April 13, 2017 · 0 Comments
By Mike Pickford
There is a new face at Georgian College’s Orangeville campus and the mind behind it is determined to lead the institution into a successful new era in the region.
Brenda Burman has an exceptional resumé when it comes to managing and growing organizations in the service sector. After 17 years of working for the college at its Centre for Career and Employment Community Services (CECS) at the Edelbrock Centre, Ms. Burman decided it was time to add to her own individual portfolio.
“While I’m beyond excited to take on this new position, I’m equally committed to continuing my role as manager of the CECS,” Ms. Burman told the Citizen. “I look forward to supporting all programs and services Georgian offers in the community.”
Since moving to its permanent location on Centennial Road just over a decade ago, Georgian College has experienced rapid growth in the region and today boasts more than 600 full-time and part-time students spread across 18 programs in Orangeville. The Centre for Career and Employment Community Services has blossomed under the guidance of Ms. Burman, who first started with the organization on a part-time basis in 2000.
“When I first came in here it was on an eight-week contract to put on a youth job fair for the college,” Ms. Burman said. “Because of the success of that fair, I was asked to stay on for another short term contract that dealt with student employment services here in Dufferin County and that’s when things really started to take shape.”
Since that time, Ms. Burman has expanded Dufferin County employment services from one single program into a multitude of different schemes and initiatives. The facility is now supported by three different funders, including both the provincial and federal governments, and services well over 1,500 local job seekers every year. Programs that have been put in place also provide close to $1 million annually in different incentives that encourage local employers to hire, train and upskill new and existing employees.
“Georgian College has a fantastic history of providing the absolute best education and employment services to people in Orangeville and Dufferin County,” Ms. Burman said. “Both Orangeville facilities are excellent examples of Georgian College’s strategic plan – one based on community engagement, collaboration and developing partnerships – that allows us to stand out and thrive and give the community everything it wants, needs and deserves from an education and employment perspective.”