Mitch Doell
Manager, Partnership Services for True North Sports + Entertainment (Winnipeg Jets)

My time at Red River College was everything I could have asked for in an education. The course load, instructors, classmates, and course material were extremely beneficial in preparing me for the workforce after graduation. I found that the courses offered in the Business Administration program were very similar to what I have learned at my job at True North, which makes the transition into working full-time easier.

Learning to speak in front of colleagues to present new material, working with the marketing team to track impressions on our social media and website, learning computing programs (Excel, PowerPoint, Word), learning how to talk to clients over the phone and in person are only a few aspects that have helped me in the workforce.

What stands out to me over my time at Red River College that prepared me for a career in business is the course load and actual course material, as mentioned above. I felt like the courses offered prepared me for what I have experienced so far in my time at my current job. Lots of the time people will graduate and move into an occupation and not utilize what they have learned in school. This is not the case when attending and graduating RRC.

Having a tight-knit group of classmates that I spent time with outside of school was very beneficial. Originally being from a town outside of Winnipeg, getting to know peers who have grown up in Winnipeg helped me find job opportunities that I may not have known about otherwise and helped me build connections with possible employers.

If you are looking into enrolling in RRC Business Admin, I would suggest that you most definitely do it. Once you have enrolled and started the program, make sure you use your time wisely and make sure to use your organization skills effectively. Things can get hectic with 6 different courses in a semester so making sure you are organized and attending classes is imperative to one’s success.

The opportunities that the course has presented to me have been invaluable and were a big help in finding my current job. Being a graduate of RRC holds a lot of weight as many employers in Manitoba recognize the skills and education acquired at this school, something I may not have thought too much about at the start. Overall, a fantastic and worthwhile experience.

I came to Canada for the first time in 2018 to pursue my passion to learn, grow and be globally competitive. Some would say it was a very scary thing coming all alone from the Philippines, but it went smoothly because of an organized system and the warmth of the Winnipegers.

There were lots of colleges and universities available to choose from, but I was looking for a school that focused on applied learning rather than theoretical. That is why I selected Red River College, true enough to stand being named as Manitoba’s largest institute of applied learning and research using hands-on and online opportunities with state-of-the-art instruction. I chose the Business Administration program as I have a Business, Finance and Accounting background from the Philippines and the Sultanate of Oman. I wanted to learn how these fields of study are being put to use in Canada during the financial crisis.

The BA program makes sure that courses are abreast and relevant with constant collaboration and consultation with the industries. The method of instruction and the number of students per class is just right. Instructors are able to identify areas of weakness in students and help them. One of the things that I love at Red River College is how they use the various courses to develop soft skills that would be a great advantage in the real business world. Each course develops our skills in time management, planning, organizing, discipline and becoming a team player.

There are lots of opportunities to be involved including volunteering and social and extra-curricular activities that would connect a student to the business world. I could say being active in Business Solutions Team, First Impressions Recruitment Event, Directions Conference, Tutoring services opened a lot of job opportunities for me even while still at school.

One of the most challenging times we had is when the COVID pandemic emerged while we were still at school. I am a witness to how RRC, instructors and academic staff worked proactively and unselfishly to deliver our programs online without any interruption. That is why I was able to graduate without any delay within the expected time frame.

I am very grateful to RRC, all instructors and academic staff that equipped me to what I am today.

No one’s career path goes exactly to plan, and mine has taken me to places and industries I would never have imagined it would. I completed a certificate program in Computer Networking at Red River College in 2010, only to immediately fall into the transportation industry in a completely unrelated job role for several years. However, when the opportunity presented itself to continue my post-secondary education, I knew that I wanted to return to Red River College.

I have always found ways to draw on my experiences at Red River College no matter what I’m doing. RRC instructors do an amazing job of making each course relatable and relevant to the “real world”, and they also provide opportunities for students develop and hone the soft skills required in the workforce today.

