Red River College showcases its latest applied research in food innovation at the PatersonGlobalFoods Institute, this time incorporating bean flours and purees into healthy familiar dishes.

The showcase, entitled ‘Plating Pulses’ is the product of a research partnership between the College and the Manitoba Pulse Growers Association Inc. (MPGA), a not-for-profit organization representing 3,000 Manitoba farmers of edible pulses such as soybeans, dry beans and peas.

“We are thrilled with the work the College has been doing to develop nutritional and delicious recipes that demonstrate to consumers how locally produced pulses can be incorporated into their everyday diets,” said Kyle Friesen, MPGA president.

Research has shown that only a half-cup of beans per day can reduce bad cholesterol, help manage hunger, and provide a sustainable source of protein.

“That is why we partnered with College,” said Friesen. “We know about the amazing health benefits of pulses, but we wanted to create more awareness among consumers and the Manitoba food industry by modifying traditional dishes that feature pulses, without affecting the taste or texture of the food.”

The dishes showcased include perogies made from bean flour dough, chicken potpie with a bean flour crust, and crème brulée with half the fat cut using navy bean puree.

“This showcase is an excellent example of the role that our culinary institute plays in supporting the growth of Manitoba’s food producers,” said Ray Hoemsen, director, Applied Research and Commercialization, Red River College.  “Along with training the culinary innovators of tomorrow, RRC provides a wealth of applied research resources for local businesses, including recipe development, test marketing, and demonstrations.”

Red River College’s Paterson GlobalFoods Institute opened in 2013 and was supported with funding from the Paterson Foundation and Western Economic Diversification Canada to fill an innovation gap for food product development and service in Manitoba.

“Our Government is pleased to support the applied research being conducted at Red River College through the Paterson GlobalFoods Institute. The partnership between RRC and the Manitoba Pulse Growers Association demonstrates how locally grown produce and grains can be transformed into healthy and delicious foods,” said the Honourable Michelle Rempel, Minister of State for Western Economic Diversification.

Winnipeg is becoming a true leader in culinary excellence, with the recent opening of Red River College’s Paterson GlobalFoods Institute. World-class instruction, cutting-­edge technology and partnerships with key industry players prepare RRC students to become the next generation of influencers in the fields of culinary arts, professional baking and patisserie and hospitality and tourism management.

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The Honourable Shelly Glover, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages, on behalf of the Honourable Jason Kenney, Minister of Employment and Social Development, today while on a tour of Red River College announced the launch of the new Canada Apprentice Loan, an Economic Action 2014 commitment that provides apprentices in Red Seal trades access to interest-free loans of up to $4,000 per period of technical training.

In her tour of Red River College, Minister Glover reiterated that enhanced support for apprentices and apprenticeship training are key to power and grow the Canadian economy. That is why, in addition to the Canada Apprentice Loan, the Government also supports apprentices through several other initiatives, including Grants and Tax Credits. Since 2006, the Government of Canada has also provided apprenticeship grants and Tax credits for both apprentices and employers to encourage apprenticeships and careers in the skilled trades. To date, the Government has issued over 500,000 apprenticeship grants to Canadians worth nearly $700 million to help them get the skills and training they need to get well-paying jobs.

Minister Glover emphasized the value of skilled trades and underlined the pressing demand for skilled tradespeople, particularly in areas such as infrastructure projects like the Government’s New Building Canada Plan, which commits $53 billion in funding, including $476 million to projects in Manitoba under the New Building Canada Fund.

Quick Facts

• It is estimated that at least 26,000 apprentices a year will apply for over $100 million in Canada Apprentice Loans.
• Red Seal trades include 57 skilled trades including bakers, bricklayers, carpenters, electricians, gasfitters, heavy equipment operators, ironworkers, machinists, painters, plumbers, sheet metal workers, and truck mechanics, to name a few.
• According to Statistics Canada, almost 360,000 people are enrolled in over 400 apprenticeship and skilled trades programs. But, only half of apprentices are completing their programs.
• There are approximately 2.9 million skilled trade workers in Canada which represent 17 percent of the workforce.

