For immediate release: May 7, 2024

Sophie Walker, a Red River College Polytechnic (RRC Polytech) nursing student has received a $30,000 grant from the inaugural Canadian Colleges for a Resilient Recovery (C2R2) and Wawanesa Climate Champions: Youth Innovation Grant for her project, Climate Resilient Nursing.

“As a founding member of Canadian Colleges for Resilient Recovery, RRC Polytech has made a commitment to preparing students to use the skills they’ve learned and make real-world impacts,” said Dr. Christine Watson, Vice President, Academic, RRC Polytech and Co-Chair of the C2R2 Steering Committee. “As a leading post-secondary institution, we play a vital role in advancing sustainability through our academic programs and applied research. Sophie’s project is an exciting reminder of how our students can help us move toward a more sustainable future. We are also very pleased that a Winnipeg-based organization such as Wawanesa has provided such a unique investment to support students’ research to positively impact climate action.” 

Sophie’s Climate Resilient Nursing project aims to address nursing professionals’ lack of capacity to address climate change related health care system vulnerabilities and resilience. The project will increase climate awareness among nurses, help nursing students develop practical skills to become more climate conscious in their future careers and create a comprehensive resource guide for future students and instructors at RRC Polytech.

“I am very grateful to receive this grant and excited to dive deeper into the research! I have been interested in research since my first year in nursing school back in late 2019 and in the last three weeks I’ve had incredible support from my instructors and researchers at RRC Polytech in finding an idea and creating the proposal,” said Sophie. “Receiving this grant means I can help to make a difference and leave a lasting change. It will also help me gain valuable experience for my future career.”

Sophie worked with her instructors in the Nursing program and Research, Partnerships & Innovation team at RRC Polytech on the project, which was inspired by one of Sophie’s instructors, Jennifer Morin, who Sophie says is passionate about the subject and has a wealth of knowledge that helped her with the application.

Sophie is one of five Youth Innovation Grant recipients. Each grant is given to a student from a C2R2 partner institution to launch or enhance a climate adaptation or climate mitigation project. RRC Polytech is one of the founding partners of C2R2 and currently offers six micro-credential courses aimed at clean tech and social innovation.

“C2R2 is proud to support the empowerment of youth leaders in their efforts to drive impactful change that centers on climate change adaptation and mitigation,” said Adrienne Madden, Coalition Manager, C2R2. “RRC Polytech is among our esteemed partner institutions amplifying C2R2’s collective efforts, and we were excited to see such a strong project led by them for this inaugural Wawanesa Climate Champions: Youth Innovation Grant. We are eager to see the impact that Sophie’s project will have in Winnipeg, and more broadly within the nursing community.”

Sophie’s contributions to her community don’t end here. She was also recently in the news for her generous creation of the Journey Award for nurses to support other nursing students who have faced formidable challenges in their academic journey as she did.

For more information about the awards: The Canadian Colleges for a Resilient Recovery and Wawanesa Insurance Youth Innovation Grants announcement

Marjoie Gibas and Trevor Walld are just two of the RRC Polytech students who took home medals in their competitions.

Over 450 students from schools across the province, including 130 Red River College Polytechnic (RRC Polytech) students, took part in this year’s Skills Manitoba Provincial Competition on April 11.

Students competed in over 40 skilled trades and technology categories across six industry sectors. Many of the competitions were hosted at RRC Polytech campuses with others being held at the Manitoba Institute of Trades and Technology and Sisler High School.

The Skills Manitoba Competition challenges students to test the skills they’ve learned in their chosen trades and technology programs in a series of hands-on challenges. The competitions were supported by over 300 volunteers.

In this year’s competitions, 51 RRC Polytech students won medals – 18 gold, 18 silver and 15 bronze. Students took home all the medals in 12 categories including CNC Machining, Carpentry, and Mechanical Engineering – a testament to their hard work and talents.

Among the winning students are Trevor Walld and Marjorie Gibas who respectively took home the gold and silver medals in the Post-Secondary Cooking Competition.

“The success of our students this year represents all of the effort they’ve put into their programs,” says Derek Kochenash, Dean, Skilled Trades and Technologies. “It is also a testament to the benefit of the knowledge-based learning with applied, hands-on experience and opportunities students get at RRC Polytech.”

All gold-medal winning students now have the chance to compete at the Skills Canada National Competition in Québec City, May 28- June 2, 2024, as a part of Team Manitoba where they will come head-to-head with winners from other provinces.

All gold-medal winning students now have the chance to compete at the Skills Canada National Competition in Québec City, May 28- June 2, 2024, as a part of Team Manitoba where they will come head-to-head with winners from other provinces.

