Over the last ten months, twelve students from Fisher River Cree Nation (FRCN) have been attending a College Transition program – created in collaboration with RRC Polytech and the Fisher River Education Authority (FREA), where they have been learning how to prepare for post-secondary education or a full-time job.

The program began in FRCN, with eight courses – including Essential College Communication Skills – for students to become accustomed to the academic environment. The courses in FRCN were delivered by the FREA and taught by a local instructor and incorporated life skills and cultural content. For the final two courses, students finished their studies on-campus in Winnipeg and had the opportunity to build their skills in navigating a large urban centre in addition to their regular course work.

Faith Beardy, one of the students in the program, graduated from high school in 2021 and went directly into a bachelor’s degree at a university the fall of that year. Beardy found herself unprepared – the rigor of post-secondary compared to high school overwhelmed her to the point of giving up and dropping out. The pandemic greatly impacted her high school experience, so she was unaccustomed to exams, tight deadlines and the amount of content condensed into the shorter timeframe.

When she heard about the College Transition program, Beardy was drawn to the emphasis of support and preparation before taking the dive into post-secondary education. Beardy told herself it was worth it to try again with a program that would walk with her at the pace she needed, to learn about herself and learn about her own needs. When she started with College Transition, she says almost immediately she felt a sense of growth and a boost of confidence.

“The more confidence I have, it helps me to be a better student. I really love school now, I love going and learning. Even if I didn’t understand something, I asked questions. College Transition — words can’t describe it. It’s just not just academics — you connect with your peers, your instructors, your community and you grow together.”

Armed with the skills and confidence she gained at the College Transition program, Beardy plans to return to university in fall 2023 to pursue a bachelor’s degree with a major in Indigenous Studies and a minor in English. When she completes university, Beardy says she wants to live in Fisher River Cree Nation and teach elementary or middle school learners.

“I’ve always wanted to help people, but I didn’t know what to do. I want to help kids be their authentic selves and guide them in the direction they want to go in life — I want to be a good role model for my students.”

Mitchell Wilson joined the College Transition program as a stepping stone towards RRC Polytech’s Intro to Trades program. He had looked into applying directly to an electrician certificate program, but the complicated process was too overwhelming to parse through on his own. The College Transition program helped him gain the confidence he needs to enter the trades.

Right out of high school, Wilson felt a sense of urgency to know what to do in the next stage of his life. Where he once knew the procedures to progress in school, the unstructured freedom felt more like a directionless vacuum. Urgency turned to panic as time marched on without a plan. Wilson sought comfort with his family, who encouraged him to go back to school and helped motivate him to pick himself back up.

“For me, I finally grew into being independent. I learned to push myself and work hard. I’m excited to meet new people once I go into Intro to Trades,” said Wilson.

Taking College Transition in community and close to family helped Wilson manage his priorities and contemplate his goals. Wilson says he’s glad he took College Transition to prepare him for the inner motivation required to take on new journeys and the discipline needed to stick with those journeys.

For now, Wilson is looking forward to spending time at home with his family before coming back to RRC Polytech in the fall to begin Intro to Trades.

Nancy Harasemiw was the instructor while the students learned in FRCN, and said there is no better feeling than watching students learn and grow.

“I have been doing this for many years and I tell you it is so rewarding and I always feel a sense of pride when I can see their growth in maturity as a young person and their accomplishments in their academics. I am very thankful that our community of Fisher River Cree Nation Education invests in the Grade 12 graduates and offers this program to them before they begin their future post secondary studies in the fall,” she said.

Learn more about the College Transition program and other programs RRC Polytech has to offer, here.

Last month, the Stevenson Southport Campus at RRC Polytech hosted AME Day, a day dedicated to showcasing the Apprenticeship Aircraft Maintenance Engineer program to youth and demonstrating the potential rewarding careers students could experience in Aircraft Maintenance.

Over 260 Grade 8 students from Portage la Prairie School Division and Sandy Bay Ojibway First Nation had the opportunity to take part in Aircraft Maintenance activities hosted by industry professionals.

