Informanix Technology Group, a Winnipeg-based information technology firm, has made a $100,000 commitment to Red River College Polytechnic (RRC Polytech) aimed at bolstering big-picture thinking and in-depth technical knowledge in tomorrow’s IT workforce. An additional $12,500 donation will fund a scholarship for eligible students in the College’s information technology programs.

“We know first-hand how RRC Polytech prepares students to hit the ground running on day one of their careers,” says Informanix President and CEO Kyle Molotkin, “and we appreciate how the College continues to adapt to changing industry needs by creating new programs, including IT Security and IT Infrastructure. We’re glad they’re stepping forward to fill a critical gap in Manitoba’s labour market.”

Today’s information technology sector already faces an increasingly complex set of challenges, says Molotkin. These include cyber security threats, the expansion of the remote workplace, and the rise of cloud computing.

“Compounding all these problems is an urgent need for talent in the sector,” he says. “As information technology gets more and more complex, it’s harder to find people who really understand the nuts and bolts, and how all the pieces fit together.”

The scholarship, the Informanix Future Information Security Architect Award, will provide $2,500 each year to an information technology student. Molotkin and Informanix VP of Operations Brad Olbort both graduated from the program in 2006.

Olbort says the scholarship values critical thinking over grades. “We want to reward and encourage students who understand how all the pieces fit together, who can anticipate how one IT solution impacts other areas. These are the skills that are going to make for the successful architect-level IT professionals our industry needs to thrive and grow in the future.”

“The recipient will be an IT visionary: someone who lives, breathes, and is inspired by technology,” adds Molotkin.

The remainder of Informanix’s donation will support Manitou a bi Bii daziigae, formerly known as the Innovation Centre. In honour of their generosity, RRC Polytech is renaming a computer lab in the Roblin Centre the Informanix IT Networking Lab. Molotkin and Olbort chose this space because it has personal significance to them.

“It’s where we spent so much of our time learning what we needed to start our careers and eventually launch our own company,” says Molotkin. “We’ve been fortunate, and now we want to give back. Having our name on this space brings everything full circle.”

The two founded Informanix in 2013 after successful careers in the corporate sector. As a full-suite information technology service provider, the company provides managed services to small and medium-sized businesses who don’t have capacity for an in-house IT department of their own. Informanix also provides highly technical and specialized project-based support for enterprise-level clients.

So far, the company has added has more than a hundred clients across Manitoba and Western Canada to its roster. It employs a team of 17 – including several RRC Polytech grads.