Two RRC Polytech grads were recently honoured for work in their respective journalism careers.

Gabrielle Piché and Austin Grabish are both graduates of the College’s Creative Communications (CreComm) program, which many in the industry point to as the launching pad for their careers.

Piché (2020), a reporter for the Winnipeg Free Press, was one of two recipients of this year’s Hon. Edward Goff Memorial Prize for Young Canadian Journalists from News Media Canada. The award recognizes her as a top young journalist in the country, something she attributes to her college training and early work experience.

“Before entering CreComm, I didn’t know how to write a proper news article,” says Piché (shown above). “The program provided robust journalism training and exposed me to other communications sectors. The best part, I think, was being surrounded by fun and creative classmates and knowledgeable instructors who genuinely cared about your success.”

Piché’s internship through the program is what launched her career at the Free Press. No stranger to work-related accolades, she previously won the Eric and Jack Wells Excellence in Journalism Award while completing her joint Communications degree through RRC Polytech and the University of Winnipeg.

Grabish (2017) became an Emmy-winning investigative reporter at San Diego’s ABC10 News this past June, less than two years after starting his job there. He was honoured for his investigative work into complaints filed against a California-based burial-at-sea company. He says his drive for this type of reporting was nourished while an RRC Polytech student.

“Creative Communications … gave me a solid foundation for my future, and it gave me lifelong friends. I learned hands-on skills that are used in the industry and the program taught me that your work, especially writing, can always be improved,” says Grabish (shown at left).

“In my last year of the program, I did a year-long investigative reporting passion project. The support of my instructors and the skills I gained during my time in CreComm helped me get to a career in that same field. I’m now working as an investigative reporter in a major American city and still feel passion for enterprise reporting that can trigger change.”

Piché and Grabish are shining examples of what’s possible for RRC Polytech grads once they enter the workplace. Melanie Lee Lockhart, Chair of Creative Communications, says she’s seen many students pass through the College’s Exchange District Campus before heading on to successful careers.

“Gabrielle and Austin are in excellent company when it comes to CreComm grads making a difference, and not just in journalism,” says Lockhart. “We have grads leading major organizations in the business and non-profit worlds, undertaking passion projects that improve people’s lives in various ways, and helping organizations of all kinds connect with the people they need to connect with.

“Like many successful CreComm grads, both Gabrielle and Austin demonstrated that inner motivation as students that signals a future difference-maker.”

Piché and Grabish both completed CreComm’s Journalism stream, in which students create ethical and original stories, craft clear and concise writing for media sources, and hone visual storytelling skills through videography and photojournalism.

Learn more about opportunities available through Creative Communications.

RRC Polytech is looking for a diverse group of employers to participate in an exciting new co-operative advertising opportunity. Launching in Spring 2024, the College’s Polytechnic Proud campaign will showcase employers and RRC Polytech graduates who excel in their workplaces and beyond.

Any organization with an RRC Polytech grad on their payroll, in their volunteer ranks, or on their Board of Directors, is invited to apply to participate.

The Polytechnic Proud campaign will feature RRC Polytech alumni who are in front of what’s ahead in their sectors, while showcasing the phenomenal partnerships the College has built with employers across the province. Nominations are open now and employers can submit applications until Nov. 24, 2023.

“As Manitoba’s only polytechnic, the relationships we’ve built with Manitoba employers, along with the RRC Polytech alumni who work for them, is something we cherish,” says Fred Meier, RRC Polytech’s President and CEO.

“This creative, co-operative marketing campaign will highlight not only our strategic partnerships but also the successes of our graduates, as well as the incredible diversity of our alumni community.”

The Polytechnic Proud campaign will put front and centre the exceptional education the College provides in a wide range of disciplines and sectors. RRC Polytech plays a vital role in helping grads achieve career success with fantastic organizations; the new campaign will aim to capture examples of that success.

RRC Polytech alumni are known throughout the province and around the world for driving innovation, being work-ready, and possessing the skills required to become leaders in their chosen fields. The new campaign is the perfect vehicle for celebrating not only the College’s alumni, but also its partnerships with employers that are shaping the future of Manitoba.

To learn more, including how employers who proudly hire RRC Polytech graduates can apply to take part in the campaign, visit rrc.ca/ProudPartner.

