Red River College Polytechnic (RRC Polytech) is welcoming more than 3,000 prospective students to the Notre Dame and Exchange District Campuses today for Open Doors, its signature open house event.

“Open Doors is a fantastic opportunity to welcome prospective students on campus and showcase how a polytechnic education can quite literally open doors for their future,” says Dr. Christine Watson, Vice President, Academic, RRC Polytech. “The world of work is ever-changing. To meet the evolving workforce needs, RRC Polytech is transforming its learning model and providing the applied knowledge and experiential training that prepares students for the future of work.”

RRC Polytech is hosting 14 program-specific tours at the Notre Dame Campus and four at the Exchange District Campus, giving prospective students an inside glimpse at the College’s learning facilities and equipment. The Open Doors’ Exhibition Hall at the Notre Dame Campus features information booths where attendees can connect one-on-one with staff and instructors to learn more about RRC Polytech programs, campuses and supports.

In addition to full- and part-time programs, RRC Polytech offers flexible learning opportunities through its suite of micro-credentials. Perfect for learners looking to change careers, upskill or reskill, micro-credentials offer a fast-track to in-demand industry training.

With the opening of the Price Institute of Advanced Manufacturing and Mechatronics, developed in direct collaboration with industry partners, RRC Polytech is now offering micro-credentials through this institute, geared at upskilling and reskilling existing workforces in manufacturing technologies and processes. There will be a new tour at the Notre Dame Campus showcasing Price Institute facilities, including the Smart Factory, a hub for Industry 4.0 learning.

“It’s so important to create exposure to RRC Polytech early on, which is why our Recruitment team goes out into the community to meet prospective students where they’re at. Open Doors is the next touchpoint where we’re welcoming students to our campuses to experience firsthand what it would be like to attend RRC Polytech,” says Lyndsay Lambert, Student Recruitment Officer at RRC Polytech. “It’s an opportunity for future students to meet with academic advisors and current students to ask any questions they may have, helping guide their chosen education path.”

Along with campus tours, info booths, and on-site academic advising, attendees have access to funding advising, application support, and can enter for a chance to start their polytechnic education with a $5000 bursary towards their program of choice.  

Open Doors, RRC Polytech’s open house will take place today, Wednesday, February 21, 2024, from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Notre Dame and Exchange District Campuses. For more information, please visit rrc.ca/opendoors.

The new Peer Support program will provide critical well-being and mental health support for students at the College’s eight Manitoba campuses.

After identifying a gap in student wellness and mental health support on campus, in 2021, RRC Polytech engaged students in the co-design of an innovative Peer Support program, thanks to a Bell Let’s Talk Post-Secondary Fund Kickoff Grant. And today, Bell Let’s Talk has invested an additional $100,000 to get this critical program off the ground, enabling RRC Polytech to expand our student well-being supports.

While RRC Polytech provides a vast selection of well-being programming, including sport and fitness, mental wellness, counselling services and recreation activities, through surveying students and developing the Healthy Minds Healthy College Strategy, the College recognized the growing need to provide peer support to promote student well-being.

Greater awareness about and access to well-being resources and supports across our campuses is a top priority because maintaining good mental health helps students develop stress management skills, build positive relationships, achieve academic success, and can even boost physical health.

“The goal of RRC Polytech’s Healthy Minds Healthy College Strategy is to enhance belonging, connection and well-being, so students can thrive in their educational journeys and lives. Thanks to the Bell Let’s Talk Post-Secondary Fund, we will be launching an innovative Peer Support program for students, co-designed by students. The program aligns with our mental health strategy, which includes reducing stigma and barriers to seeking support as well as promoting a proactive approach to stress reduction and wellness, rather than waiting until crisis hits,” said Fred Meier, President and CEO, RRC Polytech.

The Peer Support program is a collaborative effort between the College’s Campus Well-Being area and the RRC Polytech Students’ Association, who thanks to the investment from the Bell, will be able to work with expert partners to develop the necessary program policies, recruit and select suitable students, train peer supporters, and launch, promote, and evaluate the program.

The program will see a diverse group of students trained to provide support for their peers. Peer Supporters will learn best practices to ensure they can provide critical mental health support to their peers, while also practicing good self-care, and receiving support for their own well-being.

