Event draws women to male-dominated trades

Posted on 07. Apr, 2010 by juanantonio in Biz/Tech

STEPH SPRENGER
BIZ/TECH REPORTER

Young women and girls will get a chance to learn about trades and technical vocations at an event hosted by Humber’s North Campus next Tuesday.
“Construction trades like welder, electrician, framer, are still mostly men,” said Humber’s associate dean of trades Joe Tamona. “The stereotypes, while they are loosening up, are still there.”
Many of Humber’s trade and technical programs can count the number of female participants over the last 10 years on one hand.
“You can almost name them all,” says the plumbing program co-ordinator, Richard Snowdon.

Presentations by faculty in… [Continue reading]

USB 3.0 on the way

Posted on 07. Apr, 2010 by juanantonio in Biz/Tech

SANGEETA PATEL
BIZ/TECH REPORTER

Humber students can look forward to blazing fast data transfer with the advent of the USB 3.0, said Information Technology program co-ordinator Rob Robson.
“We are moving towards a digital lifestyle,” Robson said. “The size of the data we are dealing with is much larger than before.”
Robson said the USB’s 4.0 gigabytes per second transferring speed moves the technology towards a more reliable buffering system.
“What takes 33 minutes to transfer with USB 2.0 will take about three minutes with USB 3.0, and that’s time we can spend doing other things, rather than waiting… [Continue reading]

Campus deals abundant

Posted on 07. Apr, 2010 by juanantonio in Biz/Tech

JANE SPONAGLE
BIZ/TECH REPORTER
Cash-strapped students can pamper themselves, have a few pints and eat gourmet meals on campus if they know where to go.
The Humber Spa offers a number of services and better prices than what is available in downtown Toronto, said Antoinetta Perretta, Humber Spa manager.

The spa charges $40 for one facial session in a series of five sessions, compared to industry rates of $100 to $250 for the same session, said Perretta.
“When you’re comparing $40 times-five or $100 times-five, there’s definitely a huge savings for our clients,” Perretta said.
A manicure… [Continue reading]

Game design sees first grads

Posted on 07. Apr, 2010 by juanantonio in Biz/Tech

DAN BLACKWELL
BIZ/TECH REPORTER

This month the first graduating class of Humber’s videogame programming students could see their final projects land them a job at their favourite game developer.
The three-year program started in 2007 and to graduate, students must program a game on their own for a final capstone project.
“The idea is that you can take this out to an employer and say this is a thing I did entirely on my own, and the kind of thing I can do for you, so give me a job,” said program co-ordinator Rob Robson.

“There… [Continue reading]

Plan will make OSAP repayment easier for students

Posted on 07. Apr, 2010 by juanantonio in Biz/Tech

CHARMAINE KERRIDGE
BIZ/TECH REPORTER

With the new Ontario Student Assistance Program repayment assistance plan announced by the Ministry of Training, College and Universities on March 29, student loan repayment will become more affordable for cash-strapped Humber grads.
The Ontario government aims to reduce monthly repayments to levels grads can “reasonably afford.”
“This new change has to do with the repayment of loans,” said Patrick O’Gorman, spokesperson for the ministry. “So whatever your debt is, you would not be paying more than 20 per cent of your family’s income.”
The plan comes into effect in May and replaces the interest… [Continue reading]

Prof investigates social media savvy

Posted on 31. Mar, 2010 by juanantonio in Biz/Tech

STEPH SPRENGER
BIZ/TECH REPORTER

A Humber public relations instructor is researching student use of social media to improve the curriculum and make a name for Humber as a leader in social media teaching methods.
Instructor Andrea Tavchar will survey a sample of Humber’s public relations students and perform in-depth interviews to identify students’ comfort levels using social media such as Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.
“Many of my colleagues at Humber are interested in my findings,” she said, adding her research is relevant in many disciplines because of the increasingly digital nature of most industries.

“This is… [Continue reading]

3-D television won’t be in curriculum yet

Posted on 31. Mar, 2010 by juanantonio in Biz/Tech

SANGEETA PATEL
BIZ/TECH REPORTER

Although new 3-D televisions are now available on the consumer market, Humber will hold off on teaching the technology in its computer animation and video game programs for now, said Terry Posthumus, 3-D animation program co-ordinator.
“I’m still apprehensive about it,” said Posthumus. “And that’s not because I don’t think it’s good, but it’s about whether it will take or not. There’s always something new out there.”  
He compared it to HD, which developed enough of a consumer base that it was implemented into the programs at Humber.
“This isn’t the first appearance of… [Continue reading]

Students could be missing out on multiple tax credits

Posted on 31. Mar, 2010 by juanantonio in Biz/Tech

JANE SPONAGLE
BIZ/TECH REPORTER

Humber students could benefit from multiple tax credits if they file a return, even if they don’t have a taxable income, said a Humber accounting instructor.
“If they have tuition fees they paid to Humber, they should file their return and record their tuition fees as paid so they can carry it forward to a future year,” said Wayne Hughes, an introduction to income tax instructor.

Registrar Sharon Kinasz said tuition tax receipts are available online through the student portal, SRS.
“It’s right there. You print it yourself,” said Kinasz.
There are… [Continue reading]

Smartphone debate has students divided

Posted on 31. Mar, 2010 by juanantonio in Biz/Tech

TANISHA DUVERNEY
SENIOR REPORTER

Wireless media devices have exploded in popularity in the last decade and two smart phones – the iPhone and the BlackBerry – are vying for student loyalty.
“They are our top two selling phones,” said Jennifer Carreon, sales manager at Glentel Wireless Etc.
In the race for market dominance, both phones have their pros and cons.
BlackBerrys are e-mail efficient phones, while the iPhone has over 100,000 applications available, programs that can be downloaded to enhance the phone experience, said Carreon.

Ryan Nacpil, a business administration student and iPhone owner, said what… [Continue reading]

Arts studio improves learning at Lakeshore

Posted on 31. Mar, 2010 by juanantonio in Biz/Tech

GILLIAN GALINSKY

BIZ/TECH REPORTER

The new arts and media studio at Lakeshore Campus provides students with a better learning facility, said John Bourgeois, program co-ordinator for acting for film and television.
Bourgeois said the most important feature of the new studio is it provides students with a sense of rededication and renewal.
“If your surroundings are conducive to your work, you can be more creative,” he said.
The new studio is equipped with soundproof rooms and electronic classrooms complete with projectors and media consoles that the old facility did not have, Bourgeois said.

The studio… [Continue reading]