Manitobans who want to work as engineers will soon have more opportunities to enter the faculty of engineering, thanks to $500,000 in new provincial funding that’ll create 18 new seats and a hybrid pathway between Red River College and the University of Manitoba.

“Civil, electrical, industrial and mechanical engineers are in demand in our province, and increasing the number of engineering graduates is necessary to create more good jobs and keep our economy growing,” Premier Greg Selinger said today.

The U of M is the only institution in the province to offer accredited engineering degrees and the current seat capacity in the program is 336. Undergraduate engineering enrolment has increased by 48 per cent at the U of M since 2008.

The new hybrid engineering pathway will be introduced over several academic years through collaborative efforts between the U of M and Red River College, supporting increased credit transfer and recognition of prior experience for hybrid engineering students.

“Red River College is proud of the quality of its graduates and we welcome opportunities for them to further their education as a result of this pathway program with the University of Manitoba,” said RRC President Paul Vogt (shown above). “When you combine the experience our students receive from both institutions, it’s a recipe for success that will have a considerable benefit to many industries here in Manitoba.”

Once fully established, this new hybrid pathway will transition between 10 and 15 hybrid engineering students annually from RRC and other post-secondary institutions to U of M’s engineering degree programs.

“Engineers provide services that drive our economy,” said John Bockstael, president and CEO of Bockstael Construction, and a graduate of the U of M’s Faculty of Engineering. “It’s important that we provide opportunities for our students to receive a first-rate education in their home province where they can then build careers and contribute to our economy.”