Through training a diverse pool of peer supporters, it increases the likelihood that a student in need of support will connect with another student with whom they can relate. Building a trusted, supportive relationship with a peer supporter is key in reducing stigma around discussing mental health and creating greater student awareness of resources available on and off campus.

To ensure the sustainability of the Peer Support program, the RRC Polytech Students’ Association will be providing funding to the amount of $50,000 per year, over the next three years, for a total commitment of $150,000. The funding will go towards all elements of running, evaluating and promoting the program, as well as providing honourariums for Peer Supporters.

“Bell Let’s Talk is proud to support our eight new community partners in Manitoba that are connecting youth and adults living with mental health challenges with the critical support they need, when and where they need it. Bell Let’s Talk continues to support organizations like these across the country and we look forward to kicking off another year of action and real change for mental health with Bell Let’s Talk Day on January 24,” said Mary Deacon, Chair, Bell Let’s Talk.

RRC Polytech is one of the eight organizations receiving funding as part of Bell’s investment in mental health in Manitoba. Bell’s investment in mental health extends to initiatives with Sagkeeng Child and Family Services, Newcomers Employment & Education Development Services (N.E.E.D.S.) Inc., Child and Family all Nations Coordinated Response Network, Candace House, Bruce Oake Recovery Centre, Kidthink Children’s Mental Health Centre and Steinbach Community Outreach. Read Bell’s release, here.

Currently, RRC Polytech, Campus Well-Being and the RRC Polytech Students’ Association are working with expert partners to get the Peer Support program ready for an anticipated launch date in early 2025. For more information about Campus Well-Being at RRC Polytech, visit rrc.ca/well-being.

The College’s Prairie Research Kitchen is now home to an innovative Terrace Pro hydroponic growing system that promotes sustainability and offers solutions to offset rising grocery costs for businesses and individual consumers.      

Winnipeg, Manitoba, on Treaty No. 1 Territory and the National Homeland of the Red River Métis Nation – After working together with RRC Polytech to develop the Terrace Pro, an innovative hydroponic growing system, Les Verts Living is extending the partnership by providing a commercial Terrace Pro unit to the College’s Prairie Research Kitchen (PRK) – to promote further study of indoor gardening and to supply Culinary Arts students with access to fresh, gourmet produce while they pursue their education.

“RRC Polytech helped us convert our vision of sustainable produce into a reality, and today our soil-free, pesticide-free and stress-free Terrace Pro system empowers anyone anywhere to grow fresh, quality greens for their family, friends and local communities year-round with minimal effort and no prior growing experience,” says Andrew Vickerson, CEO of Les Verts Living.

“We are thrilled to continue this partnership and offer their students and researchers an opportunity to further explore indoor hydroponic gardening by providing Manitoba’s up-and-coming culinary minds with the highest quality produce to create their next showstopping dishes.”

What sets the Terrace Pro apart is its impressive production capacity, exceptional quality produce, ease of use, and significant savings opportunities. The professional-grade equipment and nutrient regimes surpass the freshness and nutritional value of other indoor systems and what is typically found in grocery stores and promises a significant return on investment through reduced food waste and produce expenses.

“Through our technology, facilities and expertise, the College is uniquely positioned to bring these types of project ideas to life for our industry partners while training the workforce of tomorrow,” says Fred Meier, President and CEO of RRC Polytech.

“This project demonstrates the power of partnership and the value of applied research in propelling our province’s economy forward, and today, we can quite literally see and taste the success of this project while sharing the benefits with our community.” 

The relationship began almost six years ago when locally based entrepreneurs from Les Verts approached RRC Polytech’s Prairie Research Kitchen to confirm chefs’ interest in the product and then were referred to the Technology Access Centre for Aerospace and Manufacturing (TACAM) for help with the electrical and mechanical components of their original design. The TACAM team worked with Les Verts staff to refine the unit’s unique combination of necessary pumps, motors, fans, and lights while addressing tank orientation for optimum watering and drainage. Eventually they even created a control panel/interface to integrate all the systems together. The Building Efficiency Technology Access Centre (BETAC) was also consulted to analyze any humidity level changes caused by the system.

