Academic News

Part-time Technical Vocational Student,

Please be advised that Red River College has decided to cancel all part-time courses for the Winter 2 term of the Part-time Technical Vocational Teacher Education Program.

This decision was made as a concerted effort to keep everyone safe and available for immediate personal and work related concerns. Technical Vocational students are primarily teachers and instructors themselves who will be busy converting their own face to face courses to alternate remote delivery formats as well as addressing childcare needs, work-from-home plans, and the like.

We will automatically withdraw you from all courses currently registered. See exceptions below.

We are currently reviewing our Spring/Summer schedule to ensure that needed prerequisites are provided. We will be in touch with each of you when more information is available.

The two exceptions are

• The cohort section of EDUC-1094 Course Development
• The online section of EDUC-1093 Organizing Technical Educational Facilities

These courses will still be offered using entirely online delivery. If you do not wish to take these courses at this time, simply withdraw using this form: https://www.rrc.ca/supports/student-records/withdrawal-part-time/

Please see our Frequently Asked Question below. If you have further questions or concerns, please contact Daryl McRae, Part-time Technical Vocational Program Coordinator at dmcrae@rrc.ca.

Kerri Korabelnikov Caldwell – Dean, School of Education, Arts and Sciences

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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS FOR PART-TIME TECHNICAL VOCATIONAL PROGRAM CANCELLATION OF WINTER 2 CLASSES

Why are classes cancelled? This decision is grounded in a concerted effort to keep everyone safe and available for more immediate personal and work related concerns.

Do I have to submit a withdrawal form to be removed from the class? No. We have taken care of that for you. You do not need to do anything.

The two exceptions are:

• The cohort section of EDUC-1094 Course Development
• The online section of EDUC-1093 Organizing Technical Educational Facilities

These courses will still be offered using entirely online delivery. If you do not wish to take these courses at this time, simply withdraw using this form: https://www.rrc.ca/supports/student-records/withdrawal-part-time/

If I have already paid for this course, how & when will I get a refund? If you have already paid for your course, you will be eligible for a refund. We ask for your patience as we work to address the many cancellations that are being processed.

Will the spring term also be cancelled? At this point, we are only cancelling classes for the Winter 2 term.

I was scheduled to take a course in Winter 2 that is a prerequisite for other course. Will this hold me back? We will be reviewing the impact of cancelling Winter 2 courses and, where possible, adjusting the schedule to ensure a smooth continuance to your program.

When will I know the revised Spring/Summer schedule? Please continue to check this site often for updates.

Will all courses in the Spring/Summer be online? This is the most likely scenario. If this is the case, 1 and 2 week courses will be delivered over an 8 week period.

More questions? Contact Daryl McRae, Part-time Technical Vocational Program Coordinator at dmcrae@rrc.ca.

Ricki’s Home Office Graphic Designer – Digital

Ricki’s…Fashion That Works!

Established in 1939, with more than 130 locations across Canada, Ricki’s is the destination for fashionable and versatile workwear.  Ricki’s caters to the younger working woman whose lifestyle demands versatility in her wardrobe and who desires a fun, easy to shop environment. She expects put together looks which translate fashion trends in ways that are current and appropriate for her lifestyle.  We carry everything from suiting options to great mix and match pieces, jeans, tees, and more. And by offering great fashion in sizes 0-18 and pants in multiple lengths, we’re sure to find your perfect fit!

Prefer to shop online? Our online store offers specialty lines like our long 34″and extra long 36″ inseam pants, as well as the hottest trends in casual wear and web exclusives!

We Value:

Passion – believes in our brand, loves fashion

Drive Results– deliver results through motivation, inspiration and accountability

Personal Leadership – trust, integrity, respect, fosters collaboration, initiative

End Poverty in Women – believe in the power of women, community involvement

The Career Opportunity:

We are seeking an experienced Graphic Designer – Digital to join Ricki’s Home Office located in Winnipeg.