Nigel Louis, Chair, Aircraft Maintenance Programs, provided remarks at noon along with Ian Wishart, MLA for Portage la Prairie; Sharilyn Knox, Portage la Prairie Mayor; Darryl Dowd, Chief Operating Officer for Southport Aerospace Centre Inc.; Jaff Viloria, DaHavilland Representative; and Riley Kintscher, Canadian Helicopters Limited Apprentice, both RRC Polytech alumni.

During his remarks, Louis shared a story: at the first AME Day in 2018, a student sat in the very same audience and learned about what he could do as a future Aircraft Maintenance Engineer. He was inspired by the speakers he heard and decided to pursue a career in the aviation and aerospace sector. Today, he is enrolled in the Apprentice Aircraft Maintenance Engineer program at RRC Polytech. One industry speaker he heard that day was Chevy Peters, who is now his boss and was among the many speakers at the 2018 AME Day.

Students were divided into morning and afternoon sessions to explore different stations featuring an Aircraft Hydraulic System, Composites, Flight, Daily Inspection, a Helicopter Cyclic Pitch Simulator, a Train Mock-Up and Aircraft Wheel Replacement. Station leads were a range of aircraft maintenance professionals from Portage Aircraft Services, Canadian Helicopter Limited, KF Aerospace, Eagle Wings Flight School, and RRC Polytech.

The Apprenticeship Aircraft Maintenance program is designed to help students attain Transport Canada approved training status, 48 months of aviation maintenance work experience, and three technical examinations required to obtain an AME license.

AME Day 2023 was a huge success and students left with a strong understanding of the incredible opportunities that await them should they choose to pursue careers in the aviation and aerospace industry, and how RRC Polytech can help them get there.

For more information about the AME Program, visit our catalogue here.

Canada Life has announced a $500,000 investment to help create a new Indigenous-led student mentorship program at RRC Polytech. The initiative will be offered across all College programs and campuses, providing support and guidance to Indigenous learners as they navigate post-secondary experiences and into the early weeks of employment.

“Canada Life is proud to support RRC Polytech’s new mentorship program for Indigenous learners,” says Brian Bowman, Vice-President, Sustainability and Social Impact at the organization. “Education opens doors, but the end-to-end student journey isn’t always an easy one, and this new program will help Indigenous learners achieve their goals.”

With Canada Life’s support, RRC Polytech will be able to build the right conditions to support Indigenous student success and strengthen business and economic partnerships with Indigenous communities.

“We’re grateful to Canada Life for this transformative gift and their continued commitment to education in Manitoba,” says Fred Meier, RRC Polytech’s President and CEO. “For aspiring Indigenous students, this program will help instil confidence, cultivate connections on campus, and foster a two-way, mutually beneficial learning experience between students and employers. We’re building the program to do more than just help shape futures. It will help shape lives — one student at a time.”

Tracy Brant, Associate Dean for the College’s School of Indigenous Education, says Indigenous culture will be central to how RRC Polytech builds the program.

“This mentorship program will ensure Indigenous learners have more opportunities to connect with experienced industry professionals and expand their networks by building strong relationships with mentors and other mentees along their academic journeys,” says Brant.

“In turn, mentors will also benefit from engaging with and learning from professionals who are entering their field with new experience and perspectives. Helping to facilitate these potentially lifelong connections provides students with the tools they need to make the impacts they want to see in their communities and beyond. The additional support of dedicated mentors in the fields they want to pursue will encourage success in their academics and eventual careers.”

RRC Polytech will work to develop and deliver training to mentors, and as part of the program, mentees will have an opportunity to give back, as after graduation they can act as a mentor to a successive cohort of Indigenous learners.

It’s expected the new program will launch early next year. RRC Polytech is actively developing the program and resources required to ensure it can welcome as many students into the program as possible.