Now, the easy-to-use product is on the market encouraging even the greenest of gardeners to grow an abundance of the freshest, top-quality living produce available while saving money on their food expenses – and the partnership continues to evolve with PRK’s research team studying further development options through a follow-up project.   

“Rising food costs have increased the demand for locally grown, sustainable produce so offering chefs of all levels the ability to grow their own greens and herbs year-round has enormous appeal,” says Mavis McRae, Director of the Prairie Research Kitchen Technology Access Centre. “We’re excited to test the benefits of the Terrace Pro unit in a restaurant setting and continue studying how we can optimize this technology while working with our partners at Les Verts to develop future products for commercial and home growers.”   

To celebrate this successful collaboration and inspire a more sustainable food future, Les Verts Living and RRC Polytech hosted a media tasting event at Jane’s Restaurant located in the Paterson GlobalFoods Institute. The teams involved joined industry, academic and community leaders for a small sampling of the delicious living lettuce, fragrant herbs and hyper-nutritious microgreens and baby greens produced in the Terrace Pro before touring the PRK, Manitoba’s only Technology Access Centre that blends food science and culinary arts. 

Let’s get digital! rrc.ca/dtti

Last week, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Council of Canada (NSERC) announced a $3,250,000 Mobilize grant to fund Red River College Polytechnic’s new Digital Technology Transformation Initiative (DTTI). The funding comes as part of a larger investment from NSERC to support applied research projects at colleges across Canada that are designed to address local challenges.

The DTTI will build applied research capacity to support Manitoba as it moves towards digital transformation, while achieving net-zero goals in the leading sectors of advanced manufacturing and climate/clean tech.

“This funding empowers RRC Polytech, through the DTTI, to strengthen our position as a vital resource in Manitoba’s innovation ecosystem, regional socioeconomic system, and provincial economy now and into the future,” says Jamie Wilson, Vice President, Indigenous Strategy, Research and Business Development at RRC Polytech. “The establishment of the DTTI is not only a great benefit to the College and our partners, but it goes a long way in supporting RRC Polytech as we strive to meet our strategic commitments – particularly deepening partnerships to maximize prosperity across industry and community.”

The DTTI aims to rapidly accelerate digitally-focused applied research expertise at RRC Polytech, so the College can continue to address industry’s most critical needs in the areas of advanced digital manufacturing (ADM) and climate/clean tech, while laying the groundwork for deepening collaborations with current and prospective partners in these areas. The DTTI will also provide invaluable experiential learning opportunities for students while facilitating a talent pipeline of diverse innovators to power the workforce of tomorrow.

“The DTTI is designed to alleviate some of the common challenges faced by the advanced manufacturing and climate and clean tech sectors, such as the increased pressure on businesses to engage in digital innovation, adoption, and net-zero strategies,” says Wilson.

“While RRC Polytech has existing and substantial infrastructure and expertise, this funding provides the additional human resource capacity and project funds necessary to establish a broad range of interdisciplinary applied research partnerships in the digital technology transformation space.”

RRC Polytech’s research enterprise, Research Partnerships & Innovation, has been a crucial player in the Canadian applied research scene for 20 years. The Mobilize funding comes on the heels of RRC Polytech’s recent 14^th place ranking in Re$earch Infosource’s annual list of Canada’s top 50 research colleges.

For more information, visit rrc.ca/dtti.

Winnipeg, Manitoba on Treaty No. 1 Territory and the Homeland of the Métis Nation – Today, Red River College Polytechnic’s Board of Governors (BOG) announced the unanimous decision to extend the contract of President and CEO, Fred Meier, until July 2028. 
 
“President Meier has surpassed the Board’s expectations in all he has accomplished since joining RRC Polytech. Extending his contract today ensures we will continue to build for the future with his strong, visionary leadership in place. We share our complete confidence in Mr. Meier’s ability to lead RRC Polytech forward as it strives to meet and exceed the needs of students, staff, as well as our partners in industry and the community,” said Loren Cisyk, Chair, RRC Polytech Board of Governors. 

Since joining RRC Polytech in July 2020, President Meier has been integral in charting a bold new path for the College. This includes rebranding the College to RRC Polytech – embracing RRC’s identity as “Manitoba’s polytechnic,” and creating RRC Polytech’s Strategic Plan 2022-2026 In Front of What’s Ahead.  

