Today marks the ninth annual PMI Manitoba and IIBA Winnipeg Job Fair & Networking Event, proudly sponsored by RRC Polytech. This event provides participants with opportunities to network with local Winnipeg business analysis and project management professionals, learn about projects in the field, and chat with RRC Polytech about training opportunities in our community.

The College’s Business Analyst and Project Management programs offer comprehensive training to equip professionals with the essential skills and expertise required to navigate the ever-evolving landscape of these fields.

Whether you’re seeking a career transition or professional growth, or looking to break into the industry in 2024, RRC Polytech is here to guide you through your journey.

Business Analyst

Learn real solutions to enterprise problems and analyze and validate business requirements. Develop the skills to plan, monitor, test, document and communicate requirements throughout a project. Learn more >

Project Management

Deliver projects on time and on budget and develop a skill set that is highly in demand. Learn the critical project management skills needed to effectively manage programs or projects in a variety of environments. Learn more >

The RRC Polytech Advantage

By registering for these programs and joining (or rejoining) the RRC Polytech community, you are getting an education from Manitoba’s only polytechnic with the following benefits:

• Flexible online delivery — complete at your own pace
• Industry-recognized certificate
• Year-round quick registration
• Expert instructors with industry experience
• Many career options upon graduation

More training opportunities

RRC Polytech’s Micro-training provides rapid training for career-focused individuals and employers looking for their teams to acquire proficiency in a specific skill or competency, allowing to remain competitive in today’s environment.

Stand out with a respected education from Manitoba’s only polytechnic.

Three-time RRC Polytech graduate Colin Szewaga, C.E.T. (Shuh-vah-gah) will tell you that learning never stops.

And with that mindset, neither do the career opportunities.

“To look at where I was 36 months ago, compared to where I’m headed, my career-growth potential has skyrocketed,” said Szewaga, who completed the Project Management certificate program in 2021.

Skirts that started as pillowcases. Tote bags with neckties for straps. Clutch purses made from placemats. If anyone understands the entrepreneurial spirit of thinking outside the box and using what you have to create something new, it’s Winkler-based maker Heidi Friesen.

A 2015 alum of RRC Polytech’s Apparel Design program, Friesen is the owner and operator of Heidi-and-Seek Boutique, an online store that exclusively features her own garment and accessory designs, which are created — as she puts it — with “real, everyday women in mind.”

“People started to notice my creations and say, ‘You know, you should sell those,’” she explains, when asked about the boutique’s origin.

“That’s kind of how it started, people saw what I was creating for myself and they said, ‘Hey, that would be something that’d be good for a gift,’ or ‘Hey, I’d love to buy that.’ So I started looking into how to start a shop.”

The passion that would lead Friesen (shown above, third from left) to one day launch her own fashion brand first took root when she was still young.

“As a child, I always enjoyed the dress-up box at friend’s houses — we called them play clothes at the time.”

“They were parents’ old clothes or grandma’s old clothes that someone had stuffed in a trunk, and I always loved picking out things to wear. It was just the feeling of putting something on that wasn’t your own — it was a way to tell a new story. I always loved that and I always wanted my clothing to be unique and different from everybody else.”

Those experiences led Friesen to consider garment design as a career path, an idea that really gained traction while she was visiting her sister in college, and the pair decided to create skirts from dorm-room pillowcases.

In 2009, Friesen started an Etsy shop and began selling her creations, but found herself seeking more knowledge to take her sales and skillset to the next level.

“I was self-taught in sewing, and I got to a point in my designing where I felt like I hit a wall in terms of how much I could teach myself,” she says.

“I don’t quite remember how I found it, but RRC Polytech was doing a one-day workshop for sewing details. I went to that thinking I would learn a few things and Jan Bones, who was the instructor, told me that Red River had an Apparel Design program. That was the perfect option for me. It was part-time, I could drive to the city once a week and do my two years to get the certificate.”

A long-time instructor at RRC, Bones ended up not only being the key inspiration for Friesen to register, she was a highlight of her day-to-day experience, too.

“I couldn’t have asked for a better teacher,” says Friesen of Bones. “She’s very hands on, she knows how to explain things … I learned pattern design and techniques, I enjoyed the textiles class where you get to learn about different fabric types and different textures. Definitely, being able to be taught by Jan was amazing.”