Quotes

“Since 2006, our Government has recognized the important role that apprentices play in Canada’s economy and, to this end, has made significant investments to help apprentices and the employers that hire them. Now, thanks to the Canada Apprentice Loan, more Canadians are able to complete their training and become skilled journeypeople and fill in-demand jobs.”

– The Honourable Shelly Glover, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages

“Our Government’s top priorities are creating jobs, economic growth, and long-term prosperity. Jobs in the skilled trades are in-demand in many sectors and regions across the country. We are taking concrete action to address this challenge by providing even more support for apprentices. This includes the introduction of the Canada Apprentice Loan, which will help more apprentices complete their training and encourage more Canadians to pursue a career in the skilled trades.”

– The Honourable Jason Kenney, Minister of Employment and Social Development

“In 2015 Red River College and the Province of Manitoba will break ground on a new 100,000 square foot state-of-the-art Skilled Trades and Technology Centre as jobs in the skilled trades are in high demand and one of our strategic priorities is to fuel Manitoba’s economy. We applaud The Government of Canada on today’s announcement and their commitment to continue to provide additional opportunities that further support the work being done by Apprenticeship Manitoba and our industry partners to help our apprentices achieve success.”

– David Rew, Interim President & CEO, Red River College

On Monday, December 15th, 20 students from Red River College’s (RRC) School of Hospitality and Culinary Arts, at the Paterson GlobalFoods Institute will bring their cooking skills to Siloam Mission preparing turkeys donated by the Manitoba Turkey Producers and Granny’s Poultry Cooperative Ltd.

Serving with the students will be the Honourable Kevin Chief, Minister of Jobs and Economy, His Worship, Mayor Brian Bowman, City of Winnipeg, and David Rew, Interim President & CEO, Red River College.

Under the guidance of RRC Culinary Arts Instructors, Chef Scott Ball and Chef Gordon Bailey, students will prepare approximately 18 turkeys which equates to 500 lbs, traditional vegetable side dishes, sauces, gravy, and dessert.

“We are proud our donation will help feed over 500 people who rely on Siloam Mission for a hot meal.” noted Bill Uruski, Chairman of Manitoba Turkey Producers. “We recognize many people in our community don’t get the opportunity to enjoy turkey with their family over the holidays. We hope our donation brings smiles to the faces of those who may often go without.”

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For Immediate Release: December 2, 2013

Middle school students from across Manitoba will get a firsthand look at the manufacturing industry this week, while taking part in a day-long expo aimed at encouraging teens to begin thinking about their post-secondary and career options.

“It’s key that we connect with young people about the skills and expertise they can acquire at RRC that can lead to many promising careers in the manufacturing industry,” said David Rew, Interim President & CEO, Red River College.“ This Expo really works to help youth to make meaningful and informed choices for the future and we’re pleased to be hosting it this year.”

The third annual Youth in Manufacturing expo, taking place Tue. Dec. 2, 2014, at Red River College’s Notre Dame Campus, will give Grade 9 and 10 students from local schools a chance to explore the impact of the manufacturing sector on Manitoba’s economy. It’ll also provide them with a range of industry-related educational options to consider as they begin planning for life after high school.

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For Immediate Release: November 19, 2014

WINNIPEG, MB –Red River College’s (RRC) Chair of Transportation and Heavy Apprenticeship Trades, Neil Cooke received 2014’s Associate of the Year Award from the Manitoba Trucking Association.

“This recognition is a testament to the leadership and dedication Neil brings to the College and the strong relationships he has developed with the trucking industry,” said David Rew, President and CEO, RRC. “Neil is not only a leader at the College but a leader in our community and vital to ensuring both staff and student success. On behalf of the College, I congratulate Neil on receiving this honour recognizing the many positive contributions he has made.”

Cooke has over 40 years of industry experience working in Manitoba’s transportation sector where he worked extensively in the heavy truck industry as a technician, mechanic, consultant, and 13 years as an instructor at Red River College.

