Three Lieutenant Governor’s medals, the highest award that may be obtained upon graduation from RRC Polytech, will be awarded at Spring Convocation ceremonies this week.

The recipients of these medals are selected by a standing committee comprised of representatives from College management, students and instructors. This year, three outstanding graduates have been selected in recognition of their academic and technical achievement, involvement in College and/or community activities, and overall good character.

Pauline Tayag – Graphic Design

Pauline Tayag graduated with honours from RRC Polytech’s Graphic Design program. She continuously strives to make change in the community, having earned awards for academic achievement and volunteered for multiple organizations.

As a participant in the President’s Student Leadership Program — which helps shape future leaders from across academic levels, disciplines and post-secondary institutions — Tayag let her graphic design and storytelling gifts shine through the creation of “Without Borders,” a project that shared the stories of immigrants in Manitoba. Read More →

RRC Polytech awards honorary degrees or diplomas to individuals who demonstrate high standards of excellence in their personal and professional achievements, and whose involvement in the community is widely recognized.

This year’s deserving recipients are accomplished professionals and outstanding community role models whose lives’ work will resonate with and inspire our 2023 graduates.

Carolyn Young: Honorary Diploma in Early Childhood Education

Carolyn Young has been supporting and advocating for young children and their parents — particularly Indigenous and newcomer families — in Winnipeg’s North End for more than 30 years.

She empowers her community through her work in early childhood education (ECE) and works relentlessly to teach, mentor and dismantle barriers for others as executive director of Manidoo Gi-Miini Gonaan (The Great Spirit is Giving), a non-profit organization overseeing several child-care centres and a family resource centre in a historically disadvantaged neighbourhood. Read More →

A Winnipeg engineering technologist who has been a local, provincial and national leader in his profession has been honoured with the Distinguished Graduate Award from RRC Polytech.

Robert Okabe, CEO and Registrar at the Certified Technicians and Technologists Association of Manitoba (CTTAM), graduated with a Civil Engineering Technology diploma from RRC Polytech in 1983. His dedication to technicians and technologists, along with his passion for his community and volunteering, has set him apart and made him an outstanding candidate for the College’s highest achievement.

“RRC Polytech is proud to honour Robert Okabe with the Distinguished Graduate Award,” says College President Fred Meier. “His professional achievements truly embody the kind of commitment and leadership we aim to demonstrate to students. His contributions to Manitoba showcase the difference that RRC Polytech graduates make to our province, especially in the profession of applied science and engineering technology.”

Distinguished Graduate Awards honour and recognize the College’s finest graduates — those who have made an impact in their profession and their community through outstanding achievements in one or more of the following areas: humanitarianism, professional excellence and community service.

Okabe was recognized as a Fellow of Engineers Canada FEC in 2019 and as an International Engineering Technologist by the Canadian Council of Technicians and Technologists (CCTT) in 2013. He has served in various positions for the CCTT and the Canadian Technology Accreditation Board.

Okabe is currently a Program Advisory Committee member with RRC Polytech, Assiniboine Community College and University of College of the North, and has provided invaluable guidance and advocacy with the accreditation of RRC Polytech’s engineering technology programs.

He also has a role in all nine of the College’s Engineering Technology Advisory Committees, which provide direction and curriculum support from those working on the ground.

“I am incredibly excited and proud to be receiving this award,” says Okabe. “I believe that giving back to the community is such an important thing I can do as a graduate and am proud to support the next generation. The College provided so much for me in my career, and it’s an honour to be celebrated in this way.” Read More →

RRC Polytech is proud to celebrate National Administrative Professionals’ Day, and to recognize the valuable contributions these individuals make in our workplaces.

Staff and students are encouraged to thank the administrative professionals in their lives for the essential work they do here at the College, and across our community.

Celebrated on the Wednesday of the last week of every April, the day recognizes the work of administrative assistants, receptionists and other administrative support professionals.

This year, the day falls on April 26, when the College will host a 2.5-hour professional development session for administrative staff. Participants will discover how they rank in the four primary personality types — dominance, influence, steadiness and conscientiousness — using the popular DiSC tool.

“The administrative professional role is that of a ‘hero’ — supporting efficiency and productivity, providing the technical and administrative support to teams both internally and externally,” says Denis Cordella, Chair of Business and Management for RRC Polytech’s School of Continuing Education.

“They are ‘solution builders’ and proactively make a difference to support goals.” Read More →

In partnership with RBC Future Launch, Indigenous culture takes centre stage today as RRC Polytech students, staff and community members gather for a celebration highlighting the importance of entrepreneurship in Indigenous culture.

Running 1:00–5:00 p.m. at Manitou a bi Bii daziigae, Indigenous Food, Fashion and Music: An RBC Reaction by Collision Community Event will showcase Indigenous culture and arts in Winnipeg. As part of RRC Polytech’s commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion, the event will immerse guests in Indigenous culture, as represented by some of the brightest local entrepreneurs, chefs, designers and performers.