The Competencies:
GREAT DESIGN / INFLUENCE:

• Create compelling and effective digital marketing collateral that reflects current brand guidelines (may include website creative assets, social media graphics, email creative, etc.).
• Collaborate with the marketing team to develop seasonal, monthly, and weekly goals and priorities.
• Manage design projects from inception to completion.
• Partner effectively with all team members, in house partners/stakeholders, and vendors.
• Actively participate in cross-functional meetings.
• Work in an organized manner – using and maintaining supplied tools and archiving work appropriately.
• Other duties as required.

GREAT BUSINESS / RESULTS ORIENTED:

• Produce high quality work under tight timelines, while maintaining a consistent on-brand look and feel.
• Able to balance design aesthetic with achieving business results.
• Takes initiative, works with a sense of urgency, agile and adaptable. Resourceful.
• Detail oriented and skilled at prioritization and multi-tasking constantly looking for ways to do more and better work.
• Both Strategic and Tactical, short and long term (thinks and does).
• Able to use rigorous logic and methods to solve problems with effective solutions.

GREAT PEOPLE / TEAMWORK: 

• Champions belief that “none of us is as good as all of us” and consistently lives our values.
• Committed to the best outcome by bringing out the best in self and others, in part by recognizing achievements and valuing differences and feedback (giving and receiving).
• Initiates personal development and supports team development in the work.
• Fosters the culture of teamwork thru ownership and accountability.

QUALIFICATIONS: 

• Diploma in Graphic Design (or equivalent)
• 1 to 3 years’ experience in graphic design – including web, social, and email
• Advanced knowledge of Adobe Creative Suite including Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Premiere, and Acrobat as well as Microsoft Office and Google Docs/Sheets – all in a Mac environment
• Working knowledge of HTML
• Experience with SalesForce Marketing Cloud, SQL, After Effects not required but would be an asset
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills – a collaborative team player, processes suggestions and corrections positively, shares and receives feedback professionally
• Strong organizational skills – able to balance competing priorities and shift between projects seamlessly, meets project deadlines with minimal supervision
• Curious and self-motivated – a resourceful problem solver, interested in fashion, current trends/techniques in graphic design, and the future of digital marketing
• Keen eye for detail – proofreading layouts, retouching photos, ensuring all required elements are included

Please include work samples – or a link to your online portfolio – with your application.

We thank all applicants for their interest however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted. Ricki’s is an equal opportunity employer. If chosen to participate in the selection process, accommodations are available upon request. We will consult with the applicant to provide or arrange suitable accommodation in a manner that takes into account the applicant’s accessibility needs.

To Apply: https://rickis.careerplug.com/jobs/1058742/apps/new

The following is an interview from one of our student advisors here at Red River College:

Twenty years ago, I made the decision to work in the most rewarding career. I have never regretted this decision. How could you not love a career where you work with people and help them on their most difficult day. Or celebrate with them as they recover from an illness. Now I share my knowledge, experience, and love for the profession with students, encouraging them and celebrating with them as they complete their program and start their journey into the nursing profession! My name is Jennifer Fontaine; I am a nursing instructor/student advisor in the nursing program at Red River College.

When did you graduate from nursing and from which program?

I completed my degree in Nursing at the University of Manitoba in 2000. I started working as a graduate nurse in December of 1999. Since they were very short of nurses in the workforce that year, there was a small group of us who completed the 4th year of our program by fast-tracking (those of us who did this called it fast-fast tracking!!). We finished our 3rd year of the program in April, had a week off and then started 4th year and were done by December! It was very intense.

What was the most memorable moment of your nursing student life?

The most memorable moments of my nursing student life was making the connections from theory to practice, making life-long friends that I did my program with, and that although it was so much work, the end result was well worth it!

Where did you first work as a nurse? What was your first day like? What kind of emotions did you feel? What were some coping strategies?

I started working as a graduate nurse on a surgical ward at St. Boniface Hospital. I was offered a job there before I had completed my Senior Practicum. I remember coming to work for my first shift as a grad nurse thinking “wow, yesterday I was a student and today I am on my own.” That first shift I had a critically ill patient who I ended up transferring to ICU. I was so nervous. My team-mates from the surgical unit (whom I got to know from doing my Senior Practicum) helped support/guide me and gave me many words of encouragement. I was not alone. I had a great team of experienced nurses that I could lean on. I had to remember that and I had to remind myself often that I was a novice nurse who was still learning. This was okay. The experience would come. This helped me to get through that first day and many other days. I was also always the type of person who was never scared to ask questions. My motto became that when in doubt, check or ask questions first!

