Students changing their career with the support of Red River College Polytechnic (RRC Polytech) isn’t unfamiliar – in fact, many students arrive at RRC Polytech to upgrade existing skills or develop new skills to reach their personal and professional goals.

Stephen Klatt was one of these students. He was a practicing physiotherapist for over five years when he was forced to close his practice for a few months due to the pandemic and wasn’t sure what was next.  

“The fear and anxiety that everyone had surrounding COVID made many of my clients not want to return to in-person treatments, and it was really difficult to get things going again. So, I took the two months off to explore personal interests, including upgrading my computer and building a professional website for myself and had a lot of fun on these projects and I thought ‘Hey, I’m interested in something more technical and hands-on’ – that’s what brought me to the College,” says Stephen, currently in his second year of Electronic Engineering Technology.

“The one thing about healthcare that I really enjoyed is feeling like I helped someone at the end of the day, and I was wondering if I was going to be able to do that moving into a technical career that is not working with the public directly,” said Stephen.

Last summer Stephen was selected as a paid summer co-operative (co-op) student with Manitoba Hydro Working as a Fiber Optic Route Design Assistant where he was a part of the rural broadband expansion. He worked with a team to expand Internet access to small towns and First Nation Communities around the province.

“I realized that the work I’m doing is still making a difference. I’m not helping people through an injury, but I’m helping people get connected and improving their quality of life,” said Stephen.

Stephen felt confident applying for a co-op position after his first year because of the supports provided by Work-Integrated Learning and Career Services, especially by Electrical Engineering Technology Work Integrated Learning Coordinator Hojat Norouzi, who he said encouraged him to apply for co-op placements that he was interested in, but never thought he would get.

“I didn’t think I had many relevant skills, but going to the Career Services helped me put together a functional and skilled-based resume – which doesn’t focus as much on your previous experience, as it does the skills that you have. Because I had no experience in the electronics industry, it was all physiotherapy related, I was able to talk more about my soft skills, abilities, and relevant skills, rather than my industry specific knowledge,” said Stephen.

Work-Integrated Learning and Career Services provides students and recent graduates with everything from accessing labour market information, to developing cover letters and resumes, and preparing for interviews. They also offer group and one-on-one meetings to develop effective and transferable skills statements and opportunities to connect and engage with employers recruiting students recruiting students for work-integrated learning and career opportunities. Work Integrated Learning coordinators mentor and guide students through the entire process from setting learning goals for the workplace to final reflections of how skills have improved and developed further during the work term. 

“Career Services really helped me build my confidence in applying for jobs that I thought were out of my league, and then actually landing them which was great,” added Stephen.

Stephen’s determination paid off, as he was recently named the Co-operative Education Manitoba (CEM) Student of the Year for 2022 and has the opportunity to represent RRC Polytech for the national Co-operative Education Work Integrated Learning Student of the Year Award.

“[My] co-op experience has helped me gain confidence in myself as I change careers. Working at Manitoba Hydro taught me that my previous work experience as a physiotherapist is actually quite valuable. The co-op program has been instrumental in preparing me for my second year, and for my future as an Electronic Engineer Technologist,” said Stephen.

Stephen will be heading back to Manitoba Hydro for a second co-op placement this summer before finishing his last year at RRC Polytech.

“Last year I worked with the fiber route planning and design team, and now I’ll be working with network operations. One team lays down the fiber optic cable, the other team implements the Internet network on that cable. So, now I get to experience the technical aspects of network administration,” added Stephen. “I’m really excited to get back to that work environment, they’re always very supportive and take the time to educate me – it made me want to go back there.”

Stephen’s future is bound to be a busy one, with a four-year-old daughter and a son born less than a week ago, he’s thinking about what’s next.

“I was concerned getting into this field that I wouldn’t have as many opportunities as university graduates, but working at TACAM has made me see everyone is there. Some project managers are university trained engineers, but a lot of my co-workers are technologists from RRC Polytech. It’s really inspiring to see them doing research and design with a diploma and some are straight out of the program,” said Stephen, who’s currently employed with Technology Access Centre for Aerospace & Manufacturing (TACAM) part-time until April.

Feeling confident about his career prospects, Stephen noted how important work integrated learning is and the importance placed on co-ops and the reason he’s glad he chose to study at RRC Polytech after having to pivot his career path.

“I was excited to jump in to RRC Polytech, as I knew their career-oriented approach would help me achieve my goals, while also supporting my family,” said Stephen.