“Representation and celebration of Indigenous culture is an important way to let Indigenous students, staff and community members know they are welcome here and they belong at RRC Polytech,” says College President Fred Meier.

“When RRC Polytech connects with partners like RBC, amazing things can happen. This is the second year we’ve had the pleasure of hosting the RBC Reaction by Collision Event in-person, and I’d like to take this opportunity to thank RBC for choosing to support RRC Polytech students.”

Event highlights will include a haute couture fashion show, delectable cuisine from local chefs, a crafter’s market with local artisans and music provided by Juno nominees Indian City. Featured guests include Brownees Urban Bistro, Feast Café Bistro, Olivia Nasikapow, Gayle Grubin, Dawn Harris, OGICHIDAA, and many others.

Miranda Harper, an RRC Polytech grad and drummer in the local rock band Venus Man Trap, is taking part in the event’s panel and looks forward to sharing her experience as an Indigenous musician with students and community members.

“We’re showing future Indigenous generations that they’re welcome here, that there’s space for them to innovate and be bold,” Harper says. “I get inspired when young people ask me questions, either about my experience as a musician or about my career in commercial banking. It’s important for me to share the path and journey I went on to get to where I am and hopefully motivate others to do the same.” Read More →

Today, RRC Polytech marked the accreditation of eight of its programs by Technology Accreditation Canada (TAC).

The accreditation is the result of a comprehensive audit that includes a tour of each program’s labs and student support services, and interviews with its students, faculty, alumni and graduates’ employers.

The eight programs that received accreditation are: 

·      Electronic Engineering Technology 

·      Electrical Engineering Technology 

·      Instrumentation and Control Engineering Technology

·      Mechanical Engineering Technology

·      Structural Engineering Technology

·      Architectural/Engineering Technology

·      Municipal Engineering Technology

·      Environmental Engineering Technology

“Achieving accreditation for these programs is a real win-win,” says Derek Kochenash, Dean, School of Skilled Trades and Technologies at RRC Polytech. “Not only does accreditation open doors to even more career opportunities for our students, it provides our partners in industry with the essential talent to help their organizations achieve their goals. 

“RRC Polytech is grateful to Technology Accreditation Canada for this acknowledgment. The accreditation reflects the high quality of these eight programs, while enhancing graduates’ credentials as they enter the workforce.”

National program accreditation provides students, industry and RRC Polytech with confirmation their program has met defined standards. 

Accreditation also affords graduates an expedited path to certification through the Certified Technicians & Technologists Association of Manitoba (CTTAM) and provincial certifying bodies across Canada.

“We congratulate each program for its commitment to delivering to students a high quality program that meets the current standards of the engineering technology and applied science profession,” says Stephen Morley, Chair of TAC’s board of directors. 

Today, at its fall convocation ceremony, RRC Polytech will celebrate more than 1,200 graduates as they enter the workforce prepared to face any challenge head on.

“Tonight’s ceremony is just the start for this resilient group of graduates. Acquiring their skills and credentials in an unprecedented period of constant change has added to their employability — they truly deserve a celebration,” says Dr. Christine Watson, Vice-President Academic at RRC Polytech.

“Our convocation ceremonies represent opportunity and optimism, so we’re thrilled everyone can acknowledge this milestone accomplishment together.”

Many of the individuals graduating today completed a significant portion of their learning in a virtual or hybrid setting, and will celebrate their success along with their friends, family and instructors tonight at the RBC Convention Centre.

Among the honorees at tonight’s ceremony is Michael Stewart, RRC Polytech’s 2022 Lieutenant Governor’s Medal recipient. Stewart graduates with honours from the Applied Accounting Certificate program and inspires everyone around him as a tireless volunteer, support worker and advocate in the deaf-blind community.

“From instructors and interpreters to classmates, I am blown away by the generosity, kindness and top-notch service provided by RRC Polytech,” says Stewart. “My education will open so many doors for me as I work toward becoming a chartered professional accountant and achieving my ultimate goal of changing the stigma associated with the ability of deaf-blind Canadians to work and contribute.” Read More →

A professional lab environment is something we’ve all become more accustomed to hearing about over the past two years. What’s beyond the headlines, though? Where are those educated in Science Laboratory Technology going after they graduate?

“It’s anywhere that has a small lab in the back or a large lab in the front,” says RRC Polytech instructor Michael Judge, who’s worked in the Science Laboratory Technology program for the past 14 years.

“There’s no such thing as a typical job.”

With foundational knowledge in biology and chemistry, grads can take their skills and apply them to a wide range of disciplines, including chemical analysis, research, quality assurance, pharmaceuticals, or biotechnology in industrial, government or commercial laboratory settings.