Price Family Foundation, Government of Canada and Province of Manitoba partner with Red River College Polytechnic on Institute dedicated to advancing global competitiveness of Manitoba manufacturers

June 28, 2023, Winnipeg, Manitoba, on Treaty No. 1 Territory and the Homeland of the Red River Métis

It began as a conversation between Red River College Polytechnic (RRC Polytech) and Dr. Gerry Price, Chairman & CEO, Price Industries Limited, in spring of 2021. RRC Polytech has long been a leader in talent development and innovation, and regularly consults with industry partners for advice on where each sector is heading. In this conversation, Dr. Price asked the question: how can we work together to advance the sector?

The journey to the answer – spanning two years of deep conversations with industry, government, and other stakeholders – sets the stage for today’s announcement of the Price Institute of Advanced Manufacturing and Mechatronics.

Anchored by a $10 million gift from the Price Family Foundation – the largest in RRC Polytech’s history – the Price Institute is supported with more than $3 million from the Government of Canada and $4.86 million from the Province for capital, program development, as well as ongoing operating costs. In support of RRC Polytech’s In Front of What’s Ahead comprehensive campaign, these three gifts bring the campaign closer to its $60 million goal, with a current total of $51.5 million raised to date.

Today’s $17.86 million investment in the Price Institute will allow RRC Polytech to bridge critical skills and labour gaps in the sector, spur applied research activities within the sector’s many small-to medium-enterprise (SME) employers and foster an innovation ecosystem where industry-education partnerships shift the technologies disrupting the sector from threats to opportunities.

“As Manitoba’s polytechnic, RRC Polytech is strongly positioned to partner with stakeholders and help usher in a new era of opportunity for one of Manitoba’s most-valued economic sectors,” says Fred Meier, RRC Polytech President and CEO. “We are expanding training opportunities and applied research in manufacturing, and it is only possible because of the vision and the commitment of Dr. Gerry Price and the Price Family Foundation, as well as the support of the Government of Canada and the Province of Manitoba.”

The Manitoba chapter of Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters (CME) recently reported that it had 2,130 job vacancies in the third quarter of 2022, citing a shortage of advanced skills that are not currently being trained in the Province. The Price Institute of Advanced Manufacturing and Mechatronics will directly respond to the skills shortage by training new workers, as well as upskilling and reskilling existing workers.

Scheduled for a phased launch beginning in Fall 2023, the Institute features a range of new programs and firsts for RRC Polytech, including:

• Two, post-graduate diplomas (one in advanced manufacturing, one in mechatronics) that boost the annual graduate output of RRC’s engineering technology programs by 150 per cent.
• A project space to drive innovation and technology transfer in automation and manufacturing for SMEs and facilitate student-led research activities.
• Flexible, micro-credentialing options to upskill and reskill up to 1,000 employees each year, including Western Canada’s first offering of the internationally recognized and accredited Siemens Mechatronics Systems Certification Program (Levels I and II), which kickstarts phase one of the Institute launch this fall.
• Manitoba’s first Applied Research Chair in Advanced Manufacturing.

The transformational gift from the Price Family Foundation continues their legacy of student-focused support at RRC Polytech. Ahead of today’s announcement, Dr. Price and Barb Price also renewed the Price Scholarships at RRC Polytech for another five years – removing a critical barrier many students pursuing education in engineering technology-focused fields face.

“No matter the enterprise, the foundation of Manitoba’s success – past, present, and future – is its people,” says Dr. Gerry Price, Chairman and CEO, Price Industries Limited. “The more you create access to education opportunities, the more you empower the innovator that dwells within us all. This is an investment in Manitoba’s future learners and future leaders, which will have lasting benefits for generations to come.”

With donor support poised to remove barriers to education for generations of students, the Government of Canada’s $3 million investment supported by Prairies Economic Development Canada (PrairiesCan) will be used to prepare the space for students and to develop and deliver curriculum over the next three years.