“It is incredible to see the talents of Manitoba’s future skilled workforce,” says Maria Pacella, Executive Director, Skills Canada Manitoba. “Skills Canada Manitoba is working to change the perception of skilled trades and emerging technologies. We hold these competitions to encourage students and see them put their skills to the test. Each year we are impressed with what they accomplish.”

RRC Polytech has been a proud partner of the Skills Manitoba Competition since it first began 26 years ago and has a long history with skilled trades and technologies. What began as a one-room workshop on Henry Avenue in 1938 has since grown into one of the province’s largest institutes of applied learning – and Manitoba’s only polytechnic. RRC Polytech proudly celebrates these roots and continues to put trades and technology programs on display.

As Manitoba’s only polytechnic, RRC Polytech has a proven track record of success in training an innovative skilled trades workforce. Its Skilled Trades and Technology Centre (STTC) is a state-of-the-art, 104,000-square foot complex that houses labs, shop space and classrooms for up to 1,000 students per year in high-demand trades and technologies.

The STTC also supports technology and innovation in robotics and automation, hydraulics and pneumatics, materials, electronics, and computer aided design, and houses the Innovation Lab for applied research initiatives, and industry and student projects, as well as the Price Institute of Advanced Manufacturing and Mechatronics which was designed to tackle the primary challenges facing Manitoba’s manufacturing sector.

Results of the 2024 competition has been posted to the Skills Canada Manitoba website.

The Province of Manitoba has proclaimed April 28 through May 4 of 2024 as the 33^rd annual Week of the Early Childhood Educator (ECE). The Week of the ECE was established in 1992 by the Manitoba Child Care Association.

This week is important to acknowledge the crucial work ECEs do here in Manitoba for children and families. The dedication of ECEs to support the youngest minds and their development is invaluable.

Thank you to the instructors of Red River College Polytechnic (RRC Polytech)’s ECE program and to each of the students of the program who will guide the next generation of learners. Each of you fulfills a vital need and has a profound impact on children’s social, emotional, physical, and intellectual growth.

Learn more about the Week of the ECE from the Manitoba Childcare Association.

We at Red River College Polytechnic (RRC Polytech) recognize this Sunday, April 28, 2024, as the National Day of Mourning, where we honour those who have been injured or killed in the workplace. This day is a reminder to us all just how important practices of safety are in everything we do at the College – not only for staff and students, but for all our loved ones, family, friends, and extended communities.

RRC Polytech will fly our flags at half-mast today in recognition of those affected by workplace tragedy, and our commitment to preventing workplace illnesses, injuries, and fatalities. At 11 a.m., all campuses will observe a minute of silence for workers who have died, were injured, or became ill from their job, and will renew our commitment to health and safety in the workplace.

According to the Association of Workers’ Compensation Boards of Canada, in 2022, there were 993 recorded fatalities at work, and nearly 350,000 claims for lost time due to a work-related injury or illness, in Canada. Thirty-three of those who lost their lives and 40,203 of those injured were between the ages of just 15 and 24.

These numbers remind us of the role that we all must continue to play in ensuring a safe working and learning environment for everyone who enters our campuses. As a College, we directly impact the practices and behaviours we instill in our students, which they carry forward into their careers and future workplaces.

RRC Polytech is committed to a proactive approach to safety and to setting an exceptional standard as an educational leader of safety and health. Some of the initiatives RRC Polytech have undertaken to provide all staff and students with a safe and healthy environment includes:

• Machine Guarding Program – the College is in the fifth and final year to review and update protective guards and equipment on campus. Since the project started, the College has audited over 800 machines, and made safeguarding upgrades to over 325 pieces of equipment in student labs, workshops, and facility management spaces, ensuring every piece of equipment on campus complies with the Manitoba Workplace Safety and Health Act and Regulations, and replacing those that don’t.

• Campus Alerting and Emergency Response Plan – The Campus Alerting project has been successful in enhancing communications efforts to keeping our College community informed on everything from icy sidewalks to an evacuation of an area if necessary. Informacast is a mass notification software which enables RRC Polytech to broadcast alerts in a timely and efficient manner. Alerts will appear through your mobile phones, emails, on-premise devices (office phone or computer), or MS Teams. Staff and students are encouraged to subscribe for updates through the campus alerting system.

• Contractor Safety Enhancement Project – RRC Polytech focuses on building stronger relationships with contractors and partners we work with to ensure that they continue to meet RRC Polytech’s high safety standards while on our campuses.

• Security Services – aims to provide a safe and secure environment for students, staff, and visitors. Learn more on the safety and security section of our website.