After graduation, Friesen began moving away from creating strictly with secondhand items in order to reach a wider audience — and to produce garments in more sizes that her customers could feel their best in.

“I learned how to design and I really wanted to be able to create a colour palette and pick the prints I wanted to use. From there, I did make the change to buying new fabrics,” she says.

“In order to still try to recycle and reuse, though, I keep all my scraps and I use those on other pieces. For example, in the current collection I just launched, there’s a sweater dress where I use different scraps to appliqué details onto the dresses. That’s also something my customers really like, it’s something unique.”

With her apparel skillset bolstered, Friesen recently began looking to get better at the business side of her boutique — which eventually led her to back to RRC Polytech and a new course: Side Hustle 101.

The six-week course is a collaboration between RRC Polytech and The Maker’s Collective, which sets students on the path to a successful side business while providing a community of like-minded makers for support. While Friesen’s business was already well underway when she signed up for Side Hustle 101, she still learned plenty of lessons, including the importance of audience-testing a product before it’s released.

“I already had an Instagram (account) and I could conduct a series of questions in my stories like, ‘What do you think of my clothing?’ and ‘Is there a reason you haven’t bought anything? And what would that be?’ or ‘What kind of things have I made that are your favourite?’” she explains. “That polling was something I hadn’t really been doing with intention.”

Another valued element of the course were the regular interactions with side-business experts, who were selected based on the sort of hustles that students aspired to run.

“It was live over Zoom and you could speak in real time to real experts who were there to support you and give help. When they learned the kinds of things that students in the course were going towards, they would find experts in that field to talk to us, whether it was product-based or service-based.”

Armed with these new skills, Friesen is looking forward to achieving her goal of making Heidi-and-Seek Boutique into a full-time venture. In the short-term, she’s also looking to get onto Shopify as a platform.

“It’s definitely a passion,” she says. “I don’t want to keep an office job, so the goal is to have a well-working system that allows me to be able to quit my part-time job so I can do this full-time.”

If connections with — and responses from — her customers are any indication, it won’t be long before that goal is reached.

“I think everyone should be able to wear what they want to wear,” says Friesen. “It’s never fun not to have your size. My customer base has definitely grown based on that — people say the fit is excellent, it makes them feel good and it gives them joy. That’s the most that I can ask for.”

Profile by John Gaudes (Creative Communications, 2012).

Garment photos courtesy Heidi Friesen, portrait by Krysten Cathleen Photography.

Unlocking new skills has a way of taking someone’s career to the next level. 

For Sibu Thomas, those leaps have come quickly since graduating from Red River College’s Project Management certificate program in 2019.

After getting his certificate, Thomas moved from a Project Coordinator role with Meridian Manufacturing Inc. into his current job as Industrial Regional Sales Manager, covering technical sales for clients in Manitoba, Saskatchewan and North Dakota. 

A Manitoba-based company, Meridian builds storage and handling products for agriculture and industry — and endorsed Thomas’s enrolment in the RRC program back in 2018.

Having travelled a career path that started in chemical engineering technology and oilseed processing, Thomas credits that endorsement and the program itself for helping him take this next step.

“I wanted to enhance my skills, (but) I had no official background in project management training,” says Thomas. “So I signed up at RRC and it led to me implementing new project management tactics for Meridian. That really led me to being promoted to the position I’m in currently.”

The promotion isn’t the only recognition Thomas has earned in the last two years. He was also the 2019 choice for RRC’s joint award with the Project Management Institute (PMI), recognizing outstanding student work. The award is handed out each spring to the top student in the Project Management program and comes with a $1,000 cash prize courtesy of PMI Manitoba and RRC. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2019 award was presented in 2021.

Steve Lawrence was witness to Thomas’ excellence in the program, and the Continuing Education Program Manager for Information Technology endorses him as a deserving winner.

“Sibu has a positive attitude, is a great communicator, and works hard,” says Lawrence. “Along with a high GPA, he’s the ideal candidate for the PMI award.”

“I was pleasantly surprised for sure,” says Thomas about getting the call. “I know I did well in the course but I was very honoured to be chosen. It was a great surprise and definitely alleviated my financial burden.”

The award was an added bonus for Thomas, who has already had plenty of recognition improving project coordination at Meridian. 

Before getting into RRC, he saw the need for “a more structured approach” to the company’s projects, shifting from a reactive approach of dealing with problems as they arise to a proactive, well-prepared one. Since graduating, he’s implemented these ideals, which has led to better relations with new clients.

