in his George Brown program, which features a comprehensive curriculum, industry-experienced instructors and up-to-date computer facilities.
In addition to learning CCNA, students also cover computer hardware fundamentals, networking technology, web programming, data communications, network security and more. Access to modern computer networking equipment and software, and instruction and advice from professors who continue to stay active in the field, ensure a complete learning experience.
“I always make sure to cover new trends and technologies so that students can stay current in new developments in the industry,” Caneff says.
Upon completion of the program, students may receive a Cisco Networking Academy certificate, and will be well prepared to write the CCNA industry certification exam, as well as the CompTIA A+, Microsoft Windows Server MCP, Novell CNA and CompTIA Security+ exams. With their well-rounded education, graduates can pursue a variety of jobs related to computer systems support, sales, installation, training and security.
Arnup will complete his program this spring, but he won’t wait until then to write his CCNA certification exam—he plans to do that in January, while the knowledge he gained from the NetRiders competition is still fresh. He’s also getting a head start on establishing his career—next month, he plans to conduct information interviews with hiring executives at Cisco and other computer networking companies.
Says Arnup: “My focus is on Cisco, networking and hardware—I’d really like to do some heavy, creative, advanced-level hardware networking.”
Game Programming Students become a part of the New King Street Expansion
George Brown College is adding new locations to the St. James Campus, extending its footprint in the King St. E. community and enhancing the student experience with more and easily accessible space and newly renovated facilities. The new space will allow for the creation of a specialized digital sandbox with motion capture and 3D scanners as well as an incubator for the game industry that will support student, faculty and industry start-ups.
Specifically, students in T163 Game Programming will attend classes (DESN1083 Asset Development I, DESN1130 2D Interactive Prototyping, DESN1086 Asset Development II, DESN2013 Game Project Development I, DESN2017 Game Project Development II, DESN3010 Game Project Development III, DESN3012 Game Project Development IV) at the new 333 King Street East location.
A streetcar speeds past the red brick Toronto Sun building at 333 King St. E – east of Sherbourne Street – a large part of which has been leased by George Brown to satisfy growing student demand for game design programs.
Courses start there in September 2011.
IT Hiring Recovers After Recession, study shows
It’s a good year to be a computer professional!
More companies plan to hire in 2012, particularly in the growing areas of data security and privacy, according to an annual survey by Randstad Technologies and IBM Canada.
[Read the full story here...]
2011 George Brown College Achievement Awards
The Centre for Construction & Engineering Technologies would like to congratulate all of their staff who were nominated for the 2011 George Brown College Achievement Awards!
Jamie McIntyre – Innovation Award
Ontario Skills Competition Team - Student Service/Experience Award
Giving Healthcare a Hand: Adapting Mobile Scanning Device to Patient Care
The goal to move data quickly and accurately is as important, if not more so, in healthcare as in a warehouse, retail outlet or manufacturing plant—and not just for efficiency, but for timely, updated and comprehensive access to care. Yet hospital staff equipped with wireless handheld devices to input and retrieve patient data at the bedside is still a relatively uncommon sight in Canada.
This was the impetus for Symbol Technologies (now a division of Motorola) to begin a design project with Professor Khalid Danok of George Brown College’s School Of Computer Technologies, along with his students in the three-year Computer Systems Technology diploma program. Students must complete real-world field projects with industry partners in the final semester of their program. The Ontario Centres of Excellence (OCE) Connections program helped fund the project.
Motorola wanted to adapt a Symbol mobile barcode scanner, typically used in inventory applications, to healthcare, so that care providers can input, update and retrieve a patient’s medical history based on scanning the patient’s hospital wristband and linking a wireless connection to a central database server. This would eliminate the need to leave the patient and delay treatment in order to access their information at a dispersed computer workstation.
The project had three parts: developing the new software application for the Symbol/Motorola handheld device, developing a compatible application on a host server, and wireless connectivity that would link all hospital access points. The students used a range of commercially available programming software, database services and operating systems, along with Motorola’s own Software Development Kit (SDK) to create the application. Says Danok, “They put a great deal of focus on researching and learning the technologies necessary to complete the project, while still bringing the project in by the deadline.”
The project was developed primarily at George Brown, using equipment provided by the college or Symbol/Motorola. A second cohort of senior students continued the application suite. It was installed at Motorola Canada, where the functionality of the students’ prototype applications was successfully demonstrated. The students subsequently identified bugs still to be worked out, and discussions are pending with Motorola on the next steps for the applied research and development project.
Says Brent Bloxam, a student involved on the scanner project who is now a systems administrator at Beanfield Technologies: “It was a real-world opportunity to practice the skills gained throughout my semesters at George Brown. Working within a large group with Symbol helped me understand the many facets of successful project planning and follow through that are important in my field.”
Wireless Networking students are helping to stop the spread of superbugs
“If the invention of microscope allowed us to see microbes, our Hospital Watch Live (HWL) allows us to see how they move,” says Colin Furness, Infonaut’s Director of Research & Knowledge Development. Using Real-Time Locating System (RTLS), Infonaut’s HWL software will track infections as they travel between people and objects, allowing hospitals to react in “real time” to halt hospital-acquired infections before they spread. Applying RTLS to infection control is a new use for the hardware. That’s why Infonaut turned to George Brown College. In January 2010, in a project funded by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), the IT student team and Infonaut set up the RTLS in the Simulated Practice Centre of the George Brown Nursing School in order to test the system in a hospital environment.
“The issue was accuracy,” explains Wireless Networking - T411 professor Jorge Olenewa. To “see” the movement of infection requires a highly sensitive locating system which can follow nurses running down a hall or just moving between beds. Students engaged in the painstaking task of placing and positioning receivers to measure the accuracy of the signal and identify interferences. “Every week we had series of measurements we’d take at each bed to get a baseline performance of the wireless devices that were installed,” explains Justin Blow, student in the Computer Systems Technology - T147 program.
“Now, we have such good accuracy,” says Furness, “that the clinician doesn’t even have to move, but just pivot in space between two beds, and the system can track it.” George Brown continues to test new systems and different hardware to “enable Infonaut to offer an accurate, deployable solution,” says Olenewa. According to Furness, Infonaut’s HWL will be implemented at Toronto General Hospital in October 2011.
On May 31, 2011, Alumni Relations & the Centre for Construction and Engineering Technologies hosted a networking lunch at The Chefs' House. Alumni were invited to hear the latest news from George Brown College, mingle with fellow alumni and college faculty and staff, win great draw prizes, and update us on their careers. [Read more...]
2011 Dinner with the Dean The Centre for Construction & Engineering Technologies held its second annual Dinner with the Dean - Nancy Sherman, on March 29th 2011 to enjoy an evening of food, drink, socializing and acknowledging the great work of our Peer Leaders, Peer Liaisons, Ambassadors, faculty and staff. [Read more...]
2011 Technology Career Fair
On February 8th 2011, The Centre for Construction & Engineering Technologies & the Industry Liaison Office hosted the 2011 Technology Career Fair in our Casa Loma campus gymnasium.
Hundreds of students from the School of Architectural Studies, School of Construction Management and Trades, School of Computer Technology, and School of Mechanical Engineering Technologies were in attendance to hear first hand from over 30 local, national and international employer industry partners how they can fit into the job market. [Read the full story]
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