On this National Day of Mourning, take a moment to reflect on the importance of workplace safety, let us honour those who have been affected by workplace-related incidents, and work towards a future where everyone can learn and work safely.

If you have questions or ideas on how we can continue to make RRC Polytech a safe place to work and learn, please reach out to safety@rrc.ca.

Today, April 22, is Earth Day. RRC Polytech has identified sustainability as one our of core values in the 2022-26 Strategic Plan: In Front of What’s Ahead and celebrates this day to encourage action toward a more sustainable and healthy future for our planet.

Back in November RRC Polytech became the first post-secondary in Manitoba to sign the SDG Accord, committing to the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) – including urgent calls to action to tackle climate change across the globe.

The Sustainability Office launched the Sustainable Development Goals Student Competition earlier this year, encouraging students to submit projects that support one of the 17 SDGs. Today we will host a celebration for the winning projects in the Roundhouse at Manitou a bi Bii daziigae. Learn more about the competition and the celebration event here. 

In addition to signing the SDG Accord, RRC Polytech has made some significant progress in relation to established sustainability initiatives including:​​​​​​​

• Composting – we’ve diverted waste from our kitchens away from landfills with 25 tonnes diverted from PGI kitchens and 40 tonnes total from PGI and NDC combined.
• Print Reduction – we’re using 5 million fewer sheets of paper per year compared to five years ago – a 75% overall reduction.
• Net Zero Efficiency – we’ve been recognized with the prestigious Canada Green Building Council – Excellence Award for New Construction for Manitou a bi Bii daziigae.
• Applied Research – we continue to work with our partners to produce numerous successful projects through our Technology Access Centres (TAC) and other research initiatives.
• Waste Audit of Campuses – our sustainability team undertook an audit earlier this year to better understand the waste produced by our campuses and how we can further reduce it.
• Transportation Audit – we’ve completed a transportation audit to determine how staff and students are getting to and from our campuses and to identify opportunities to support sustainable transportation.

These and more projects across our campuses help fulfill this commitment to a sustainable future. RRC Polytech is committed to demonstrating economic, social, and environmental resiliency for generations to come which includes inspiring values of sustainability in students and staff. One such project is a new addition to the Portage la Prairie campus which gives students the opportunity to learn to grow their own food.

Last year, the Portage la Prairie Campus installed a hydroponic garden thanks to funding from the Campus Well-Being team. The tower garden is housed in the Student Lounge and has allowed students to start a plant from a seed, see it grow and learn how to harvest it.

The Tower Garden is an aeroponic system that self-waters and operates grow lights on a timer, and Guy Moffat, Portage Regional Campus Manager, says the greenery brightens the space and the sound of the water running through the center of the garden has a calming effect – giving it a dual purpose of supporting the well-being of students too.

They are now on their second growing cycle and have been growing basil, arugula, bib lettuce, gourmet lettuce, and kale. Plans for a third cycle include planting cherry tomatoes, herbs, and some edible native Manitoba flowers.

​​​​​There are many things you can do to create a positive impact this Earth Day:

• Take an active mode of transportation – click here to learn more about how you can cycle to campus,
• Reduce waste,
• Bring your own water bottle and use water refill stations – RRC Polytech recognizes that all of our water comes from Treaty 3 Territory Shoal Lake 40 First Nation,
• Start a garden like the students in Portage la Prairie,
• Or take part in a community clean up.

Don’t just celebrate Earth Day today, take care of our planet all year round too. Learn more about initiatives happening at the College on our Sustainability blog.

Get involved in sustainability initiatives at RRC Polytech by reaching out to sustainability@rrc.ca.

Cleo Curtis accepts her award.

At this year’s Manitoba Communicator of the Year (MCOY) awards by the Canadian Public Relations Society (CPRS) there was a clear representation from Red River College Polytechnic (RRC Polytech).

Of the five award categories this year to recognize individuals and organizations, four were won by RRC Polytech grads and teams they worked on, and one by a current program chair. They were presented during the annual MCOY event at the Qualico Family Centre on the evening of Thursday, April 4.

The awards have celebrated excellence in the communications industry in Manitoba each year since they were first introduced in 2008. The 2024 award winners demonstrate the impact that RRC Polytech grads and faculty have in the communications industry here in Manitoba.

Cleo Curtis, a 2015 Creative Communications graduate and Director of Communications at Brandish Agency, took home the Communicator of the Year award.

“I point to CreComm as the launching pad for my career. I’ve met and continue to meet so many wonderful, kind, smart and creative people through this program. It’s surreal to win this award,” said Cleo. “CreComm helped me discover that I really like people! And then the skills I learned in the media production major helped me tell people’s stories in multifaceted ways—photos, video, audio and more. This skill not only translated into filmmaking successes, it also translated very well into the evolving PR climate.”

