Red River’s commitment to the Skilled trades and more specifically advanced manufacturing is well known throughout North America. I will speak personally about the reasons why I am so impressed with the college; my thoughts also reflect that of my organization.

I spent the first twenty years of my career in the manufacturing industry and over the years I witnessed firsthand how the lack of a commitment to the Skilled Trades was severely impacting productivity in the United States and I know in Canada as well. About ten years ago I decided to alter my career path to focus on making a difference in this arena. In this role of a spokesperson for careers in MFG I have become well acquainted with manufacturing education programs around the world. I have seen what is effective and witnessed the impact of schools like Red River.

Some of the strengths I see and greatly appreciate are:

• Relationship with Skills/Compétences Canada.
• Staying current and incorporating new technologies in the curriculum.
• The focus on learn by doing rather than theory based teaching.
• The schools relationship with business and industry so what is taught in the classroom is aligned with the economic development needs of the region.

These key factors in creating a relevant program cannot be underestimated. At Haas Automation and the Gene Haas Foundation we are proud to be partnering with Red River on the new Innovation Center and look forward to working closely with Red River College for years to come.

Kathy Looman
Gene Haas Foundation