As governments, industry and academia work collectively to strengthen Canada’s economy, RRC Polytech’s Price Institute of Advanced Manufacturing and Mechatronics is proud to launch the new Centre for Automation and Manufacturing Technology Transfer (CAMTT) — a vital solution designed to drive technology adoption across the sector while training the workforce of tomorrow.

Serving as a hub to connect business and industry with applied research, innovation, technology transfer and talent, CAMTT will strengthen our workforce and economy by helping small and medium-scale enterprises in Manitoba address productivity through automation, artificial intelligence, robotics and mechatronics.

By leading collaborative projects as they upskill and reskill in their careers, students at the Price Institute will gain valuable experience solving real-world challenges.

“CAMTT is a collaborative workspace where industry and academic partners can work together to bridge gaps by accelerating the acquisition and adoption of existing and emerging technology,” says Fred Meier, President and CEO, RRC Polytech.

“Our students will not only hone their skills by leading applied research projects — their insight, energy and expertise will lead to innovative solutions that support Manitoba businesses in today’s competitive global market.”

CAMTT is the first of its kind in Manitoba, with a new working space that can connect faculty, students and partners anywhere in the world. Manufacturers-in-residence will effectively guide teams dedicated to each venture as they experiment to perfect new concepts and processes under a shared vision.

An initial success story is already in use on the production line of a local manufacturing leader, and the namesake of the Price Institute. In CAMTT’s inaugural project, a student-led team worked with the Price Industries’ Electronics division to automate a time-consuming manual inspection process.

Together, they created a trainable automatic vision system that combines hardware with a camera to capture images of printed circuit boards with trainable software that uses AI to predict and validate whether they pass quality control and quality assurance metrics of production.

“The students did a great job to get a working test fixture completed, tested accurately and deployed into our production line,” says Mike Nicholson, C.E.T. General Manager, Price Electronics. “We look forward to our next project at CAMTT as we continue integrating components that optimize cost, time, quality and efficiency.”

Partners can expect extensive cost-effective collaborative projects that leverage all of RRC Polytech’s research facilities and resources — including funding through the Digital Technology Transformation Initiative — and that are positioned for success by maximizing emerging technologies, state-of-the-art equipment and outside-the-box thinking to tackle specific challenges.

“CAMTT takes an interdisciplinary approach to system, product and solution development helping manufacturers harness emerging technology to reduce their labor market challenges, while training their future workforce,” says Dr. Vikram Banthia, Director of RRC Polytech’s Price Institute of Advanced Manufacturing and Mechatronics.

“Partner with us to leverage our technology, innovation, expertise, assets and talent and take your project from idea to reality.”

But in her current role as an instructor for Red River College’s Youth Recreation Activity Worker program, Kerry Coulter gets to re-connect with many of those same kids as they prepare to make a similar difference in the lives of others.

“My students are youth with multiple barriers, so often times they’re kids I used to work with, but now they’re all grown up and seeking access to post-secondary [education], and a supportive environment in which to be successful,” says Coulter.

“It’s full circle. These students want to go back and be helpers in their own communities … They grow up, come to college, and are trained and educated in how to be helpers themselves.”

The recipient of this year’s RRC Students’ Association Teaching Award of Excellence, Coulter has been a Youth Rec instructor since 2002. Before that, she earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Manitoba (and later, a Masters degree in Education from Central Michigan University), and worked for a number of child and youth care organizations, including Child and Family Services and adolescent treatment centre New Directions.

Each year, the College’s Youth Rec program trains 16 participants — many of whom face socio-economic barriers themselves — to work with inner city youth as recreational leaders. Graduates of the program often find jobs with the Boys and Girls Clubs of Winnipeg (a program partner) and other inner city youth agencies, or as childhood educators and teachers’ aides.

Over the course of the 10-month program, Coulter sees her students gaining confidence and expanding their knowledge base — often, as a precursor to additional post-secondary studies. She says their accomplishments are all the more impressive given the specific obstacles they must overcome.

“I’m not a person who came to the field because of my own experiences,” she explains. “So I find [my students] very inspirational, because I know how much easier it was for me.

“They’re stronger, I think, and much more deserving of an opportunity for post-secondary. Because that’s what will change their lives, is having the education to help them get the jobs they want.”

For their part, the students who nominated Coulter for the award seem to hold her in similarly high esteem, crediting her with helping them to start a new chapter in their own lives.

“Kerry has helped me overcome barriers that I thought I would never be able to overcome,” said one student. “I’ve started accomplishing my academic goals, fighting anxiety, and using deadlines to my advantage thanks to the tools and tips I have received from her.