“Investments in training and skills development will ensure Manitoba remains a leader in advanced manufacturing and will inspire the next generation of the workforce. Our government recognizes the importance of strengthening key clusters and industry priorities starting with training and education. This funding from PrairiesCan will assist in the development of critical workforce skills through the Price Institute of Advanced Manufacturing and Mechatronics,” says The Honourable Dan Vandal, Minister for PrairiesCan and Member of Parliament for Saint Boniface-Saint Vital

The Province focused its investment on funding capital, start-up, and development costs related to the Institute’s academic program, as well as its ongoing operating costs.

 “As we work to integrate more and more digital technologies into manufacturing products and processes, there’s a complementary need for highly-trained and skilled workers to ensure the sector’s success,” says the Honourable Sarah Guillemard, Minister of Advanced Education and Training for the Province of Manitoba. “The Manitoba government is pleased to provide ongoing support for Red River College Polytechnic’s new Price Institute of Advanced Manufacturing and Mechatronics to deliver the sophisticated training needed by Manitoba’s manufacturing workforce.”

The Province’s $4.86 million investment will support emerging technology, training for students, and provides RRC Polytech with increased capacity to train industry 4.0 professionals.

“Manufacturing is integral to Manitoba’s economy, with 7,900 job openings expected over the next five years,” says the Honourable Jeff Wharton, Minister of Economic Development, Investment and Trade for the Province of Manitoba. “Equipping workers with the skills for these in-demand jobs will ensure a steady workforce to keep pace with our economic growth, and allow manufacturers to adopt the technologies essential to building and sustaining their businesses.”

Headquartered in the Skilled Trades and Technology Centre at RRC Polytech’s Notre Dame Campus, the Institute will leverage the College’s wealth of teaching and research expertise, as well as the more than $35 million of cutting-edge equipment housed within its Smart Factory and Technology Access Centre for Aerospace and Manufacturing (TACAM).

More information can be found at rrc.ca/priceinstitute

June 23 is International Women in Engineering Day, a day to celebrate the important contributions that women and gender-diverse engineers make in their communities through their engineering work.

From Engineers Canada, “INWED is a day to celebrate the important contributions that women and gender-diverse engineers make in their communities through their engineering work. It is an opportunity to raise the profile of women and gender-diverse people in engineering and underscore that a more equitable, diverse, and inclusive profession improves the quality of engineering work and its impact.

INWED is a fantastic opportunity to consider how each of us—engineering employers, individual engineers, allies, professors, students—contributes to gender equity in our workplaces, our post-secondary institutions, and our profession. It is an opportunity to reflect on what we are currently doing, and what more we can be doing to each contribute to welcoming and inclusive environments for all engineers.”

Today – and everyday – we celebrate RRC Polytech leaders like Ellowyn Nadeau, the first woman to head the Winnipeg Construction Board. Read more here.

The following message was sent to All Staff and All Students today on behalf of RRC Polytech President and CEO, Fred Meier.

June is National Indigenous History Month and today, June 21, is the summer solstice: the longest day of the year and the official start of summer. June 21 was proclaimed National Indigenous Peoples Day in 1996 after continuous support from the National Indian Brotherhood (Assembly of First Nations), the Sacred Assembly and Elijah Harper, and the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples.

Indigenous communities around Turtle Island gather every year to celebrate the summer solstice with ceremony and celebration and to recognize National Indigenous Peoples Day. Many organizations and communities host events proudly showcasing the many vibrant Indigenous cultures from dawn until dusk.

This year, RRC Polytech kicked off Indigenous History Month with the raising of the Red River Métis Flag, the Treaty One Flag, and RRC Polytech’s original Pride Flag. In years past, we’ve hosted our own event to recognize the summer solstice and Indigenous Peoples Day, but this year the School of Indigenous Education has a new venture—the Indigenous Student Support Team has organized a bus tour with Elder-in-Residence Paul Guimond around Winnipeg and surrounding areas to experience a variety of events to celebrate National Indigenous Peoples Day.