Thinking back, did you ever imagine that you would be doing what you are doing now?

When I started nursing school, I thought I would always work in public health, but once I started getting closer to the completion of my nursing program, I realized that I liked working in acute areas. I ended up working in surgery for a while, then going on to work adult emergency and cardiac ICU. After getting the chance to be a preceptor to nursing students on many occasions, I decided to pursue working as an educator and that brought me to Red River College. I think my ultimate goal of wanting to help people still holds true, but instead of currently doing this in a hospital setting working with patients and families, I now love working with nursing students by supporting them and guiding them as they complete their educational goals.

Any words of wisdom that you would like future nurses to know about nursing?

Value each learning experience. There is always something to learn from every situation. Don’t be afraid to ask questions and ask for help when needed. The great thing about nursing is there are so many opportunities and the important thing is to keep challenging yourself, keep learning, and then one day share your love and passion for nursing with others and mentor and guide those who are just starting their journey into nursing!

Post written by Jennifer Fontaine – Nursing Instructor
Questions by Corrina Zacharkiw – Nursing Instructor

Every year, Red River College awards up to four Lieutenant Governor’s Medal awards to graduating students who excel in academic and technical achievement, involvement in College and/or community activities, and good character. This year, the nursing department is proud to share that January 2020 graduate, Michelle Queau was one of the selected winners for this prestigious award.

Michelle entered the nursing program in the fall of 2016 as a mature student seeking a second career as a registered nurse. Previously Michelle spent 11 years as a laboratory technician with CancerCare Manitoba and contributed to numerous academic research projects. Michelle’s past experience was a natural fit for the nursing program and she selflessly shared her past experience and skills navigating the health care world with her fellow students and faculty members. She was also frequently called upon by faculty to share her student experiences and readily sought opportunities to be involved in nursing program committees and projects.

Michelle’s outstanding accomplishments, which contributed to her successful award application include:

• Spending up to 15 hours a week mentoring, tutoring, and encouraging her fellow classmates in their academic endeavours, encouraging them to succeed in their courses and at clinical practice.
• Being invited to be a member of the Nursing Program Advisory Committee, an important committee that provides feedback to nursing program leadership about the effectiveness and lived experience of the nursing program and its relationship with the many health care facilities that support the program and hire nursing graduates.
• Participating in the Canadian Nursing Student Association Conference, winning best presentation at the Nursing Research and Innovation Day in 2019, and participating as a student panelist at the Nursing Faculty Teaching Excellence Day in 2019.
• Participating as a student representative on the Provincial Nursing Advisory Task Force (PNATF) in May 2019 and as a committee member (new graduate representative) on the Shared Health Nursing Strategy Steering Committee since Dec 2019.
• Becoming a member of a nursing faculty research team exploring nursing student retention (led by nursing faculty member Kim Mitchell). Michelle was originally hired as a research assistant on this project but upon her completion of the nursing program elected to stay a member of the research team contributing her insights to the analysis and dissemination of this work.
• Becoming a member of the Association of Registered Nurses of Manitoba (ARNM) and volunteering as an organizing committee member for the Emerging Leaders Network. The ELN is a unique space that is built for nursing students, new graduates, and early career nurses where they can connect, support, and inspire one another as they develop professionally.

Michelle’s involvement in the above activities ensures that she will be an outstanding contributor to the nursing profession as she begins her new career as a registered nurse working full time on 5A cardiology at St. Boniface Hospital. Her research involvement gives her valuable experience toward any future aspirations she may have to continue her academic pursuits. Michelle is a very deserving winner of this award. To quote from her award application, “My core values include a commitment to lifelong learning and nursing excellence, as I value research, innovation, and evidence-based practice to promote dignity and respect to all individuals. The RRC nursing education has been such a rewarding experience as I have grown personally, professionally, and gained leadership skills. I look forward to an exciting nursing career filled with possibilities.”