As Judge points out, Winnipeg has many top-tier opportunities in the industry, including the National Microbiology Laboratory and the City of Winnipeg’s Water and Waste Department. Students in the Science Laboratory Technology program have co-op opportunities at these labs, as well as with many other employers, which gives them a foot in the door for entry-level positions.

For Colleen Cottam-Birt (shown above), who graduated from the program in 1999, the co-op opportunities provided were, in her words, life-changing.

“In this course, I found out what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. My first co-op through RRC Polytech was at the University of Manitoba Animal Science Lab. I had a wonderful boss and we developed a friendship that lasted many years,” she says.

“My last co-op was my dream job. I was placed at what was then just simply known as the Virology Lab … I have worked at the National Centre for Foreign Animal Diseases (NCFAD) now for 22 years.”

Cottam-Birt’s experience is familiar to Judge, who has seen many students exit their co-ops with positions they can transition to immediately after graduation.

“One of the big benefits of the co-op is that they’re getting that immersion in the workplace, so they’re networking, they’re getting something on their resumé, and very often, it does turn into full-time employment.” Read More →

When Laneil Smith got into the restaurant industry, it wasn’t just for the love of food — it was for the love of creating an experience.

“I think so many people connect through food and drink,” says Smith, owner of Marion Street Eatery in Winnipeg — and a graduate of RRC Polytech’s Hospitality and Tourism Management program — in a recent alumni profile.

“I think of relationships I’ve created in the past and usually they revolve around the dinner table in some form.”

Creating that experience — whether it’s an international vacation or a sit-down dinner — is at the heart of Hospitality and Tourism Management, and it starts with a foundation of building customer service skills. These skills allow students and grads to turn their passion for the industry into something that’s pleasing for customers.

“We have courses on customer service,” says Lori Slobodian, instructor in Tourism Management, one of two second-year specializations that students choose from, along with Hotel and Restaurant Management.

“We have all kinds of courses to help students develop those skills if they don’t have them.”

“As they develop those skills, they have to develop teamwork, exceptional interpersonal skills, good self-control, emotional intelligence and empathy — all big pieces of leadership,” adds Blair Mineault, an instructor on the Hotel and Restaurant Management side.

There’s also the option for students to exit with a certificate after one year and enter the workforce with their foundational skills.

Regardless of the path, the end goal of the program is to graduate a student that is ready to be a leader in their workplace. Part of getting there is lab work done at Jane’s, a fine dining restaurant in Winnipeg’s Exchange District that’s open to the public and is staffed by both Hospitality and Tourism Management students, along with those in Culinary Arts.

“For a lot of them, they’ve never worked in a restaurant before,” says Slobodian of the Jane’s experience.

“So it’s a brand new environment. It’s a fine dining restaurant, too, so the dress code is different, and dealing with customers is on a different level, so they develop all those power skills to be successful in that situation — and that transfers over to their co-op positions, as well.”

Construction is more than just steel-toed boots on the ground, with many leadership roles working on sites and behind-the-scenes to ensure planning and execution is completed to code. Demand is always high, especially in a city like Winnipeg, with ever-expanding commercial and residential opportunities.

That’s where the Construction Management degree program from RRC Polytech comes in. Uniquely positioned to give students a range of career choices, the program gives grads the option of three exit points for different levels of certification — or they can continue with the four-year program to get the full Bachelor degree. Students also have six months of paid co-op experience each summer to provide hands-on learning.

The result, according to program instructor Tammy Harper, is a grad who’s instantly hirable.

“When we were in-person for convocation, someone would always ask, ‘Who has a job right now?’ and pretty much all our students have their hands up, and really the ones that don’t are trying to decide which job to take.”

Harper’s focus for instruction is in leadership and human resources. Both are critical parts of the Construction Management program, which provides all students, even those with a skilled trades background, the opportunity to develop managerial expertise.

Harper teaches a leadership course that prepares grads for real-world challenges, including solution-based management,problem management, analytical thinking, conflict resolution, and how to be a leader that adapts to their employees’ needs.

“Being a leader is easy to say but hard to do, and part of it is being the leader your followers need. I try to teach them about different kinds of leadership — trying to figure out what your strengths are and what others’ strengths are, and how to lead that person in a way they can be successful.”

Technical learning is part of the path, too. Ellowyn Nadeau, also an instructor in the program, explains how students get more specialized as the terms go by — but still have that opportunity to step out on one of the exit points and learn in the workforce, if they so choose.

“In first and second year, it’s a lot of technical information — math and graphics, surveying, communication fundamentals — courses that give basic knowledge. Then third and fourth year are much more practical, very related to working in construction and courses become more specific,” Nadeau says.

“Exiting out of the second year gives you a credential you can sell to employers, and you can build your career that way. Exiting out of third year, you get more experience because of your co-ops and more practical pieces. And after four years, it’s a degree, on par with universities.”