RRC Polytech is dedicated to preparing students for the future of work through constantly-evolving learning models. Work-Integrated Learning (WIL), where students have the opportunity to put their newly-acquired skills to the test in a working environment, is an indispensable tool to enrich students’ educational experiences. March 27^th is observed as National Work-Integrated Learning Day, which is an opportunity to recognize the amazing work that students do while on WIL industry and community placements and the staff and faculty that provide guidance and support for students to achieve their goals.

Co-operative education is a form of WIL where students alternate between periods of time in the classroom and the workforce to obtain a holistic, robust experience in their chosen industry. Every year, two RRC Polytech students are selected to be the Co-operative Education Manitoba (CEM) Co-op Students of the Year with the support of their employers and instructors. Rigo Mulato, Business Administration, was awarded the Co-op Student of the Year for 2023 and Misty Bourassa, Culinary Skills (Indigenous), was awarded runner-up. Mulato was also nominated for the national 2023 Co-operative Education and Work-Integrated Learning (CEWIL) Award, for which he was given an honourable mention.

These awards recognize not only the outstanding work ethic that students demonstrate but also the trails they blaze as leaders in the workplace with the skills they obtained through their training at RRC Polytech.

As a co-op student at WorkerBee.TV, Mulato was tasked with a largely supportive role to ensure he could meet expectations – including assisting in preparation of agendas, preparing and delivering project reports to clients, and managing administrative details. By the end of his co-op term, Mulato was leading projects, managing client accounts, and actively contributing to the success and growth of WorkerBee.TV.

 Mulato’s top achievement during his co-op was helping to initiate a special project to organize and analyze project data; a project that was typically out of the scope of his duties. Mulato created a dashboard to move the organization’s data analysis forward using software WorkerBee.TV already had access to at the cost of a small fee to upgrade the software’s features. Before Mulato was assigned to the project, the team had been considering software solutions that would have cost thousands of dollars.

“Besides the education, the college also gave me the confidence to do more—as an international student, it’s a different challenge to join the workforce, outside the context of my home country. The College gave me the confidence to apply the competencies I knew I had in this workforce and I felt much more secure in my capability,” said Mulato.

Bourassa’s creative approach to her craft in the kitchen innovated Breezy Bend Country Club’s culinary environment. She streamlined the preparation and storage of cold food items, and the dessert specials Bourassa created during her co-op were highly requested by club members directly to the general manager and have since become regular menu items due to their popularity. Her original dessert items increased the company’s dessert sales by 75 per cent over the last year and consistently sold out over other menu items.

During both co-op placements with Breezy Bend Country Club, the general manager and the executive chef received many compliments from clients about Bourassa’s products and her professional and personable demeanor – both in person and in emails.

“When members pass by and mention how good their lunch was, it’s nice compliment – but when a member takes the time at home to send the GM an email about how amazing their meal was, it really resonates because you know their dining experience has been on their mind throughout the day,” said Klaus Leiendecker, Executive Chef at Breezy Bend Country Club.

Both students were hired as full-time permanent employees by their respective co-op employers once they finished their programs.

Work-Integrated Learning not only lets students experience the working environment first-hand, but also provides the opportunity to make real-world impacts in the workplace, positively impacting the organization, the people they work with, and the industries they work in.

“Feedback from employer partners is overwhelmingly positive, frequently emphasizing RRC Polytech students’ ability to integrate into the workplace, collaborating effectively within teams, and ultimately making significant and meaningful contributions to projects and initiatives,” said Dusty Ritchie, Director, Work-Integrated Learning & Career Services.

Co-operative education is integral to RRC Polytech’s mission of providing high-quality educational and training opportunities to students. Learn more about Work-Integrated Learning and cooperative education on the Career Bridge.