Post written by Kim Mitchell – Coordinator, Research, Scholarship and Quality Improvement
Photos provided by Michelle Queau – RN BN

Calling all women and non-binary people! If you are good with people and adapt easily to change, join us to learn the skills that will help you become a problem solver in any setting.

Red River College, Tech Manitoba’s MAVEN program and local tech companies want to help you retool for a career in tech. Join our conversation and learn about the many fulfilling and lucrative opportunities in the field of technology. The event is FREE and includes beverages and a light snack.

Why Attend this Important Session Geared to Women?

• Gain a better understanding of careers in technology
• Meet and talk with industry representatives
• Learn about pathways to exciting career opportunities
• Experience live demonstrations and meet current IT students and educators

Register

Donna Oige shares her experience and insight since graduating from the BN program in 2018:

Where are you now?

The NICU at St Boniface Hospital.

How easy was it to find a job after graduation?

It took me almost 3 months to get hired after graduation from time of application, to when I was interviewed, to when the job offer came. However, I was applying for specific areas and also during a very trying time in the health care field. Many changes were occurring and as a result hiring managers were very back logged and many others I knew also waited this long.

How did you manage the responsibility of going from student to nurse?

Asked lots of questions! I went from doing my practicum in a specialty area (Public Health) to being hired in another specialty area (The NICU). Many skills which transferred over however many new ones. Nursing school provides you with an important foundation of knowledge for entry level practice into the profession however there is so much more you learn based on the position you are in. My first few months as a nurse I still felt like a student again, as I was still asking questions and not quite confident yet in my role. I was also many months out of being in a hospital setting which came with a learning curve. I had my buddy shifts and a training course once I was hired and I continued to ask question after question until I eventually started feeling more and more like a real nurse.

How did you build your confidence as a new nurse?

Worked lots and gained lots of experience. I started in a full time position which I found to be very busy but it helped me to learn my job more quickly. I took deep breaths. I asked questions; lots of questions (how? what? why?). Admitted when I didn’t know or understand something. Tried to have thick skin. If someone gave me a criticism, took it constructively and learn from it. Read the policies. Observed the variations on how all of my coworkers do their jobs and utilized this to develop my own way of doing it. My confidence continues to build each day.

Thinking back, what were the most important lessons from school that you took into the workforce?

That the patient is a part of the health care team. Allow them to be a part of the discussion surrounding their health as they are the most important member of the team and why we do what we do.

Self reflection allows us the opportunity to grow. I disliked this in school however I’ve now come to realize when I reflect back on a situation it helps me to better myself as a nurse.

It’s true that the learning never stops.

What do you know now that you wish you knew when you were a student?

That it’s okay to not always know the answer. As a nurse I will continue to learn and the learning never stops.

What piece of advice would you give to current students?

– Ask questions to help you understand; to your instructors, classmates or even a mentor. Raise your hand in class, make sure you understand. When you’re new to the profession don’t be ashamed to admit you don’t know something.
– Support those around you who you can see might be struggling and help them to understand (be a mentor).
– Follow your passions; do your practicum in the area you are passionate about even if this means you may not get a job. The experiences I gained were invaluable. Also know that it’s ok if you don’t get a placement where you hoped. Remember that it’s doable to still become a nurse and apply to that area later and that’s okay.
– When you are halfway through your practicum you will be told you can start applying for jobs; do not wait to do this as the process takes a while. Apply right away.
– Take care of you! Time with friends/family, the gym, a walk or a warm bath or a glass of something bubbly. Do something for yourself once in a while as this time helps you refuel for what’s ahead.
– When you graduate; celebrate and pat yourself on the back as this nursing program was the hardest thing I have ever endured in my life. It’s a huge accomplishment and you should be proud of yourself!

Thank you Donna for sharing your experience and words of wisdom!

The Nursing Department would like to congratulate nursing instructor, Dr. Patricia Gregory, on receiving a research grant totaling just under one million dollars over the course of four years! Dr. Gregory and team received the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Team Grant: TiC – Stream 1 – PHSI Solutions for Transitions in Care Gaps for their research project “Facilitating transitions and access across the pregnancy continuum of care – A Health System Intervention for Indigenous Women Living in Northern Manitoba.” The grant is for $236,111 per year for four years, totaling $944,444! It is also the first time Red River College has been awarded a CIHR grant.