This ambitious plan commits RRC Polytech to transform its learning models to amplify its impact across Manitoba and cements the College’s commitment towards Truth and Reconciliation and the pursuit of equity, diversity and inclusion in everything it does, and focuses its efforts on deepening partnerships to maximize prosperity across industry and community. 
 
Through President Meier’s leadership, RRC Polytech has taken many necessary and meaningful steps towards advancing the goals of the 2022-2026 strategic plan, including a 98 per cent completion rate of RRC Polytech’s Comprehensive Campaign In Front of What’s Ahead. 

Thanks to the support of generous donors and industry partners, these gifts are making a direct impact for today’s learners and will allow the College to create more supports and programs to help future students achieve success – from new and increased scholarships and bursaries, the donation of computers, and a new mentorship program for Indigenous learners supported by Canada Life, to the opening of the Centre for Newcomer Integration supported by BMO and the Price Institute of Advanced Manufacturing and Mechatronics.

RRC Polytech has also taken meaningful and intentional steps towards its collective commitment towards Truth and Reconciliation including the establishment of the Knowledge Keepers’ Council, the creation of more Indigenous student pathway programs, and increased industry partnerships to support Indigenous learners across Manitoba. 

“Every day, I am inspired by the work we do and the people who lead it,” said Fred Meier, President and CEO of RRC Polytech. “I look forward to leading our institution forward and continuing to work together to build an even stronger and more successful Manitoba.”

“I am humbled and incredibly honoured for this opportunity to continue to serve as President and CEO of RRC Polytech,” added Meier. “And above all else, I am thankful. RRC Polytech is a partnership-driven enterprise at every single level. I thank our staff, faculty, and students – with whom I’ve had the pleasure to work since I joined the College – for their continued support and commitment to embrace the direction and path we are on. I thank the Board of Governors for their confidence in my leadership. And I thank our industry, community, and donor partners for their continued trust, support, and investment in our students and in the College.”

Ranked 14^th nationwide, completed applied research projects at the College have increased by one third over the previous year  

Winnipeg, Manitoba, on Treaty No. 1 Territory and the National Homeland of the Red River Métis Nation – Red River College Polytechnic (RRC Polytech) is once again a top research institution in the country, earning the 14th place position in Re$earch Infosource’s annual ranking of the country’s top 50 research colleges, released earlier today.

“RRC Polytech makes innovation possible for our partners in industry and community – and every successful project builds trust in our technology, facilities and expertise,” said Jamie Wilson, Vice President, Indigenous Strategy, Research and Business Development at RRC Polytech.

“Today’s rankings reflect the College’s growing reputation for consistency and productivity that is driven by the work of our Research, Partnerships and Innovation enterprise and at our three Technology Access Centres. They also reinforce that our approach of strengthening relationships with partners and funders across all sectors, driving alignment between stakeholders, and valuing sustainability is accelerating applied research innovation here in Manitoba.”

RRC Polytech completed 170 applied research projects in the 2022 fiscal year – almost 60 more than the previous year – ranking it third in the Medium Tier category and fourth nationwide while posting a total of 117 research partnerships. By maintaining its average of 7.4 million dollars for a second consecutive year, Manitoba’s polytechnic also remains on par with the per-college provincial average of sponsored research income in Alberta and only slightly behind Ontario.

As an added feature to its annual publication, Canada’s Innovation Leaders 2023, Re$earch Infosource also shines a spotlight on college-industry research income as measured by grants, contracts or contributions received from industry sources over the past five years, where RRC Polytech again showed a remarkably consistent annual average of just over 7-million dollars from 2018-2022.

Applied research examples at RRC Polytech include a current partnership between the Technology Access Centre for Aerospace and Manufacturing (TACAM) and StandardAero, who are collaborating to test and validate that cold spray technology could be effectively implemented for repairing aircraft components.

The College’s Vehicle Technology & Energy Centre (VTEC) continues to facilitate the shift to electrification and zero-emission fuel sources with projects aimed at expanding workplace charging capabilities; partnering with Seven Oaks School Division, Noble Northern and the Canadian Shield Foundation to develop a diesel-to-electric conversion kit for school buses; and even building on the success of completed projects by repurposing batteries from Winnipeg Transit electric bus trials in storage systems on fast chargers also created on campus.