Though it’s felt like summer for a few weeks already, I encourage you to ring in the new season by visiting any number of events hosted by Indigenous folks around the city and beyond. Many events can be found on the Government of Canada’s website with the search term ‘Manitoba.’ The Forks is hosting the Wa-Say Healing Centre Pow Wow followed by musical performances; the Manitoba Métis Federation is hosting a celebration at Selkirk’s Memorial Hall; WAG-Qaumajuq is hosting an art education event and evening concerts on Memorial Boulevard; and in Brandon there will be a celebration at the Riverbank Discovery Centre.

Thank you, and please enjoy a beautiful National Indigenous Peoples Day!

In fall of 2022, the Zone Permit program was introduced at Notre Dame Campus. Over the last year, we’ve collected data, taken feedback, reviewed zones and pain points, and are excited to announce several improvements that will come into effect on September 1, 2023.

Here’s a quick summary of changes:

• Designating specific lots for daily parking;
• Designating specific lots for permit holders;
• Creating an additional zone: North, West, Central (Staff Only), and South;
• Renaming the lots for easier navigation; and
• Updating the process for electric vehicle and accessible spots.

Daily and guest parking

Each zone, aside from Central, will have designated daily parking areas for those who purchase daily or hourly parking. Angood Road (updated name: South 3) Northeast (updated name: North 1) and West 1 will be designated guest and daily parking areas. Please see map below for specifics.

Permit holder only lots

Each zone will have dedicated permit holder only lots. Only those with an active permit for that zone will be able to park within those lots. Daily and guest parkers will be required to park in the designated Daily areas on campus.

Additional zone

An additional zone has been added, and there are now four zones to select from. The South lot (updated name: South 1) and East lot (updated name: South 2) will now fall under the South zone. All lot names will be updated to align with the new zones and make it easier to navigate around campus. Maps will be posted online and across campus beginning August 1, 2023. Please see map below for specifics.

Staff-only zone

The new Central parking zone will now become a staff-only permit zone due to its layout and stall configuration. All other zones will remain shared between staff and students. The South and East lots will no longer be a part of the Central zone as they will fall under the new South zone. 

Updated process for electric vehicle and accessible spots

All parkers who drive an electric vehicle (EV) and wish to charge while onsite will be required to purchase either a power permit or daily/hourly parking pass. Electric vehicle parkers will then be able to charge in any available EV stall regardless of zone. Once your charge is complete, you will be required to move back into a spot within your permit zone to support all EV parkers.

All permit holders who require permanent accessible parking will be asked to reach out to Commuting and Parking Office directly to begin the registration process. All temporary requests should be directed Lori Walkow in Accessibility Services.

As the parking program evolves, we want to ensure our commitment to not oversell any permits or zones. If you have any questions, please contact parking@rrc.ca and we’ll be happy to help you! 

Last week, RRC Polytech was pleased to host Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, the Honourable Chrystia Freeland at the Notre Dame Campus. Minister Freeland participated in a roundtable discussion with industry partners, toured spaces across the campus, and had the opportunity to speak with students, faculty and leaders about the important work we are doing at Manitoba’s Polytechnic.

The visit began with an economic roundtable discussion with Minister Freeland and industry stakeholders from across Manitoba, hosted by RRC Polytech President and CEO, Fred Meier, VP Academic, Dr. Christine Watson, and VP Indigenous Strategy, Research and Business Development, Jamie Wilson.

Following the hour-long discussion, President Meier and Derek Kochenash, Dean of Skilled Trades and Technology, toured Minister Freeland around the campus and met with staff and faculty in RRC Polytech’s Smart Factory and Jan den Oudsten Vehicle Technology Research Centre, MotiveLab, and spoke with students in our Transportation Technology and Women of Steel programs. 

This visit provided RRC Polytech the opportunity to invite key community and business leaders on Campus, and to highlight to our national leaders how RRC Polytech’s programs and applied research directly benefits priorities in the federal budget related to clean technology, EV technology and support for critical minerals and mining.