Hannah Pratt, a 2012 grad and now instructor at RRC Polytech, nominated Melanie Lee Lockhart, Chair of Creative Communications, for the Mentor of the Year award and attributes her 12 years of career success to Melanie, saying there is no one more deserving of the award.

“She taught most of the students working in communications today who graduated from CreComm,” said Hannah. “The communications industry in Manitoba has been fundamentally shaped by her ability to teach and mentor students. Under her leadership, I was able to thrive and find the confidence to pursue leadership positions, create new projects, volunteer on boards, and win awards.”

The Emerging Communications Leader award presented by RRC Polytech’s Communication Management Program, was awarded to Stephanie Fung, Director of Public Relations at Uphouse. Stephanie took the Project Management certificate program in 2020.

“I was excited to be recognized by my peers for this year’s MCOY Emerging Communications Leader award. It’s gratifying knowing that everything I’ve learned in my academic and professional career, including the processes and tools I picked up in the RRC Polytech Project Management Certificate program, have helped get me to where I am today. And the cherry on top is the incredible people I’ve been able to work with in the marketing and communications industry, without them every project would fall flat. They make this industry a great one,” said Stephanie.

RRC Polytech’s goal is to prepare students to become leaders in their fields. These awards are a shining testament that RRC Polytech grads and their mentors make a large impact in their industries and communities. Success stories from grads are not hard to find. Many from programs across the college are also being shared in the Polytechnic Proud campaign too.

Learn more about the 2024 MCOY Awards: Manitoba Communicators of the Year Awards Nominations – Canadian Public Relations Society Manitoba (cprs.mb.ca)

(Photo credit: Prairie Digital Agency and Sonia Stevens)

Winnipeg, Manitoba on Treaty No. 1 Territory and the Homeland of the Métis Nation – Today, Red River College Polytechnic (RRC Polytech) and the RRC Polytech Students’ Association (RRCSA) invites students and staff to learn more about Sikh Culture at the annual Turban Pride Day event at the Notre Dame Campus.
 
The turban is an important symbol for many Sikh Canadians, signifying individual sovereignty, self-respect, courage and human equality. These are all values RRC Polytech embodies, and this annual event provides an opportunity for the community to come together and learn through experiencing being wrapped in a turban and asking questions to Sikh staff and students.
 
This event started in 2014 by business administration student (now RRC Polytech staff) Sukhjot Singh, to educate staff and students who might have questions about his turban but were too afraid to ask. The event is now led by the Red River College Polytechnic Students’ Association with support from the College. 
 
“Cultural diversity is one of our greatest strengths and RRC Polytech is committed to fostering a culture of inclusion within our community,” said Fred Meier, RRC Polytech President and CEO. “Events like Turban Pride Day create real learning opportunities to come together, to gain deeper understanding, and to create a more welcoming and inclusive working and learning environment for all. I look forward to participating each year and seeing the hallways full of students and staff excited to share, learn and wear a turban with pride.”

Turban Day takes place each year on April 13 as part of Sikh heritage month. In 2023, Manitoba became the first province to officially recognize Turban Day. Last year at RRC Polytech, approximately 300 turbans were tied, a number that left Prachi Chawla, RRC Polytech student and President of the Students’ Association proud. 
 
“Fred Meier came and tied a turban around his head. He made an effort to ask questions and it meant a lot,” said Chawla. “Every year that RRC Polytech hosts this event we are overwhelmed with the positive conversations, and the curiosity that has stemmed from Turban Pride Day.”

RRC Polytech prioritizes creating a safe place for people to share about their culture, and a welcoming place for others to learn.  
 
“We are hoping to build cultural awareness, and to bridge the gap between the different communities- bringing in cultural inclusivity. For us, wearing a turban is both cultural and religious, and I love answering any questions that people may have,” said Mohitpreet Kaur, Vice President of the Students’ Association at RRC Polytech. 

The annual event will take place today at the RRC Polytech Notre Dame Campus from 11:00am – 1:00pm and media is invited to attend.

When: Today, Friday, April 12, 2024 
11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. 
 
Where: Library Hallway at RRC Polytech’s Notre Dame Campus 

For more information:
Caleb Jutzi
Communications Intern
519.697.8062
cjutzi@rrc.ca

Last week, the Federal government shared an update on the 2024 international student allocations for provinces and territories. Since this initial decision was shared back in January, RRC Polytech has been working with all levels of government and various post-secondary stakeholders to understand the potential impact of these changes and advocate for provinces and institutions like ours who have always taken a balanced approach to prioritize international student recruitment and workforce needs.