The most comprehensive example is From Lab to Table, a Culinary Research Review in the form of a cookbook that shares the delicious outcomes of the applied research conducted at the Prairie Research Kitchen (PRK) since 2014, while documenting the history of Manitoba’s only Technology Access Centre that blends food science and culinary arts.  From discovering and developing novel uses for pulse and soybean products to upcycling food industry by-products and even embracing insects for protein, this unique cookbook is available at researchrecipes.ca.

“Celebrating the variety of products, techniques and technology that our researchers, staff and students have worked together with our partners to develop is as important as the volume of projects completed,” said Wilson. “Because regardless of the size or scope of the project, from entrepreneurs in search of support to launch and grow their business idea to established enterprises seeking advancements to propel them into the future, we want everyone to know that in addition to training the workforce of tomorrow, RRC Polytech is also here to provide innovative solutions that elevate all Manitobans.”

For more information, visit rrc.ca/research.

Founders of the Schroeder Foundation awarded Outstanding Philanthropist at 2023 AFP Awards

Winnipeg, Manitoba, on Treaty No. 1 Territory and the National Homeland of the Red River Métis Nation – Today is National Philanthropy Day, and longtime Red River College Polytechnic supporters Walter and Maria Schroeder of the Schroeder Foundation are being recognized for their years of supporting organizations, institutions, and individuals in Manitoba and throughout Canada with the 2023 Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) Manitoba Outstanding Philanthropist Award.

RRC Polytech and the University of Manitoba co-nominated the duo in recognition of their dedication to Winnipeg youth.

“Walter and Maria Schroeder’s work has truly been transformative, and today RRC Polytech is so proud to celebrate their contributions with our community as Manitoba’s 2023 Outstanding Philanthropists,” said Fred Meier, President and CEO, RRC Polytech.

“The Schroeder Foundation has awarded hundreds of full post-secondary scholarships to institutions in Winnipeg – including more than 180 to RRC Polytech – which includes tuition, books, and wrap-around supports. The Schroeder Foundation students now also have the opportunity to participate in the Transition to College program, which helps them start their programs with the knowledge and confidence they need to succeed on day one.”

The Schroeder Foundation donates millions of dollars to organizations every year, with a focus on improving healthcare, providing economic education, and empowering youth and Indigenous communities across the country. The Foundation currently invests more than three million dollars annually in Winnipeg alone.

“Supporting Red River College Polytechnic has always been important to us, because of the many useful trades and related activities they provide for students,” said Walter Schroeder. “It’s an ideal institution for people to pursue one of the most important things they can do in life, which is to use education as a means of overcoming financial barriers. RRC Polytech is a top-notch institution that is ideally suited to do this, which is one of the reasons we chose it in our endeavours to provide scholarships and bursaries.”

RRC Polytech has previously honoured Walter and Maria Schroeder with an Honorary Bachelor of Education degree in October 2022, in recognition of their dedication to removing barriers to education for Manitoba youth.

“Partnerships and donor support are key to our success at RRC Polytech,” continued Meier. “Walter and Maria Schroeder are the embodiment of this support, as they see the value in investing today to create a better and brighter tomorrow – for students and our community.”

The Schroeders received their award this afternoon at the Manitoba Philanthropy Awards, a National Philanthropy Day celebration recognizing outstanding charitable work throughout the province.

Read the Donor Spotlight on Walter and Maria Schroeder and watch the student testimonial video here.

Winnipeg, Manitoba, on Treaty No. 1 Territory and the Homeland of the Red River Métis – More than 90 young women from Winnipeg high schools will be on campus at Red River College Polytechnic (RRC Polytech) today to try their hand at different skilled trades and technologies.
 
This is the first year RRC Polytech is hosting Jill of All Trades, a full-day event developed by Conestoga College Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning as a way to introduce young women and female-identifying students from grades 9 to 12 to the possibilities of careers in the trades.
 