RRC Polytech has partnered with Graphic Design graduate Leticia Spence — an Ininew artist and entrepreneur from Pimicikamak in Treaty 5 Territory — to create an original design for Orange Shirt Day and Canada’s National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, which is tomorrow, Sept. 30.

“Orange Shirt Day: Every Child Matters is a solemn day where we recognize and honour residential school survivors and those who never made it back to their families,” says Carla Kematch, Director, Truth and Reconciliation and Community Engagement at RRC Polytech.

“It’s a day where we take action and raise awareness of the efforts that Indigenous communities and advocates make to find Indigenous children and bring them home. The world needs to know what happened at residential schools and why this work is important. Expressing our message through Indigenous art, teachings and symbolism is how we can heal.

“We’re so honoured to have worked with artist and alumna Leticia Spence. She shared her knowledge and skill to help convey this message of justice and created such a striking and meaningful representation of Every Child Matters.”

Spence graduated from the College in 2019 and has done work for Indigenous Tourism of Canada, the Winnipeg Jets and Manitoba Moose, and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, among many other organizations. She created the new Orange Shirt design in consultation with a committee of Indigenous staff members at RRC Polytech.

Spence’s design is intricate and intentional. As with the beadwork she observed family members creating while she was growing up, she wanted to ensure that the Orange Shirt design incorporated the intended energy represented by the Every Child Matters movement.

“I want whoever is wearing this t-shirt to feel a sense of hope and strength as they honour those who are currently being found, while also knowing that it’s okay to create space to honour themselves, as either direct residential school survivors or intergenerational survivors,” says Spence.

The design features a tree made up of florals, medicines and roots. Hummingbirds flank the tree, surrounded by rosehips, rosebuds and berries. First Nations, the Métis Nation, and the Inuit Nation are represented by symbols deeply intertwined with each nation: the cardinal directions, a wild rose forming an infinity, and fireweed flowers.

Every stroke and line forms a deliberate connection to Indigenous People — even the physical linework reflects Ininiwak beadwork, a traditional artform passed down through the generations. Every purchase of the shirt includes an artist’s statement, written by Spence, outlining the many representations present in the design.

This year, RRC Polytech also partnered with Red Rebel Armour — owned and operated by Indigenous Social Entrepreneurship graduate Sean Rayland-Boubar, of Peguis First Nation — to produce the shirts.

“My Brothers’ and Sisters’ voices were silenced for too long,” says Rayland-Boubar. “To me, Orange Shirt Day means giving a voice to all the children who were robbed of their culture, family, strength and song. A song that never had a chance to be heard, a drum that never found its rhythm.

“A celebration of spirit that should have had a lifetime to flow with the rivers, run with the wind, connect their spirit in ceremony and follow the path that Creator had laid out. It’s about Reconciliation, bringing the darkness to light and talking about the truth.”

Shirts are available for purchase at the RRC Polytech Campus Stores, with all proceeds going to support the Mínwastánikéwin Truth and Reconciliation Award when applications open in January 2024.

Mínwastánikéwin is a Cree word meaning to set it right; the award, valued at $1,000, is intended to alleviate some of the financial burden Indigenous students may experience each year.

In 2022, artist Peatr Thomas created the first RRC Polytech Orange Shirt, the proceeds of which, along with a $1,000 donation from the RRC Polytech Students’ Association, allowed for two students to receive the award in February 2023.

This year marks the fifth annual Truth and Reconciliation Week at RRC Polytech. Events span over two weeks, including nearly 20 student-, staff- and community-led sessions and self-guided resources aimed at educating the College community about the many different facets and responsibilities of Truth and Reconciliation.

This year, nearly 90 volunteers from all areas of the College joined the TRC Week Planning Committee to help organize events, activities and learning opportunities.

The art of RRC Polytech grad Leticia Spence is featured in media across Canada and the globe; closer to home, you’ve likely seen it worn proudly by fans and players at Winnipeg Jets and Manitoba Moose games.

For her latest work, Spence — a Graphic Design grad from 2019 — partnered with the College to create this year’s Orange Shirt Day illustration in support of Truth and Reconciliation and the Every Child Matters movement.