Recognizing these two distinct sovereign nations an important step in Reconciliation; new Pride design creates inclusive environment for 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals

Winnipeg, Manitoba on Treaty No. 1 Territory and the Homeland of the Métis Nation – Today, Red River College Polytechnic (RRC Polytech) is raising three flags in an act of unity, pride and inclusivity to mark the beginning of National Indigenous History Month and Pride Month. The Treaty One flag, Red River Métis flag and RRC Polytech’s new Pride flag will now fly year-round at the Notre Dame Campus in Winnipeg to acknowledge the history of the land, respect for the treaties made on the land, and representation of the people who live here.

“RRC Polytech is committed to enacting Truth and Reconciliation and equity, diversity and inclusion in everything we do. A large part of that is creating representation and inclusive spaces on our campuses,” says Fred Meier, President and CEO of RRC Polytech. “By raising these three flags we are demonstrating to staff, students and community members that this is a place where you belong. We know that there are still institutions and situations where 2SLGBTQIA+, Indigenous and Métis people don’t feel welcome or recognized – but at RRC Polytech we are giving a firm message that everybody belongs and is welcome here.”

The three flags will be raised at 1:30p.m., with support from Joan Ledoux, Minister of Provincial Education at the Manitoba Métis Federation (MMF) – the National Government of the Red River Métis; David Beaudin, Associate Minister of Provincial Education at the MMF; Knowledge Keepers Barbara Bruce and Albert Mcleod; Vic Savino, Treaty One Nations Director of Communications, Peguis First Nation; Frank Beaulieu, Cultural Advisor, Sandy Bay Ojibway First Nation; Elders and Knowledge Keepers from Treaty One Territory; and members of the RRC Polytech community. Ray “Coco” Stevenson will be providing a hand drum Flag Song for the ceremony

Treaty One Flag

Treaty One represents Anishinaabe (Ojibwe) and Nehiyaw (Cree) original peoples of the territory of present-day southern Manitoba, including the Forks at the Assiniboine and Red rivers which was a vital trade and gathering site.

Treaty One Nation is composed of the seven First Nations who are signatories to the first of the numbered Treaties, originally signed on August 3, 1871 at Lower Fort Garry after several days of discussions and ceremonies.

“I am extremely proud to see RRC Polytech raise our Treaty One flag on their campus today. Despite the spirit and intent of the Treaty, which has benefitted the people of Manitoba for over 150 years, we were continuously denied of our rights, our titles, our jurisdictions, our culture, our language, and our children,” says Chief Gordon Bluesky of Brokenhead Ojibway First Nation and Treaty One Chairperson.
“Despite our darker periods of history, we are still standing strong, and each one of these flag-raising ceremonies is a concrete, tangible expression to our Treaty Partners that we are still here. Today, we can all look forward to a brighter future for the next generations, and feel the pride in sharing the history of Indigenous peoples on this land. Through these actions of reconciliation, our young Indigenous learners have a very bright future ahead.”

The Treaty One Nation flag was designed to incorporate the original spirit and intent of the Treaties: green, to represent the grass; blue, to represent the waters; and yellow to represent the sun. The red represents the circle of life and the red people who inhabit this land. Lastly, the seven points around the sun represent the seven signatory First Nations of Treaty No. 1.

RRC Polytech recognizes in its land acknowledgement that the land we use is the land of the Anishinaabe, Ininiwak, Anishininew, Dakota, and Dené and that Treaty One is the agreement that allows us the live the way we do.

Red River Métis Flag

The Red River Métis have a rich and important history, language, and culture. The Red River Settlement – now Winnipeg – is the heart of the Red River Métis Homeland and the birthplace of the Nation.  
 
“The Red River Métis have been fighting to have our rich culture, heritage and history recognized and respected for over 200 years. Manitoba is the only province in Canada to have been brought into confederation by an Indigenous Nation with the signing of the Manitoba Act in 1870, intertwining the history of the Red River Métis with the history of Manitoba. Today, the MMF, the National Government of the Red River Métis, has made great strides in advancing our Nation and regaining our rightful place in Canada’s confederation. This flag-raising today is one small step toward a brighter future for our Red River Métis Youth, ensuring that they know their identity is recognized and celebrated as they achieve their educational goals at this institution,” said Minister Joan Ledoux, Minister of Provincial Education and Associate Minister of Métis Employment & Training at the Manitoba Métis Federation.
 