“RRC Polytech recognizes there is a gap in representation of women, female-identifying and non-binary individuals in the skilled trades industry and part of the solution is encouraging learners from a young age to explore their options and let them know there is a place for them,” says Fred Meier, President and CEO of RRC Polytech. “We’re excited to welcome young women and female-identifying students to our campus today and hope to see them back here to pursue a trade after high school.”
 
Throughout the day, learners will receive hands-on training in a selection of trades offered at the College, including:

• Construction – Building a bird house
• Transportation – Changing a tire and learning to program EV vehicles
• Electrical and Mechanical Engineering Technology – Building a light detector circuit board with electronic components
• Welding – Creating a product using a welding simulator
• Robotics – Learning how to program a robot
• Civil Engineering Technology – Testing pollution in water and soil, and testing heat and moisture in buildings
• Construction Electrical – Learning how to wire a doorbell

Each of the sessions will be led by College staff who have built strong careers in industry. Not only will the learners receive technical training, they will also have the opportunity to ask questions and learn what a career in each trade entails.

RRC Polytech partnered with Skills Canada Manitoba on the event. The two organizations host a number of events together each year to encourage youth to get creative and hone their skills in trades and technologies, including the Young Women’s Conference, the Skills Manitoba Provincial Competition and the recent Gene Haas Manufacturing Bootcamps.

“The more we expose young people, especially girls, to the opportunities in the skilled trades the more we empower them for a successful future,” says Maria Pacella, Executive Director, Skills Canada Manitoba. “It’s important to provide youth with the chance to try something new and decide if it’s something they like and want to learn more about, and potentially grow that passion into a rewarding career.”

RRC Polytech’s Jill of All Trades event was made possible locally through generous support from Winnipeg Construction Association, Manitoba Women in Construction and Toromont Industries.
 
For more information about trades and technologies programs at RRC Polytech visit rrc.ca/skilledtrades

Winnipeg, Manitoba, on the original lands of Anishinaabe, Ininiwak, Anishininwak, Dakota, and Dene, and national homeland of the Red River Métis – Red River College Polytechnic (RRC Polytech) is hosting its fifth annual Truth and Reconciliation Week to mark the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation, also known as Orange Shirt Day, on September 30.

This year, Truth and Reconciliation Week begins today, September 25, with the Fall Equinox Celebration at Manitou a bi Bii daziigae, and will span over two weeks filled with student, staff and community-led sessions to educate the College community about the many different facets and responsibilities of Truth and Reconciliation.

“When RRC Polytech held its first Truth and Reconciliation Week five years ago, two people were leading the charge. Today, Truth and Reconciliation Week has expanded to two weeks of opportunities supported by almost 90 volunteers across all campuses for the College community to come together to learn from and engage with Indigenous People,” said Jamie Wilson, RRC Polytech’s Vice President, Indigenous Strategy, Business Development and Research.

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada calls on post-secondary institutions in Canada to create a more equitable and inclusive society by closing gaps in social, health and economic outcomes between Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities and people.

RRC Polytech’s second strategic commitment is to commit to Truth and Reconciliation, and pursue equity, diversity and inclusion in everything we do. Truth and Reconciliation is not just providing equal opportunities to Indigenous learners—it is also educating the publics we serve as an educational institution of the true histories that have often been neglected by western textbooks and reconciling potential dissonance with facts as related by Indigenous scholars, historians and Knowledge Keepers.

Truth and Reconciliation is a year-round commitment for RRC Polytech, but the focal point of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation allows employees and students to immerse themselves in Indigenous teachings, storytelling and experiences. Opportunities to cultivate understandings of the true history and current issues impacting Indigenous people, and reconciliation efforts by society as a whole contribute to a stronger, more unified community that benefits all members.

“Truth and Reconciliation is a small phrase that encompasses many larger and intricate meanings,” said Carla Kematch, Director of Truth and Reconciliation and Community Engagement. “It’s also an ongoing process of learning and integrating new information, disentangling ourselves from misinformation and unlearning what we think we know, and opening ourselves to truths that might surprise or challenge us. This work is part of a lifelong journey that we encourage staff and students to commit to today, tomorrow and everyday into the future as we work towards building a better, brighter future for all.”