Spence’s concept for the shirt came through collaboration with Indigenous staff members at the College, who felt her design provided a beautiful and harmonious representation of all Indigenous Nations.

She grounded the design in Cree floral beadwork and integrated symbols from the Inuit and Métis Nations: fireweed flowers, wild roses, rosebuds and berries. The focus on nature represents the Peoples’ roots in the land, Spence says, while the foundational beadwork carries energy and transfers the art’s intention spiritually.

“I want whoever is wearing this t-shirt to feel a sense of hope and strength as they honour those who are currently being found while knowing that it’s okay to create space to honour themselves as either direct residential school survivors or intergenerational residential school survivors,” says Spence in an artist’s statement that will accompany each shirt sold.

“In difficult times, hope is the one thing we can grasp onto — not only to survive, but to drive us to fight for a world in which we no longer have to cry out for justice, and to reinforce that we deserve to exist.”

Spence credits her mom with recognizing her talents and encouraging her to pursue art from an early age. To nurture her creativity, her mom would occasionally buy her pencils, paints and sketchbooks — items Spence says she treasured due to the unpredictability of their circumstances.

Between living on reserve and in downtown Winnipeg, Spence found stability hard to come by in many aspects of her childhood. Her anxiety, compounded by her environment, inclined her to withdraw, especially in high school. Sometimes she’d go days without speaking to another student.

Spence was a shy kid and says that art was her rock — the thing that anchored her and helped her to get out of her head. It was an escape as much as it was a home — how she expressed herself when she couldn’t find the words. She recalls often staying up until 3:00am drawing to forget about the things happening around her.

In her last year of high school, Spence began considering a career in the arts, inspired by a brochure commission from the Rainbow Resource Centre, the first time she’d been paid for her art. She was later invited to the organization’s graphic design studio, where she witnessed the behind-the-scenes creation of art for commercial use.

At the time, though, Spence was too busy with schoolwork, and later — despite prompting from a teacher who encouraged her to consider college courses to develop her skills — opted instead for university. Three years of school (and one language exchange program in Japan) later, she found she was spending too much time on theory, writing and waiting, and not enough time creating.

She revisited her teacher’s recommendation and applied to RRC Polytech in 2017.

“My career is truly like capturing a flash in a bottle,” says Spence. “I didn’t anticipate much, but all the opportunities I’ve taken, they’re more than what I thought I could achieve. Growing up in Winnipeg and experiencing racism and poverty can make it hard to see your value at first.”

Of the many projects Spence participated in throughout her career, she says her proudest accomplishments are those where she could authentically express her identity as an Ininew person.

In 2022, Spence collaborated with Inuit artist Jason Sikoak and Métis artist JD Hawk on the Truth and Reconciliation Keepsake for the Royal Canadian Mint and the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation. She says it was the first project she put into the universe that wholly represented her identity, and that gave her the space to demonstrate her Cree values and knowledge without restraint.

This year’s Orange Shirt Day collaboration with RRC Polytech is one of the first projects she’s worked on since taking time off after experiencing burnout. Focusing too much on keeping up with production left her emotionally and financially drained.

“My work comes from a spiritual place, but if I can’t nurture that because of all this other stuff going on — you know, making deadlines, meeting expectations, paying bills — it really impacts the quality,” she says. “I took a break this spring for some much-needed rest, then when RRC Polytech came knocking with this design proposal, it was a really exciting and welcome opportunity.”

Spence’s shirts — which commemorate both Truth and Reconciliation Week and Orange Shirt Day: Every Child Matters (on Sept. 30) — mark the last project she’ll complete in Manitoba before making an exciting move to Quebec, where she looks forward to new career opportunities, reconnecting with family, and exploring the province’s diverse music scene.

Produced by Red Rebel Armour, an Indigenous streetwear outlet owned and operated by RRC Polytech grad Sean Rayland-Boubar, the shirts can be purchased through the College’s Campus Stores.

All proceeds go to the College’s Mínwastánikéwin Truth and Reconciliation Award, which aims to alleviate financial burden for Indigenous students. Last year, two students received the award thanks to support from the College community and the RRC Polytech Students’ Association.