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For Immediate Release: November 19, 2014

WINNIPEG, MB – Red River College (RRC) is proud to congratulate ironworking instructor Barry Chetyrbok, on receiving the Instructor of the Year Award last week at the 2014 Apprenticeship Manitoba Awards of Distinction.

Having spent more than a decade as an instructor at Red River College, with an extensive background in ironworking, Barry Chetyrbok has created an engaging and challenging applied learning environment to ensure students have the right skills and experience to prepare them for their career.

“We’re proud to once again have a Red River College instructor recognized for their dedication to their trade and our students,” said David Rew, Interim President & CEO, Red River College. “This recognition speaks to the quality of education, expertise, and passion of our instructors at the College. Red River College continues to enable students to build a career and contribute to Manitoba’s economy, and Barry is one example of how skilled our instructors are.”

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For Immediate Release: October 24, 2014

WINNIPEG, MB – Red River College received an International Award of Excellence  today for its commitment to social development from the World Federation of Colleges and Polytechnics (WFCP) at their World Congress in Beijing, China.

The award seeks to recognize colleges and polytechnics from around the world for their commitment to community engagement, diversity, and sustainability – with a focus on international campus collaboration, best practices and technologies, and advancing institutional diversity.

“This is another outstanding achievement for the College,” said David Rew, interim president and CEO, Red River College. “Sustainability, international collaboration, and diversity are key focus areas for the College.  Our staff and students make substantial investments in these areas, it is very satisfying to receive this type of recognition.”

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For Immediate Release: 22 October 2014

WINNIPEG, MB – Red River College ranked sixth out of 50 Canadian research colleges and polytechnics, having posted $5.82 million in research income during the 2013 fiscal year. The ranking is based on Canada’s Top 50 Research Colleges List, released October 22 by Research Infosource Inc.

The College moved up in rankings from last year, where it placed seventh with $4.37 million in research income.

“Red River College has been a leader in applied research over the last decade, and we’ve seen a steady increase in research income each year,” said David Rew, Interim President & CEO, Red River College. “Applied research is an integral part of our overall strategy – it contributes in a very productive way to our communities and the experience of our students.”

Red River College is best known for its applied research capabilities related to extreme climate and cold weather technologies and applications, but several other research thrusts are rapidly emerging.

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WINNIPEG, MB – Red River College (RRC) in partnership with the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority (WRHA) came together to develop a mental health strategy for the college community titled Healthy Minds Healthy College that includes launch of an online resource called Mind it!

The Healthy Minds Healthy College strategy is comprehensive and systemically based, recognizing everyone has a role to play in the positive mental health of the college community. The goal was to cultivate an environment of support that provides a sense of well-being, belonging, connectedness, and positive mental health for all students, faculty and staff.

“The advisory committee that came together in support of this initiative is to be commended,” said Laureen Janzen, Coordinator, Counselling and Accessibility Services (Chair), Red River College. “The vision of Healthy Minds Healthy College was to offer evidence-informed options to respond to the mental, social, psychological and spiritual needs of students, faculty and staff and the committee has exceeded those expectations.”

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As part of its commitment to improving opportunities and outcomes for Métis people in Manitoba, Red River College has entered into a new memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Manitoba Metis Federation and Louis Riel Institute.

Signed this morning at RRC’s Roblin Centre, the new MOU creates a joint working group with representation from all three organizations — one that focuses on education, business and growing industry partnerships to increase economic prospects for Manitoba’s Métis populations.

In addition, a new $400,000 bursary for Métis students was announced — one made possible through matching $200,000 investments by the MMF and RRC.

“[Today] signals an extremely satisfying phase of accomplishments for Red River College,” says RRC President Stephanie Forsyth. “Driven by the mission of the College and that of our Strategic Plan, [this] announcement reflects our goal of serving the educational needs of Aboriginal students.”

“The collective efforts of those involved … will benefit Métis people in Manitoba [by] improving access to training and employment opportunities,” says David Chartrand, President of the Manitoba Metis Federation. “We applaud Red River College for their leadership and contributions towards today’s announcement.”