“Kerry helped me get back on track when I was lost, nearing failure. I thought I was done for, that I would flunk out once again. I am lucky to have an instructor as great as she is, because if I didn’t, I know I wouldn’t be where I am today.”

The Red River College Students’ Association Teaching Award of Excellence is awarded annually to an instructor in recognition of outstanding teaching practices and dedication to students.

-30-

Are you an expert on management and business processes — or specialized trades such as hospitality, health sciences and construction — willing to mentor and instruct others on how to best improve their own practices?

Red River College’s Corporate Solutions department is seeking instructors and subject matter experts in a variety of fields — everything from leadership, analysis and conflict resolution to software, life sciences and sales management techniques.

Suitable candidates will be called upon to impart their expertise through classroom instruction, workshops and seminars, allowing Corporate Solutions to continue its tradition of responding to industry needs by providing made-to-measure solutions for corporate, government and non-profit clients.

“We are constantly looking for subject matter experts to work on contract, develop specialized curriculum and deliver customized solutions,” says Bill Rutherford, Corporate Solutions Manager at RRC. “Our contracts vary in length from a few days to several weeks. If you have specialized skills, love variety in the work you do and enjoy a fast-paced environment, we would love to hear from you.”

An arm of RRC’s School of Continuing Education, the Corporate Solutions department provides solutions for industries, organizations and communities throughout Manitoba, by tapping in to the College’s ever-expanding network of real-world experts.

The roster of customized solutions now includes everything from hiring policies and practices to Lean assessments, consulting work, curriculum development, gap analyses, and Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL).

At present, the Corporate Solutions team is looking for solutions specialists and contract instructors who share a passion for education, innovation and meeting clients’ needs. Duties might include curriculum development, needs assessments, preparation of course outlines, and student evaluations.

For more information or to apply to join the team, visit the Corporate Solutions microsite, or contact Bill Rutherford at 204.632.3078.

Red River College’s Corporate Solutions department, together with culinary instructors from the Paterson GlobalFoods Institute, partnered recently to welcome young people from a downtown youth centre to the new campus.

The March 12 event, a three-hour evening workshop exploring healthy eating options, drew 21 teens (aged 15 to 19) from Ka Ni Kanichihk Youth Centre on William Avenue. While at PGI, the group toured the newly-opened training spaces, learned more about the College’s School of Hospitality and Culinary Arts, and took part in some health-conscious cooking classes.

The teens prepared a meal that put a healthy spin on traditional favourites — sandwiches made with bannock baked in butter (instead of fried in lard), and homemade rice pudding with fresh berries.

Ka Ni Kanichihk means “those who lead”, a mandate the youth centre carries out by “inspiring youth who face multiple barriers and challenges to believe in themselves, their potential and their ability to achieve high goals through education, training and employment opportunities.”

Click here for more information on Corporate Solutions at RRC.

The welders were part of a group of 10 seeking formal industry accreditation as a means of increasing the manufacturing opportunities on their colonies. Though some have already worked as welders for decades, they still needed to go through the proper processes — including initial assessments and providing proof of prior experience — before completing their qualifications testing with Apprenticeship Manitoba, the Canadian Welding Bureau and the Manitoba Department of Labour.

To help them succeed, Corporate Solutions staff used gaps identified by the initial assessments to compile a comprehensive trades qualification program — one that blended online math and sciences courses with hands-on training time in RRC’s welding shops. The process clearly paid off, as all 10 candidates successfully completed the necessary components in order to become certified Red Seal Interprovincial Industrial Welders.

“Ten out of ten passed (the theoretical component), and then ten out of ten passed the practical component,” says Corporate Solutions Manager Darlene Bouvier. “We had a 100% pass rate, which — according to the Welding Bureau — they haven’t seen in about 30 years.”

The welders in question attribute their success to the expertise and patience of their instructor, Zenon Kinasevych, illustrating the benefits of industry-focused instruction, says Bouvier. The formal accreditation will open up new doors for the welders, allowing them to broaden the scope of their work while maintaining the self-sufficiency of their colonies.

An arm of RRC’s School of Continuing and Distance Education, the Corporate Solutions department provides customized solutions to industries, organizations and communities throughout Manitoba and the world, by tapping into the College’s ever-expanding network of real-world experts.

“When we’re dealing with organizations or industries, we’re dealing with their specific needs — doing gap assessments and making sure the training is relevant and works for their life schedule,” says Bouvier.

Click here for more information about Corporate Solutions at Red River College.