Dr. Gregory, principal investigator, along with her team Susan Kobliski, Wanda Phillips-Beck, Dr. Jonathan McGavock, Dr. Nathan Nickel, Helga Bryant, Lorraine Laroque, Rhonda Campbell, Nancy Vystrcil, Dr. Sarah Ahmed, Dr. Claire Betker, Dr. Marnie Brownell, Dr. J. Cidro, Dr. Cindy-Lee Dennis, Dr. Alan Katz, Dr. France Legare, Pam Noseworthy, Dr. Kellie Thiessen, and Dr. Julia Witt developed this project to determine if “a pregnancy continuum care network, led by an Indigenous health systems navigator, will improve pregnancy care and neonatal outcomes among Indigenous women and their children in Northern Manitoba”. The multi-disciplinary team of researchers and stakeholders seek to improve the health of Indigenous women and their babies in Northern regions of Manitoba through the development and evaluation of an intervention to improve health systems transitions and enhance continuity of care, the first intervention of its kind in the province.

For more information on this research project, check out the Northern Pregnancy Collective Impact Net.

Post written by Meagen Chorney – Nursing Instructor
Photos from the Northern Pregnancy Collective Impact Net

It’s amazing what can happen in a year and it’s certainty more incredible when you consider the speed at which technology is evolving! Red River College’s Applied Computer Education department has been using technology to simplify education for students and educators alike. Between January 30 and 31^st, we invite you to visit us at the DisruptED Conference to find out what we are doing in the areas of virtual reality, project management, and online learning. We’ll be on hand to help you participate in one or more technology demonstrations.

Demonstrations

Humanizing Technology with VR

We’ve been using VR in the classroom over at the ACE Project Space to help students improve their presentation skills. Using this tool along with encouragement from our instructors, students have gone from terrified to terrific in less than a term. Take a test drive and see for yourself the difference VR makes!

Simplifying Project Management with Ralphware

With the high number and variety of industry projects entering the ACE Project Space every term, our resident project space instructor, Ralph Dueck, found a need to provide a quick, simple, effective, and repeatable way of managing agile projects using the Scrum methodology with students and their clients. See how Ralphware has been used effectively over the past two years to keep students on track in a fast-moving project-based environment.

Using Online Learning to Create Mentorship Opportunities

The competency-based education (CBE) model has been used at the ACE project Space to provide students with opportunities to develop and prove their skills. The focus is less on lectures and more on experiential education and mentorship. Instructors in Applied Computer Education are updating their courses to enable their course content to be taught in online and blended learning formats. Learn how you can incorporate online learning in the classroom while freeing up time for providing in-class mentorship opportunities.

About the Conference

DisruptED Future is a two-day conference where the local tech industry and educational institutions meet to inspire the next generation of innovators. The conference is being held at the RBC Convention Centre located at 375 York Avenue, Winnipeg, Manitoba.

Some of the Business Technology Management (BTM) students took advantage of the anticipated traffic at the Exchange District Campus (EDC) Career Fair to conduct a five-second usability test. The students were asked to intercept participants that fell into the target market and ask them to look at their client’s landing page and images for five seconds to then answer some qualitative questions.

The students tested 20 “users” and provided a Tim Hortons gift card as compensation for the participant’s time.

The five-second test is a powerful usability testing tool designed to capture a user’s first impression of a webpage. The test length is purposely chosen as studies have shown that five seconds is enough time for users to formulate an immediate qualitative impression of the webpage without having enough time to begin to focus on specific design elements.

Red River College is hosting a Bachelor of Education Information Session for prospective students interested in the Business Technology, Industrial Arts and Technical Vocational Teacher Education programs.

Learn about the five-year Integrated, three-year After Degree and one-year Accelerated degree programs that are delivered jointly with the University of Winnipeg.

Information Session Details

Date: Wednesday, January 29, 2020
Time: 6-8pm
Location: Room A137, RRC Notre Dame Campus (2055 Notre Dame Ave.)

For more information, contact Daryl at 204-632-3765 or dmcrae@rrc.ca.