Artist’s Statement

As an Ininew person, I wanted to create something utilizing Cree florals because beadwork is something that I grew up watching my family members do. Beadwork carries energy. I’ve been taught to put good intentions into my beads and that’s what I wanted to achieve through this t-shirt design.

I want whoever is wearing this t-shirt to feel a sense of hope and strength as they honour those who are currently being found, while knowing that it’s okay to create space to honour themselves as Residential School Survivors or Intergenerational Residential School Survivors.

In difficult times, hope is the one thing we can grasp onto — not only to survive, but to drive us to fight for a world in which we no longer have to cry out for justice, and to reinforce that we deserve to exist.

I wanted to create a tree with florals because of the medicine and protection they gift us, to represent our connection to this land and how we’re rooted here.

On the outer perimeter of the tree, sunflowers with seven petals represent the seven Grandfather Teachings and thirteen strawberries for the thirteen moon cycles.
Starting from the top, just below the strawberries, is a fireweed flower for the Inuit Nation.

The floral with the four cardinal directions in the middle represents First Nations.
The wild rose with two rosebuds creating the infinity symbol represents the Métis Nation.

Flanking the tree on each side are two hummingbirds feeding from the nectar of the flowers in the middle. I chose hummingbirds for their ability to see things from multiple perspectives. The hummingbirds, along with the vines branching out from the trunk of the tree, build out two faces to represent our ancestors that walk with us on our journeys.

I chose to branch out rosehips, rosebuds and berries from the bottom of the tree because they’re common motifs in Cree beadwork.

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.

Currently a volunteer with four organizations, Tayag believes in the importance of giving back and sharing her talents. By using her leadership skills, supporting the Filipino community, and sharing her love of arts and culture, she brings people together and acts an ambassador for building bridges.

Her dedication to her craft is evident in the research and thought that she puts into each design piece, creating deliberate and captivating projects that tell their own story, rather than imposing one upon them.

Tayag does not settle for the bare minimum — she strives to be better in her own work and encourages those around her, as well. Through this dedication and kindness, she builds community around her in a way that calls out social injustices and advocates for those in need, as evidenced by her project titled Lumad Protest, which sheds light on indigenous Filipino communities under military attacks for their land.

Rubén Barrios – Information Security

Rubén Barrios graduated with honours from the RRC Polytech’s Information Security program, after arriving in Canada in the middle of a pandemic with his wife and two children in 2021. He quickly found his community and pursued multiple volunteer opportunities, where he shared his leadership gifts.

Barrios participated as an ambassador for the College’s Directions Conference in 2021 and as an influencer for its Inspire Conference in 2022. He embraces opportunities to work with students and share his passion for collaboration, and his leadership skills on constant display as he interacts with and motivates those around him.

Barrios has volunteered for DataCon LA — a convention focused on big data and new technologies — since 2017, receiving special mention for his service. He has also participated in the Christmas Cheer Board’s annual hamper drive, delivering food and gifts to families in need.

Barrios is a true team player who shares his leadership talents as the coach of a mini-soccer team for eight-year-olds, creating engaging and fun drills and games for the team. He strives to create community and connection wherever he goes, in both his career as a data professional and in his personal life.

Josef Neufeld – Industrial Arts Teacher Education

Josef Neufeld is a graduate of the Industrial Arts Teacher Education program, a joint offering between Red River College Polytechnic and the University of Winnipeg. Given his desire to share his knowledge in woodworking and manufacturing, it’s easy to understand why he pursued a career educating future generations.

Having spent eight years in the wood products industry, Neufeld knew he was ready to do more with his talents. He aspires to teach in the inner city or in a French immersion school division, where he can share his passion for improving young people’s lives, along with his gifts in the industrial arts.

Neufeld is a founding and current member of Spence Street Social Club, where he helps plan and deliver community-based events from street clean-ups to community block parties. His desire to make sure everyone feels welcome is infectious and has helped to foster a stronger and better community for all.

Neufeld continually takes on a leading role as a mentor and often takes personal time to assist his peers and create opportunities for collaboration that bring together students and teachers from different programs. It is this love of community and connection that drives Neufeld to be an outstanding person and teacher.

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.

Under Young’s leadership, and in partnership with RRC Polytech, Manidoo’s Lord Selkirk Park Child Care Centre became the first in Canada to specialize in the Abecedarian Approach, which optimizes the development and learning of vulnerable children from birth to age five.