RRC Polytech recognizes the impact that the Red River Métis had in the formation of this city, province, and country. The Red River Métis were instrumental in confederation and fought battles to retain their rights throughout history – in the courtroom, in houses of government, and on the battlefield. 
 
RRC Polytech Pride Flag

Last year RRC Polytech revealed the design of its new Pride Flag, which was painted on pedestrian walkways at the Notre Dame Campus, Exchange District Campus, and Portage la Prairie Campus. Moving forward, the flag will also be raised at RRC Polytech’s Paterson GlobalFoods Institute throughout the month of June.

The College’s Pride design is an evolution of the Progress Pride flag that includes representation for all 2SLGBTQIA+ (Two-Spirit, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and/or Questioning, Intersex and Asexual) community members, and includes specific Indigenous elements.  It was created through engagement with RRC Polytech’s Knowledge Keepers Council, with a strong lead from Two Spirit and Métis Elder Barbara Bruce, and Two Spirit and Cree/ Métis Elder Albert McLeod.

RRC Polytech’s Pride design includes the following elements:

• The triangle represents the badge LGBT prisoners were forced to wear in Nazi concentration camps.
• Moving the triangle to the bottom maintains this meaning, but also forms a tepee, which is a shelter shape historically used by many First Nations people in Manitoba and shows the upward momentum of the movement.
• The Medicine Wheel incorporates traditional Indigenous knowledge and teachings.
• The purple and yellow circles around the Medicine Wheel recognize intersex folx.

By combining these elements and colours and displaying them in prominent locations, the Pride design has been created to represent all human beings, and welcome everyone on Indigenous lands.

“The Pride design was developed collaboratively across the College, carefully considering the meaning of all elements of the design, such as the colours, location of the chevron, and centering and orienting the Medicine Wheel,” says Vera Godavari, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Specialist. “At RRC Polytech we are committed to our reconciliation journey as we walk the path of understanding, respect and advocacy with the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. As learning organization, we celebrate our progress and continue our dedication to this important work through these ongoing initiatives.”

In addition to consulting with RRC Polytech’s Knowledge Keepers’ Council, Students Association, and its Gender and Sexual Identities working group, RRC Polytech also worked with the Rainbow Resource Centre on the evolution of the College’s Pride design.

Members of the community and media are invited to attend the ceremony from 1:30-3:30pm, today, Monday June 5, 2023 at RRC Polytech’s Notre Dame Campus (2055 Notre Dame Avenue).

Last week 19 students from RRC Polytech represented Team Manitoba at the 2023 Skills Canada National Competition, which took place at the RBC Convention Centre in Winnipeg. The competition saw more than 550 secondary and post-secondary competitors from across the country competing in more than 45 categories of skilled trades.

RRC Polytech students won Gold, Silver and Bronze medals and earned valuable experience throughout the competition. Beyond growing their technical skills, they also had the opportunity to work on human skills – teamwork, time management, listening, problem solving – while also building connections with professionals from their respectiveindustries.

Congratulations to the medalists, and to each of the competitors for demonstrating their skill.

RRC Polytech Medalists

• Derrick Penner, Cabinet Making, GOLD
• Kevin Schroeder, Bricklaying, GOLD
• Mathew Dyck, Aerospace Technology, SILVER
• Dorrian Selley, Car Painting, SILVER
• Jacob Abbey and Kayla Wieler, Landscape Gardening, BRONZE
• Luke Friesen, Outdoor Power & Rec Equipment, BRONZE
• Mason Bessey, Steamfitter, BRONZE

RBC Best in Region – Manitoba:

Derrick Penner, Cabinet Making

Complete results and more information can be found on the Skills Canada website