“In my new role, our company has definitely taken on more clients that have had project management as their base business model,” he says. “So the skills help me adapt that into our current structure. We’re a manufacturing facility, so we have LEAN principles going on, but we’re trying to get away from just building a product and into having better records retention, improving our communication methods and adapting to the ever-changing world.”

Thomas also used the knowledge he gained at RRC to train the company’s next Project Coordinator, who works with him now. Many of those skills come down to dotting I’s and crossing T’s.

“Listen and record, record, record,” Thomas says with a laugh. “Project management gives me a structured way of having information and I make sure to always focus on the details.”

Thomas gives credit to his RRC experience for building competency quickly, especially by allowing him to learn from those who were already well-versed in using project management principles in their respective careers.

“Engagement was great,” he says. “The instructors were very receptive. I love the fact that it’s not just teachers, that the CE program instructors all have active careers alongside their instructing. One of my instructors, Scott Hinkson, was with IGM Financial and he taught one of our courses where it was nice to relate to him in real-world examples rather than just theoretical stuff. Having the real applications was great.”

Now, Thomas is living that real-world example. Meridian continues to expand its business and he’s a knowledge source for new projects.

“Our company started off as a farmer supply company, so just the typical storage bins that you see out on the highways. We’ve grown, though, into taking on more commercial projects such as working with construction firms. That’s where we recognized the need for project management. This course has helped me relate and close the gap between our clients and taking on new clients in new industries as well.”

Some of these projects include providing storage solutions for the new Paterson GlobalFoods oat processing facility north of Winnipeg, as well as with Merit Functional Foods — one of the anchor tenants of a massive new $19-million inland port being finished this year at CentrePort Canada. When working in these new areas, Thomas goes back to the fundamentals he polished at RRC.

“My records retention and documentation skills have definitely improved. The program also helped me close the gap in between our new clients: handshake deals only go so far and now it’s document, document, document. As one of the technical sales guys in my company, it’s definitely helped me adapt to this new environment.”

Profile by John Gaudes (Creative Communications, 2012)

Going back to school to upgrade your skills used to mean months or years of study and hard work — but micro-credential courses allow students, employees and entrepreneurs to “level up” on specific practical skills in just hours, days or weeks.

Red River College has partnered with Learning Resources Network (LERN), one of the world’s leading experts in continuing education and lifelong learning, to offer a series of online micro-credential courses that align with some of the most desired practical skills sought by industry, as well as by those looking to start a side gig.

The College now offers micro-credentials in data analysis, non-profit administration, productivity and time management, presentation media, and podcasting, with more under development.

“We see this as an important part of our future and the type of training we offer industry and people who are already employed, as well as new students,” says Bruce Bishop, Business Development Manager at RRC.

Students can use micro-credentials to enhance or round out a diploma or degree program, improve their marketability, and open up career options.

Micro-credentials benefit employees and organizations, too, by equipping them with flexible training tools to advance in a role or prepare for a new one, or to build workforce capacity.

“Red River College recognizes that many of the challenges and changes brought by COVID-19 are here to stay — not only for post-secondary education, but for all industries across the province. Micro-credentials will help us tackle disruption and adapt in real time,” says Bishop.

Students can pursue a micro-credential in their own time and at their own pace. RRC’s micro-credential courses are fully online, offered year-round, and will never be cancelled. All courses are taught online by experienced industry professionals, and result in a certificate or digital badge students can post to LinkedIn or other social media sites.

“Micro-credential courses are education at the leading edge,” says Bishop. “They help students, employees and employers tailor their skills and knowledge quickly to career goals, business opportunities, operational needs, and technological disruption.”

Find out more at rrc.ca/part-time/micro-credentials

Red River College is launching a new e-commerce webinar series aimed at helping brick-and-mortar decision-makers in Manitoba make the leap to online sales.

The ABCs of E-Commerce webinar series kicks off with a free online workshop on Tue., Sept. 15 and Wed., Sept. 30, from 6:30–8:30 p.m.

The workshop introduces key elements such as setting up a website, design do’s and don’ts, content creation and marketing, inventory management, online security, transactions, and more.

RRC Program Manager Angela Chotka says the ABCs of E-Commerce webinars are a tool designed to help small businesses recover from the economic impacts of COVID-19.