Earlier this week, the Province of Manitoba released the allocations by institution, and we learned that RRC Polytech has been allocated approximately 2,700 study permit applications annually, which are subject to approval by IRCC. This number does not account for current students with existing permits who are already enrolled in programs and will continue their studies.

We thank the Province for their continued support for publicly-funded institutions, like RRC Polytech. 

We also applaud the Province in their quick response to the changes, including their creation of a system to issue new Letters of Attestation, which international students now require to apply for a study permit.  

While we continue our work to understand what these changes may mean for RRC Polytech, it’s important to remember that we have always taken an incremental and balanced approach to international student recruitment, and we continue to work diligently to attract and diversify our population of international learners.  

Our programs and credentials are tied directly into labour market needs here in Manitoba, and international students who graduate from RRC Polytech are helping contribute to the economic growth of Manitoba in a variety of sectors.  

International students bring a wealth of knowledge, new perspectives, and cultures to Manitoba’s communities, schools, and workplaces. They also meet critical labour market needs in Manitoba.  Our goal continues to be to provide a positive and high-quality academic learning experience for international students with the necessary services and supports in place.   

We remain committed to working with the provincial and federal government on these changes, and our focus will continue to be on supporting current students who have questions, and future students who choose to come to learn at RRC Polytech, and work and build a life here in Manitoba. 

We will continue to keep you updated as we learn more about what this new information may mean for our College community.

E-bus at the E-Camion charging station

Polytechnics Canada’s “Ready for the Challenge” video series showcases how polytechnics are solving some of Canada’s pressing challenges.

The sixth video of the series spotlights how RRC Polytech is propelling the Electric Vehicle (EV) revolution and driving sustainability in Canada’s transportation sector.

The short video entitled RRC Polytech: Supporting a Green Transition in the Transportation Sector is now posted on the Polytechnics Canada YouTube channel. Click to view the video

Manitoba’s presence as a major transportation hub is growing, and RRC Polytech is fueling that growth by putting its researchers, staff, students and facilities like the Vehicle Technology & Energy Centre (VTEC) and MotiveLab™ to work in collaboration with industry to:

• Explore, evaluate and demonstrate emerging technologies such as EVs with an emphasis on extreme weather conditions.
• study the use of renewable fuels.
• improve the fuel efficiency of fleets.

RRC Polytech is driving transformative change in Canada’s transportation sector by accelerating the adoption of Electric Vehicle technology and training our workforce to manufacture, maintain and repair EVs.

Winnipeg, MB on Treaty No. 1 Territory and the National Homeland of the Red River Métis – Starting today, 40 RRC Polytech grads are being highlighted in Red River College Polytechnic (RRC Polytech)’s Polytechnic Proud campaign. The campaign aims to represent diversity across programs, industries, and generations and includes a series of billboards and feature stories. Each featured graduate was nominated by their workplace.  

“The partnerships we have with industry are so valuable to the work we do here at RRC Polytech, and we are thrilled that so many nominated their talented employees – our proud alumni – for this campaign,” says Fred Meier, President and CEO, RRC Polytech. “The diversity represented in Polytechnic Proud is a testament to the quality of work that our grads are doing and the wide variety of career paths that a polytechnic education prepares them for.” 

The recent and seasoned grads featured are CEOs, directors, entrepreneurs, engineers, account managers, nurses, horticulturists, teachers, chefs, and many more from a variety of industries. The first feature story being released tomorrow as part of the campaign is Amanda Buhse of Coal and Canary Candle Company who started her business in 2014 and has since had products sold across the world and featured at The Oscars and The Grammys. 

“RRC Polytech provided me with an environment where ideas weren’t just encouraged, they were also celebrated,” says Amanda Buhse, Founder of Coal and Canary Candle Company and a 2006 graduate of RRC Polytech’s Advanced Graphic Design Program (now the Communication Design program). “My experience at RRC Polytech really was a catalyst for my success today in so many ways. It was honestly one of the best times of my life – both fun and challenging and prepared me for where I am today.”  

Over the next eight weeks, dozens of billboards will be visible in Winnipeg, Portage la Prairie, and Selkirk, along with print and online versions across Manitoba. Profiles for more than half of these grads, including Amanda, will also be published on RRC Polytech’s Alumni News page and shared with the wider RRC Polytech community throughout the year – including over 80,000 RRC Polytech graduates in Manitoba and around the world.   

More about Polytechnic Proud: Polytechnic Proud Campaign : Red River College Polytechnic: Alumni Engagement (rrc.ca)