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All students master the skill of time management when they juggle various aspects of life such as class, homework, family obligations, and a job.

When it comes to the workplace, time management is a prized skill. Time management skills developed throughout life are transferable to the workplace, and can be applied to the micro-level required.

Every job can be broken down into job duties, and further broken down to specific job tasks. Workplace time management is the management of multiple job tasks with varying priorities and due dates.

Workplace Time Management Skills:

• Have a day/week planner – electronic or hand-written, be sure it is a method that works best for you!
• Plan your day – take a half hour at the start of your day to schedule your time, including travel time for commutes, lunch, meetings, etc.
• Set deadlines and prioritize – divide job tasks into their component parts, and assign due dates to keep you on track.
• Distraction-free work – set times of day to respond to emails and/or make business related phone calls, and designate specific time for distraction-free work (to focus and tackle longer, more difficult tasks).

The best way to develop an understanding about the various job duties and tasks you will face when entering the work force it is important to gain exposure to specific jobs.

The Co-operative education component of Metro College Programs provides students with exposure to their future career and the multiple job duties assigned to a job title. Students should take the opportunity to develop time management skills and better prepare themselves for entry into the job market. 

Learn more about the Metro College Co-operative Education Service.

As a Human Resource professional, I am often asked, “What should I include in my cover letter?”

A cover letter should first and foremost address the needs of the employer. How can your experience and education benefit the organization? What makes you stand out from the hundreds of other resumes that the employer receives on a day-to-day basis?

People often make the mistake of summarizing their resume on their cover letter and never really tell the company what they can do for them or how they can assist in the needs of their organization.

Every cover letter should be unique to the job ad and should never be reused. Every cover letter has its purpose, which brings me to my point:

How do you design and word your Cover Letter so that it stands out to an employer?

A cover letter should be divided into three parts.

• Starting the first part with what I like to call “the intro” – this should be simple and engaging. You are advising the employer of what position you are applying for and how you are a suitable match for the position.

• The second part is what I call “the meat” – this is where things get more complicated. You need to review the job ad and scan it for every qualification and skill point that should be included into this part. You can do this based on your previous experience /skills or newly gained knowledge. If you don’t have the experience that the employer requires, you want to let the employer know that you can learn it and apply them fairly quickly. The important thing is not to leave out a point. You must address everything the job ad is requesting.

• The third and final part is what I call “the invitation” – this is where you tell the employer that you are enclosing your resume for review and that you are inviting them to meet with you in person to discuss, in detail, how you can both develop a mutually beneficial relationship.

Metro College also offers excellent Job Search Support Service which focus on drafting a great cover letter, resume, and selecting your references. Mock interview sessions are also available to help prepare you for your future job interviews!

Mechanical Engineering Design is an old profession that probably started with the first tool a human ever used. Mechanical engineering designer combines art, science, and technology to create, improve, and detail the design needed for production.

The invention of computer and the continuous developments of its applications have huge impact on the profession of mechanical design. It has raised the bar for the acceptable level of designer’ skills. Today’s designers are using Computer Aided Design (CAD) programs instead of the old drafting board and T/set square to visualize and analyze their designs.

A mechanical designer is a key team player in the design process. The role is vital for the success of any mechanical/manufacturing project. A mechanical designer earns a good salary. According to https://www.payscale.com, the annual salary range of Mechanical designers in Toronto is from $50k to $77k with an average at $68k.

Mechanical designers are usually hired on full-time year-round basis and they are required to have good knowledge and skills of CAD software.

The Mechanical Engineering Design and Technology Program provides the skills and knowledge that designers must have to succeed as professional mechanical designers; the training program is well balanced in terms of learning the theory, the computer applications, and the design standards that are dominating this industry in North America.

Mechanical Engineering Design and Technology Program at Metro College includes the following courses:

• ANSI- ISO Standard Blueprint Reading teaches the language of designers, it is the cornerstone of understanding detail drawings and communicating mechanical design.
• Applied Design and Manufacturing Processes provides comprehensive knowledge in mechanical design and good understanding of manufacturing processes. This will train mechanical designer to develop the machines that can be manufactured and function well.
• Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing provides the knowledge and skills needed to create professional shop drawings and documentations that meet ANSI/ASME standards.
• Mechanical Engineering Design Principles teaches how to create mechanical design with respect to analyzing the forces, selecting the right material and the needed standard parts.
• Finite Element Analysis and Computational Fluid Analysis (FEA and CFD) uses CAD program to practice creating, analyzing and optimizing the design. Students will learn how to ANSYS to perform FEA and CFD analysis.
• AutoCAD 2D and 3D is a CAD program developed by Autodesk and widely used in mechanical, electrical, architectural and civil engineering designs.
• Autodesk Inventor is a powerful parametric CAD program that is used to create parts, assemblies, drawings, sheet metal and surfaces, weldments, motions and animations, analysis and optimization.
• SolidWorks is one of the most popular mechanical CAD programs in today's market, its applications are endless in manufacturing, and it has add-ins for costing, routing, mold design, motion and simulation.
• Parametric design with CATIA is one of the top powerful CAD/CAE/CAM programs. It goes beyond CAD to cover CAD/CAM/CAE functionality, it is used in many industries such as Industrial Equipment, Automotive, Electronics & High-Tech, Aerospace & Defense, Medical Devices, Consumer Products, etc.
• Mechanical Design Project is the final course in the program that prepares students with mechanical design experience. It provides students with a great opportunity to apply the design principles, design software skills they have learned in this program.

All students of this program will also complete a Design Project, an opportunity to put everything learned in the classroom into practice. Students gain hands-on experience with the conceptual design stages, all the way through to a final detailed design, including shop drawings, bill of materials, assembly and presentation drawings, cut lists and a full documentation package!

Are you interested in pursuing a career in Mechanical Design? Contact Us. Meet with an Admissions Advisor to discuss your goals, and take a campus tour – you can even sit in a class!

The Metro College Computerized Accounting and Office Administration program is designed to provide students with systematic knowledge and skills in computerized accounting and office administration.

Computerized accounting has greatly increased in the last few years, with manual accounting being replaced with more efficient accounting software. Metro College students gain applied, hands-on experience with MS Office and the latest accounting software packages.

Computerized Accounting and Office Administration program at Metro College includes the following courses:

• Microsoft Windows, Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook
• Fundamentals of Accounting
• Financial Accounting
• Accounting Project
• Canadian Payroll
• QuickBooks
• Computerized Accounting with SAP FI
• SAGE 50 Accounting (Simply Accounting)
• SAGE 300 ERP (ACCPAC)
• Personal Income Tax Preparation
• Accounting Co-op (optional)

Career opportunities upon graduation include: Accounting Clerk, Accounting Assistant, Financial Assistant, Bookkeeper, Marketing Assistant, and Payroll Clerk

Learn more about the Metro College Medical office Assistant Program from the students themselves:

Are you interested in becoming a success story? But you are not sure if you qualify for the program? Come in for a free assessment, Monday to Saturday! Book an appointment with one of our Admission Advisors, or just walk to our college when you have the time, we’re here to help.