My advice to students considering enrolment in the Business Administration program would be to look beyond just the program outline and course syllabuses. There are endless extracurricular opportunities at RRC that will help you grow as an individual and a leader. Try your best to say yes to every opportunity to get involved inside and outside of the classroom. Your effort in this regard will repay you exponentially.

The Intercultural Mentorship Program allowed me to learn about the lived experiences of someone from a completely different culture, which was not something that was accessible to me having grown up in a small rural Manitoba town. Serving as a representative on the Red River College Student Association gave me an opportunity to advocate on behalf of my fellow students and learn about how the college environment operates behind the scenes. Participating in the Applied Projects extracurricular course gave me the opportunity to work on a real-world marketing project for a local non-profit organization.

I secured a job offer three months before graduation thanks to the First Impressions Recruitment Event (FIRE) which allowed me to interview with several employers of choice in the industry I wanted to work in.

As I prepare to return to the college for a third time, this time in a continuing education program, I am confident that Red River College will once again help me learn skills that will help me reach my new goals.

The Business Administration Program at Red River College didn’t just help me gain an understanding of business, marketing and sales it helped me appreciate the hard work and dedication it takes to work in the industry. The program helped me learn to work collaboratively with others and how to overcome various challenges. I learned how to network and build professional relationships.

I found a number of the projects and exercises within the curriculum, as well as the Business Solutions Program, to be very influential as they had real-world applications. I believe the combination of academic learning and the practical application prepared me for my career. Additionally, I value the many opportunities I was given to develop my public speaking. I had the opportunity to participate in the Directions conference, the Business Solutions Program, and the First Impressions Recruitment event. These events were valuable as they allowed me to network, receive feedback and build confidence around other professionals.

I highly recommend the Business Administration Program! The advice that I would give to prospective students would be to take the academics seriously but also to diversify their experience through extracurricular opportunities and activities. This will help develop a wide range of skills towards a future career. Also, get know your instructors as they are not only knowledgeable but are also excellent resources for career development.

Before I began my studies at Red River College, I knew I was interested in Business Administration and wanted to make the most out of the two-year program. I was able to be successful at RRC because of the relationships I formed with both my peers and instructors.

The small class sizes were a substantial component, along with the individual support and guidance I received. Red River College provides a supportive environment for students, with instructors who continuously help you succeed in your courses and post-graduation.

The Business Administration program provides you with practical, hands-on experience and knowledge to help begin your career. The instructors are industry professionals who bring their expertise to help guide students throughout the program. During my time at Red River College, I was part of the Vanier Competition Team and the Business Solutions Team. Both of these experiences allowed me to challenge myself and work alongside my peers. Being a part of these teams was the most rewarding experience at RRC and provided me with real-life experience that helped me realize my full potential. Other opportunities the College provided that I was involved in were the Directions Conference and the First Impressions Recruitment Event (FIRE). The Directions Conference and FIRE allow you to meet with and make connections with industry professionals to benefit you once you graduate from the program.

I would encourage anyone considering the Business Administration program to get involved in as many opportunities as possible. Red River College has various extra-curricular options for students, which stand out to employers when applying for jobs. You will be able to make the most out of your time in the program if you are motivated, open to challenging yourself and have the drive to succeed. The best advice I can give is to get involved, establish relationships, and work hard.

When I first attended RRC I had a goal in mind but didn’t know how to achieve it. Since attending RRC I achieved my goal while moving to Toronto to work in an agency, back to Winnipeg to work at a cannabis start-up, and have started my own marketing agency.

The program is well setup and gives you a clear path to success. You learn all the skills you need and then some, which truthfully prepares you for your career. Although the courses themselves are valuable, the most value comes from the instructors. Instructors at RRC have dozens of years of experience bringing more than just education. You will find many times they will bring theses experiences into the classroom connecting the theory you are learning to real world situations. Many times, I would talk to instructors outside the classroom who were always happy to do so. They willingly answered any questions I had and offered insights, some even offered to be a reference on my resume while offering job opportunities they knew of.

