Elder Mae Louise Campbell, currently approaching her tenth year as an Elder in Residence at Red River College, is among the 20 members of the City of Winnipeg’s newly-struck Mayor’s Indigenous Advisory Circle (MIAC).

Campbell (shown above, with Mayor Brian Bowman) was present at a press conference yesterday in which Bowman officially debuted the new Circle, explaining its members will advise the city on policies aimed at building awareness, bridges and understanding between the Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal communities.

“The circle is a symbol of unity,” Bowman said. “To create unity and equality, we must build understanding. Through MIAC, much of the important work building strong bridges in our community will continue.”

Wab Kinew, local broadcaster and Associate Vice-president for Indigenous Relations at the University of Winnipeg, will serve as chair of MIAC.

“I’m looking forward to working with the mayor to advance the project of reconciliation,” Kinew said. “I look forward to ushering in an era when First Nations, Metis and Inuit cultures are celebrated by all Winnipeggers.”

An initiative determined through the hundreds of submissions received through Bowman’s website 1winnipeg.ca, MIAC was created to help “establish a means to educate and create awareness of the rich Aboriginal culture, people and heritage that are at the roots of the city and nation,” according to a city press release. Read More →

Red River College alum Paul Charette, former CEO of Bird Construction, and his wife Gerri have donated $1 million towards the establishment of a research chair for RRC’s School of Construction and Engineering Technology (SCET).

The province will provide matching funds to create the new chair position, which will be called the Paul Charette – Manitoba Applied Research Chair in Sustainable Construction.

“We are humbled by Paul and Gerri’s generous commitment and very pleased that the province has responded with matching funds,” says David Rew, interim president of RRC. “It’s an excellent show of confidence in SCET, and in our nationally recognized applied research program.”

The new position will support student learning while helping the construction industry develop innovative processes, technologies and applications to reduce costs, boost productivity and create more sustainable infrastructure. The Chair will also lead SCET’s research program.

“Being a 40-year veteran of the construction sector, it’s clear that research and innovation are lagging far behind other sectors,” says Charette. “I believe that sustainable infrastructure is what our industry really needs to move toward.” Read More →

A new Skilled Trades and Technology Centre at Red River College will train up to 1,000 students each year for well-paying jobs, and provide industry with the highly-trained employees needed to expand and be competitive in a challenging international economy, it was announced today.

“Manitoba is building like never before and jobs in the skilled trades will be in greater demand as our economy expands,” said Premier Greg Selinger. “We want to provide students with the training they need to begin a great career and build their futures right here at home.”

A $60-million investment in the new 100,000-sq.-ft., state-of-the-art facility will boost trades and technology education space at RRC’s Notre Dame Campus by more than 30 per cent, Selinger said. The centre will be an important hub for the province’s skills training strategy and will be a key factor in increasing Manitoba’s workforce by 75,000 highly-trained people by 2020, the premier added.

“I wish to applaud the Province of Manitoba for continuing to invest in skilled trades and the ongoing investment in Red River College. This new facility will allow us to continue to enhance and expand our offerings in skilled trades education and further allow us to build on our work in many technology sectors,” said Interim RRC President David Rew.

“Not only will the Skilled Trades and Technology Centre further expand our applied learning environment, but it fosters a collaborative approach among many of our program areas that will have a positive impact on our pre-employment training, applied research projects and overall student success.” Read More →

The province has tabled new legislation that would provide Red River College with its own enabling act, and ensure appropriate spending and financial oversight while supporting the College’s mandate.

“Red River College is an essential part of our plan to grow the economy and create opportunities for young people to get the skills they need to get a good job here in Manitoba,” Education and Advanced Learning Minister James Allum said today.

“The proposed new Red River College act would strengthen the College’s financial oversight and governance, so it can continue to meet the needs of students and industry, and remain an important part of Manitoba’s strong post-secondary education system.”

The standalone legislation would build on the Colleges Act by introducing important measures that will allow RRC to continue to fulfil its mandate. Key elements of the proposed legislation would include: Read More →

For the fifth year in a row, Red River College has been named one of Canada’s Greenest Employers. This annual award acknowledges RRC’s environmentally-friendly policies, and programs that effectively engage staff in their sustainability efforts.

“Red River College continues to be a champion of sustainability in Manitoba, and I congratulate Sara MacArthur, Kristine Koster and Sue Hayduk from our Sustainability team for their efforts in continuing to cultivate a culture of sustainability,” said David Rew, Interim President and CEO, Red River College.

“As the only post-secondary institution in Manitoba to receive this honour each year for the past five years, this is something every member of our College community takes pride in.”

RRC works hard to be designated one of Canada’s Greenest Employers and is proud of the many sustainable initiatives launched by the College, including: Read More →

Check out the ingenious creations and talents of Manitoba’s best and brightest as they compete in the 18th annual Skills Manitoba Competition on Thursday, April 9, from 9:00 a.m.–2:30 p.m. at Red River College’s Notre Dame Campus.

Approximately 500 young Manitobans will compete in over 40 Olympic-style, hands-on contests at the secondary and post-secondary/apprentice levels. You’ll see a showcase of skills in robotics and manufacturing, 3D character computer animation, construction trades, hairstyling, and many others.

Winners of many of the competitions will advance to the Skills Canada National Competition in Saskatoon from May 27–30, 2015.