Truth and Reconciliation Week activities and events will include topics around Residential Schools and the experiences of Survivors, Orange Shirt Day: Every Child Matters, Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and Two Spirit People, and colonization and the effects of colonialism on a global scale. It will also explore topics centred on Indigenous values and ways, like the power of a thoughtful and collaborative land acknowledgement, engaging with Elders and learning traditional Teachings, and integrating Indigenous perspectives into research to obtain stronger, more holistic data. Staff and students across the College have come together to organize a wide range of sessions, some including special guests to offer their expertise.

To learn more about Truth and Reconciliation Week sessions, see the full event schedule at rrc.ca/indigenous/news

Winnipeg, Manitoba on Treaty No. 1 Territory and the Homeland of the Red River Métis Nation – Today in the Roundhouse Auditorium at Manitou a bi Bii daziigae, Red River College Polytechnic (RRC Polytech) celebrated the first cohort of students to successfully complete its Shelter Support Worker Micro-credential program designed with industry partners to address skills gaps, meet community needs, and improve staffing levels and delivery service in homeless and family violence shelters across the province.

The Shelter Support Worker Micro-credential program is the first of its kind in Manitoba, and the result of a collaborative effort between the Manitoba Association of Women’s Shelters (MAWS) and RRC Polytech and is supported by Gender Equity Manitoba. It aims to provide essential skills and knowledge for individuals involved in or aspiring to work in homeless and family violence shelters.

“The successful class we are celebrating today will have an immediate impact providing frontline services and support to Manitobans in need of refuge,” says Dr. Christine Watson, Vice President Academic, RRC Polytech. “Their accomplishment highlights the power of partnership and reinforces RRC Polytech’s strength of adapting our learning model quickly to respond to the evolving demands of our community by delivering crucial training through micro-credentials.”

Courses in the virtually delivered program include basic terminology and concepts, fundamental skills with specialization in homeless shelter support or women’s shelter support, a capstone project and a 20-hour practicum for learners to gain real world experience. Trained students from the following communities are prepared to enter or re-enter the workforce with a deeper understanding of the sector and the ability to provide trauma-informed care:

• Winnipeg
• Blumenort
• Beausejour
• Brandon
• West Pine Ridge
• Thompson
• Nelson House
• Stanley
• Manigotogan

“Going from needing a shelter at one point in my life to working at one is a bit surreal for me, but my lived experience has made me passionate about helping others and now that I have the skills to make a difference – I can be a positive force,” says student Steven Hunter, who was hired at the end of his practicum. “Based on my personal journey I feel the program provides valuable insight and understanding into the diverse cultures and struggles of people in need.”

Brittany Young is a women’s counsellor/coordinator at Mary’s House in Brandon – offering residential second stage safe housing and programs that focus on domestic violence providing a safe and trauma-informed environment for women and their children to heal. As a single mother of three, Brittany says the fully subsidized tuition and flexibility of online learning allowed her to excel and she now feels more confident because of her specialized training that includes intake process and assessment, crisis management, case planning, incident reporting, trauma-informed care, cultural differences and the impact of colonialism.

“I feel like I have a security blanket I can come back to time and time again to go over how to properly and effectively handle the complex situations you encounter in a shelter setting,” she says. “This course not only shaped me to become a better employee but it has really helped me become a better person over all.”

Just over a year ago, the Province of Manitoba committed $450,000 through the Canada-Manitoba Workforce Development Agreement to fund the creation of the Shelter Support Worker Micro-credential program in an effort to address the sector’s recruitment and retention challenges that have negatively impacted daily shelter operations and client service delivery.

“Manitoba Family Violence (FV) shelters have struggled for years to attract and retain qualified long-term applicants because of a historical lack of consistent and quality trauma-informed training designed specifically for the FV sector. These staffing challenges were compounded by the pandemic, affecting the life-saving frontline work of caring for clients who are increasingly presenting with complex needs,” says Deena Brock, Provincial Coordinator, Manitoba Association of Women’s Shelters. “This micro-credential pilot program allows the family violence and homeless sectors to build capacity, reduce barriers to care, and better support those affected by gender-based violence and housing instability.”

Partners, administrators, instructors and sector advocates including the Honorable Rochelle Squires, Minister of Families attended to congratulate the class and to witness them receiving their micro-credential badges to the delight of proud family members, friends and supporters.