But, the best part of attending RRC is the many opportunities offered outside of the classroom. I participated on the National Marketing Team where we practiced 4 hours every Wednesday for 5-months to prepare for the competition in Montréal. Although we did not win first place, this experience alone improved my skills tenfold. In three hours, the team and I had to investigate a business to identify their core challenge, before we strategized a new marketing plan to help them achieve their goal. It was mentally exhausting, challenging, a pressure cooker and my favorite memory. Between being on the team and balancing the course load, my work ethic and skills sky rocketed.

If I were to offer one piece of advice to anyone attending the program I would say; commitment is key.

The program is very intense, but with enough work, dedication, and passion, anyone can do well. Put in the proper time needed and prepare yourself mentally to work, grow, and face challenges. Commitment goes beyond the classroom, as well, and rewards you for spending additional time in your day to cultivate your skillset. I highly recommend the experiences offered by RRC to bring yourself to as many opportunities possible and gain exposure to the world of business.

Getting into RRC is a vital step in advancing your career and achieving your lifetime goals and aspirations.

My goals coming into Red River College were to understand business in Canada, start my network in a new country, and be ready to get a good job in the accounting field. RRC’s highly capable and knowledgeable instructors along with a vast set of social and extra-curricular opportunities helped me to successfully achieve my goals.

Academically, I would say that experienced instructors, who not only come from the job market but also still have several industry connections, staying updated on what the companies hiring graduates are looking for, were key to my academic success. Also, the Exchange District campus has a fantastic location in a business-like setting that benefits the Business Administration students attending this campus in getting a feel of how your daily life can be after college.

In my opinion what stands out the most about my RRC experience that prepared me to start my career is that the learning curriculum is totally focused in helping students succeed in their endeavours – whether you’re looking for a job, pursing further academic education, or starting your own business. Classes like Business Communications, where you learn how to communicate and behave professionally, build your resume, improve your LinkedIn profile between other important topics, were essential to assist me in getting interviews and eventually land good job.

If I must choose one single factor that helped me the most to get a good job right after college, that would be RRC social-networking and extra-curricular opportunities. I participated in the Directions Conference for 2017 and I was a Student Ambassador for the Directions Conference for 2018 both were great in helping me understand what the job market was looking for and networking with possible future employers. I was also a participant in the First Impressions Recruitment Event where I landed 5 or 6 interviews, including one with my future employer. The social-networking opportunities provided by RRC are a must-go for students looking to get a job right after college.

My advice for future students is get involved, participate in social and extra-curricular activities provided by RRC, go to companies’ presentations at the campus, engage with possible employers, ask questions during the roundtable at the Directions Conference. Do not forget about your GPA, it is not the most important factor, but it will open some doors for you. Be heard, be seen, be remembered.

What I wanted from Red River College was to obtain a set of skills that would prepare me for a variety of possible career paths, and I definitely feel able to take on almost anything as a result.

I can comfortably include accounting, business strategizing, and team leadership on my resume, complete with examples and stories I can be proud of.

I had access to industry professionals who let me pick their brains about what to expect, what to try, and what not to try. They happily shared their how their journeys led them to where they are now and gave all of us the trust to allow our lives to unfold as they will. We can start somewhere with a specific goal in mind, but if we take the opportunities presented to us, even if they don’t mesh with our original ideas about our future, we can still end up somewhere great.

The most important and transferrable skill I gained was confidence in communication, particularly public speaking. Throughout the program, communication is emphasized, even in the accounting stream, and I have no doubt that it is the most important skill to learn. Technical skills are easy to pick up along the way, but to be able to enter the work world able to express yourself to a room full of people with clarity and confidence is priceless.

I, along with three others from Red River College, had the privilege of representing the College at the Vanier Business Case Competition in Montreal in February 2020. The practices were frequent and grueling, the learning process was frustrating and sometimes tearful, but we emerged strong and capable, and I know none of us would trade that experience for anything.

