Red River College has had a very strong start to this academic year – including a $5.9 million investment in research funding – the largest the College has seen since it began its applied research program in 2004; and to add to that good news, preliminary early enrolment numbers are a sure sign of more good things to come.

Early numbers for 2016 indicate that Red River College’s enrolment remains stable and the College will continue the pattern of steady and increasing enrolments going forward.

Based on a five-year trend, Red River College saw an overall increase of .5 per cent in its program enrolments this year, and over the past 15 years the College has experienced an increase of 66 per cent in its program areas.

Of particular note, this year’s numbers identified significant increases in the following areas: Business Information Technology (up 15.1%), Applied Accounting (up 14 %), Business Administration (up 3%), Primary Care Paramedicine (up 23%), Civil Engineering Technology (up 3.7%), and Community Development/Economic Development (up 53%).

“Red River College plays a central role in building our economy and being responsive to the needs of industry,” said Paul Vogt, president & CEO, Red River College. “Human capital drives our economy – there is an increasing demand for a workforce with specialized skills and Red River College delivers education and training that keeps pace with industry trends and the needs in our Province.”

This on-going trend means Red River College will remain near capacity for the foreseeable future, even with the addition of the new 100,000 sq ft. Skilled Trades and Technology Centre – scheduled to be complete by early 2018.

“The Skilled Trades Technology Centre will be a key factor in increasing Manitoba’s skilled workforce to 75,000 by 2020; however, in addition to the exciting developments taking place at our Notre Dame Campus, we are going to continue to explore various ways we can expand our presence in Winnipeg’s Exchange District and create more opportunities for our entrepreneurs, international, immigrant, and Indigenous students in order to meet the needs of Winnipeg’s growing small business and startup community,” said Vogt.

While enrolment remains steady, the College continues to manage a very robust waitlist for many of its program areas. On average, prospective students wait between one to two years to be admitted.

Over the next few weeks Red River College’s enrolment will fluctuate, and is expected to increase, as numbers from Continuing Education programs, Regional Campuses, Apprenticeship programs, Contract Training programs, and our Adult Learning Centre are tabulated.

International, immigrant, and Indigenous student numbers will be available by the end of the month.

Annually, Red River College offers more than 200 full-and part-time degree, diploma, post-graduate diploma and certificate programs. Through award-winning instruction and training on state-of-the-art equipment, RRC prepares its students to become leaders in their fields, while collaborating with industry to conduct research and ensure curriculum remains up-to-date.