“When COVID first struck, huge numbers of consumers stopped shopping in stores and started shopping online. Even after public health restrictions began to ease up, that trend hasn’t fully reversed. If you couldn’t sell your product online, you were left high and dry — which is why so many brick and mortar businesses are struggling right now. We can help. Learning the fundamentals of e-commerce can prepare a business to pivot quickly, expand revenues and remain competitive.”

The ABCs of E-Commerce webinars are also useful for entrepreneurs looking to start their own online venture. Future webinars will be offered at affordable prices and willcover the following topics in depth:

• Understanding Your Customers’ Needs
• Building Your E-Commerce Framework
• Managing Inventory, Delivery and Service
• Accepting Online Payments and Taxes
• Launching and Growing Your Online Store

RRC is also developing a free guide, 6 Actionable Steps to Selling Online.

Find out more and register at rrc.ca/part-time/e-commerce

Walking through an IKEA can’t simply be described as shopping for something — it’s more like navigating through a maze of thoughtfully designed rooms.

The in-store displays are an iconic part of the IKEA experience and are different in every location, based on localized market research. They’re designed to address the needs of a specific person, place and price-point.

Customers see a room, but Josephine Pulver — an interior designer and Residential Decorating instructor at Red River College — saw a chance to connect with the industry and turn IKEA’s design process into a final project for her students.

“Last year I placed two of my students at IKEA for their practicums and got to meet some of their staff, and saw the opportunity to set up a project with them,” says Pulver. “The mission is to get students involved, and show the industry what our students are doing at RRC.”

Five displays designed and built by Pulver’s students are now on display at IKEA’s Winnipeg location. The five rooms — called Co-Create Spaces — were unveiled over the weekend, and will remain in-store for the next three years.

Through the Co-Create project, students were able to work off-campus and immerse themselves in the process from start to finish. IKEA provided the research, room dimensions, budget and list of products, then the students broke into groups and began sketching solutions for better everyday living.

“We start from inspiration and develop a concept, which we present to our client, then we get our client’s feedback and get them involved in the progress of the plan development,” says Pulver. “We then carry that through to the completion of the project.”

“We have a specific way of working that comes with having been here for a while, so [the students’] designs suggested different ways to use our products that we may not have thought of before,” adds Andrea Dreilich, communication and interior manager at IKEA.

The Co-Create project marked the first time these students were able to take their drawings and translate them into real spaces. As Pulver notes, communicating directly with an actual client comes with lessons that can’t be reproduced in a classroom. The confined space and timeline limitations (students only had two weeks to build the spaces) afforded additional opportunities for learning.

“A great bonus has been that they’ve had to learn to work within a group. In design, architecture, construction — this whole field — it’s a team workspace,” says Pulver.

“They’ve experienced what it’s like to work with a contractor, for example, and how on top of things you have to be. It’s also little things like remembering to bring your plans to the site … that will hopefully give them a step up when they join the workforce.”

In fact, one of IKEA’s current interior designers is a recent graduate of the same program. Kerri Harpman completed her workplace practicum at IKEA in 2018 and was hired directly after graduating. She was recently selected to go to Coquitlam, B.C., for six weeks to join a team of specially selected interior designers from across Canada, and helped redesign the IKEA store there.

“I feel like I was well prepared. My instructors were awesome, and I was able to take things that I learned, like space planning, and apply it and see my work come to life,” says Harpman.

Here in Winnipeg, Harpman helped oversee the build-outs at IKEA. She says passing on her knowledge to a group willing to learn and adapt was a great experience, and also a reminder of how far she had come after only one year in the industry.

“Designing a room isn’t all about what it looks like. The room has to be functional,” she explains. “In a big store like IKEA, we have certain rules to follow and you can’t just change things, so it can be hard to wrap your head around that as a student. In school, you hand your plans in and think it looks good, but when you have to implement it, you learn a lot.”

Dreilich says the partnership is beneficial for all involved.

“We get an opportunity to see what up-and-coming designers are working toward, and see this as an opportunity to connect with fresh talent,” she says. “The students get to put it all together in real life, which is not typical in a design program.”

Pulver says the project wouldn’t have come together so quickly without interest and buy-in from IKEA, and internal support from RRC.

“Things like this set Red River College apart,” she says.

Learn more about RRC’s Residential Decorating program.