The advice I would give to someone considering this program is this: come into it with an open mind. Don’t be afraid to change your path – if you intended to be an accountant, but now something about marketing is calling to you, it’s okay to change your mind. Take the opportunities, use the resources, nurture the connections, and treasure the friendships. You won’t regret it.

I am thankful for the opportunities provided by Red River College to work with other students, learn personal stories from the instructors and gain the confidence to succeed within the workplace. When I first started my Red River College Business Administration journey, I wasn’t very confident in my academic abilities, along with not knowing how much rigorous studying would positively change my self-worth. The confidence I achieved from Red River College has been a huge asset when applying for jobs, along with furthering my education in university. I have used my experiences from the Entrepreneurship class many times in job interviews, and employers are genuinely interested in the uniqueness of the class.

The instructors at Red River College truly want to help you reach your potential whether that’s through the Entrepreneurship class, or with giving you one-on-one feedback with assignments. They are willing to share past business and education experiences with students and I found that so valuable.

One of the biggest takeaways from my experience at Red River College is the lasting connections I have made with former students and instructors. Recently I was asked to join a start-up company with former students, and it was such a great experience knowing I am able to succeed with the connections I have made.

If you have the mindset of consistent and continuous learning, you will be so much more equipped after graduation.

My advice for new students is to prioritize mental health. Personally, I pushed away anxiety and depression because I felt like I couldn’t take time away from my studies, and once I started university my neglected mental health hit me hard within a month. I would also suggest looking into testing accommodations if you feel like that is something that could help. Whether it’s in a private room because of anxiety or needing a scribe due to wrist problems, I believe it could improve your college experience. In college finances were a huge stressor for me because I didn’t want to incur interest on my loans 6 months after graduation, so one of the biggest pieces of advice I can give someone who takes out loans is you can pay your loans off even during your studies, I often did $20 increments, don’t wait until after graduation!

Interested in learning more about our Business Administration program? Ezequiel Lerner, Business Administration grad, checked in with us to answer some questions about the program.

1) How did your time at Red River College help you achieve your goals?
The two-year program taught me that through hard work, dedication, commitment, and true inner belief you can overcome any challenge that stands in your way. Ultimately, one of my goals was to grow on a personal and professional level, and by applying myself to be the best I could be I did just that.

2) What aspects of your academic experience at Red River College would you say were particularly influential?
Hands down the relationships that I made along the way as without them I wouldn’t have been as successful as I was. Additionally, the hands-on nature of the program helped put a lot of the teachings into practice, which is a big advantage over university.

3) What stands out for you about your Red River College experience that really prepared you to start on your career?
The program helped shape me into the young professional that I hoped I would become. It truly taught me a lot about myself and that through hard work anything is possible.

4) Academics aside, what other opportunities, social and extra-curricular, added to your Red River College experience? (i.e. Vanier competition; Finance competition; Business Solutions Team; Student Ambassador, First Impressions Recruitment Event (FIRE), Directions Conference, International Student Support, etc.)
I played on the Red River College Men’s Basketball Team for two years, which introduced me to a lot of friends while challenging me in new and different ways. You can ask any member of the 2015-16 team about our ups and downs that I will never forget but, ultimately, we won the championship and I learned a lot of lessons along the way. I also felt a deeper connection to RRC because not only was I representing the school in the classroom but on the basketball court as well.

5) What advice would you offer someone considering enrolment in the Red River College Business Administration program?
Listen. The program is not a walk in the park. It truly isn’t. 6 courses per semester is no joke so if you want to be successful then you need to be ready to work, otherwise this program isn’t for you. Be committed to yourself, to your growth, to your goals, and to your personal and professional development. Don’t be shy, ask questions, get involved, make friends, and get to know your instructors because they are truly amazing people. Speaking of, BIG SHOUTOUT to Dr. Taiwo Soetan and Susan Robson. Consider yourself blessed if they’re your instructors.