Hosted by Skills Canada Manitoba, this event is designed to provide much needed awareness of Canada’s skilled workforce shortage. Maria Pacella, Executive Director of Skills Canada Manitoba, says most people are unaware of the merits of post secondary training in trades and technology. Notes Pacella, “The skilled trades offer opportunities for positions with great pay, job security and flexibility. There is a continuing significant worker shortage in many of these areas.”

While visiting the competition, you’ll also have the change to learn more about how Grade 8 girls are being introduced to career options in the trades and technology field, at this year’s Young Women’s Conference.

Also hosted by Skills Canada Manitoba, this one-day event features entertaining and informative keynote speakers and team activities, plus an opportunity to talk to mentors from employers such as Manitoba Hydro, Boeing, Standard Aero and Manitoba’s Apprenticeship Branch.

Red River College is proud to be named one of Canada’s Best Diversity Employers for 2015. This prestigious recognition highlights employers that stand out through their efforts to create diverse, inclusive workplaces.

This is the first time the College has been recognized with this distinction. The full list of employers for 2015 was announced earlier today, with 65 organizations leading the nation in creating inclusive workplace cultures.

“At Red River College, we strive to ensure that equity and diversity are embedded in the College’s practices and that it is demonstrated in the classroom, and throughout the workplace,” said David Rew, Interim RRC President. “Equity and inclusion are an integral part of our values that allow the College to create a welcoming and inclusive environment. I know I speak for the entire organization when I say how honoured we are to have [been] recognized with this distinction.”

As part of the College’s submission, many areas were highlighted as initiatives that support an inclusive and open environment, including the College’s LGBTT* Initiative and Mental Health First Aid resources, along with a number of wellness and staff awards, and recognition programming to support staff success and well-being. Read More →

Red River College is giving Manitoba’s electric vehicle (EV) owners a boost, via the recently installed and operational Level 3 (30kW DC) quick charging station, the first of its kind in the province and one of only two dozen or so across Canada.

Drivers of Level 3-compliant EVs – including Nissan Leafs, Mitsubishi i-MiEVs, and Teslas – can now drop by the College’s Notre Dame Campus to charge up, while contributing to research on the charger’s performance in Manitoba’s climate.

“With the installation of this new charger, we continue to play a leading role in Manitoba’s green transportation future,” says David Rew, interim RRC president. “This rapid charging station is another key element in our Mobility from Green Energy Initiative and a logical next step in our vehicle technology research program.”

Level 3 stations can charge an EV to at least an 80 per cent charge in 15-30 minutes; this is compared to a 220/240V Level 2 charger, which can take four to six hours to get to full charge, or an 110/120V Level 1 charger (like those found around your house), which can take about 24 hours.

“There are currently no other rapid charging stations of this level in a climate as diverse as Winnipeg’s,” says Ray Hoemsen, director of Applied Research and Commercialization at Red River College. “The effect on both the lithium ion battery and vehicle performance when utilizing rapid charging in extreme winter weather is still unknown.”

The new charging station will be handy for compliant EV owners – especially those traveling from out of town – who need a quick boost to make it to their next destination. Read More →

Congratulations to the most recent recipients of Red River College’s Lieutenant-Governor’s Medals for Proficiency, awarded as part of our 2015 Winter Convocation ceremonies on Feb. 9 and 10.

Each year, a maximum of four Lt-.Gov.’s Medals are awarded to RRC students who best combine good character, academic and technical achievement, and involvement in College and/or community activities. This year’s winners are:

DIEGO FERNANDO MENDOZA, Chemical and Biosciences Technology

A May 2014 graduate of the College’s Chemical and Biosciences Technology program, Diego Mendoza was born in El Salvador, and moved with his family to Canada in 1993, following years of civil unrest.

He graduated with an International Baccalaureate diploma from Miles MacDonnell Collegiate in 2003, and went on to earn a Bachelor of Sciences degree with a major in Microbiology from the University of Manitoba.

After working in quality assurance for a local food company, he enrolled at RRC, where he hoped to gain further experience in analytical and laboratory work. As part of his program’s co-op education component, he landed his current job as a laboratory technician with the City of Winnipeg’s Water and Waste Department, where he monitors local industries to ensure proper waste treatment processes and environmental protections are in place. Read More →

Canadian Heritage Minister Shelly Glover visited Red River College today to launch the new Canada Apprentice Loan, which provides interest-free loans of up to $4,000 for apprentices in Red Seal trades.

Glover toured the College on behalf of Canada’s Employment Minister Jason Kenny. While here, she reiterated that enhanced support for apprentices and apprentice training are key to powering and growing the Canadian economy.

“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,” Glover said. “Now, thanks to the Canada Apparentice Loan, more Canadians are able to complete their training and become skilled journeypeople and fill in-demand jobs.”

In addition to the Canada Apprentice Loan (a 2014 budget commitment that provides up to $4,000 per period of technical training), the government also supports apprentices through a number of other initiatives, including tax credits and nearly $700 million in grants since 2006.

It’s estimated at least 26,000 apprentices a year will apply for over $100 million in Canada Apprentice Loans. According to Statistics Canada, almost 360,000 people are currently enrolled in apprenticeship training; as RRC Interim President David Rew points out, the College is in a unique position to help meet the growing demand. Read More →