Young helped the College develop training for this innovative approach and now guides other centres in adopting and mastering its strategies and techniques. She also supports ECE students at RRC Polytech through practicum placements and has been an inspiring guest speaker in classrooms, and at conferences and events.

Young creates opportunities for children and families to learn from each other and share their stories in a warm, supportive and welcoming space that reflects the cultures of Lord Selkirk Park residents.

She has given countless people encouragement to go back to school, seek employment, connect with social support agencies, reduce substance use, access physical and mental health care, and focus on personal growth.

John Bockstael: Honorary Degree, Bachelor of Technology – Construction Management

As CEO of Manitoba’s Bockstael Construction, John Bockstael applies his professional expertise to guiding many of the province’s most progressive projects, but his passion for building doesn’t stop at physical structures.

He is an advocate for the elevation of trades as a career path, for women in trades and engineering, and for the importance of education and innovation in the growth of the construction industry and the provincial economy.

Bockstael shares his vision and leadership excellence by working with organizations such as the Winnipeg and Canadian Construction Associations and helps build a better Manitoba through his community work with St.Amant and Toba Centre for Children & Youth.

His extensive contributions have been recognized at the highest levels with the Governor General Sovereign’s Medal for Volunteers and a Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal.

Bockstael has a long history and special relationship with RRC Polytech, supporting students through work-integrated learning opportunities, providing awards and bursaries for Carpentry and Construction Management graduates, sponsoring new spaces and technology, and helping to establish the College’s first-ever degree program, the Bachelor of Technology – Construction Management through his ongoing advisory role.

Bockstael’s dedication to the continued improvement of the construction industry is reinforced by his commitment to the training of future generations of tradespeople, while his community involvement serves as the foundation for his success.

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.”

Okabe (shown above and at right, with wife Janet, Meier, and Dr. Christine Watson, Vice-President, Academic) says he understands how important a helping hand can be in propelling students from the world of academia into a lifelong career, and in 2008 he established the Robert Okabe Achievement Award for Civil Engineering Technology.

Always open to new ideas and opportunities to perform outreach work for student recruitment, Okabe ensures he does what he can to support young women in STEM, and to help newcomers pursuing careers in his industry. His ongoing partnership with RRC Polytech is a welcome and substantial support in helping to transform today’s learners into a force for change.

Okabe was presented with his award on April 20 at the Association of Consulting Engineering Companies – Manitoba Awards of Excellence in Consulting Engineering.

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.”

Administrative assistants keep things running smoothly by juggling countless tasks in businesses and office settings every day. They are the glue that binds teams together, and without them, many businesses would grind to a halt.

In 2023, Randstad Canada once again listed administrative assistants as one of the best jobs in Canada.

RRC Polytech’s 18-week Administrative Assistant certificate program covers accounting, bookkeeping, event planning and business communications, ensuring students are well-rounded and workplace-ready.

The last four weeks of the program include a practicum that provides students with hands-on experience, allowing them to apply what they learned in a real-world setting.

One of the biggest advantages the program offers is flexibility. Students can complete it on a full- or part-time basis, allowing them to maintain balance between home, school and work life.

This makes it an ideal option for those who are looking to move into a new career or to strengthen their skills, but who may not have the time or resources to commit to a regularly scheduled instruction time.

Graduates have also reported the ease of finding and keeping a good job, often finding one during their practicum, or soon after. Alumni have found fulfilling careers in a variety of industries, including health care, education, finances and 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.”

A longstanding partner of RRC Polytech, RBC Future Launch invested $450,000 during last year’s Reaction by Collision event in the College’s Pathway to Information Technology Programs offering, which equips Indigenous Manitobans with the necessary skills and supports to prepare for careers in the rapidly growing IT field. With that donation, RBC Future Launch’s overall giving totals $1 million, supporting a variety of College programs.

“Inclusion is the cornerstone of innovation,” says Herb ZoBell, Vice-President, Commercial Financial Services, Indigenous Markets at RBC. “When we create bridges between diverse voices to connect with one another, it provides an opportunity where potential may flourish and where we as a nation can rise to meet the challenges of tomorrow.

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.