Manitoba Chamber of Commerce
Issue link: http://publications.winnipegfreepress.com/i/755841
RED RIVER COLLEGE'S SKILLED TRADES AND TECHNOLOGY CENTRE R ed River College's new Skilled Trades and Technology Centre (STTC) will feature training in robotics and other cutting-edge programming, but it is the skills of Manitobans – most notably RRC alumni and students – that will be on display in the $60-million facility. "We went through a rigorous process when it came to sending out requests for proposals. The majority of the finalists were companies that employed a significant amount of Red River College graduates. So it's not surprising that many of the people helping build this new state-of-the-art facility first learned their trade right here," says project manager Patrick Kuzyk. "Even now, future graduates are making an investment in this new facility by creating workbenches and other features that will support student success for years to come. There are tremendous student legacy components within the project." Slated to open in early 2018 and funded by the Province of Manitoba, the new centre is expected to have the capacity to boost technology and skilled trades training at RRC's Notre Dame Campus by up to 30 per cent. Nancy Wheatley, dean of Red River's School of Construction and Engineering Technologies, says mainly it will allow many staff and students to move out of off-campus leased space and buildings that were constructed in 1962. "While these spaces met our training needs at the time, moving to this state-of-the-art facility will not only allow us to stay current with the latest trends in the industry, but also allow us to elevate our training environment and stay ahead of the curve too," Wheatley says. "Our trade and technology student numbers have doubled in the past 10 years. Right now, we have instructors whose offices are located across the campus. Having a learning area with the shops and instructors' offices all in the same building is going to be beneficial for everyone involved." The 100,000-square-foot STTC will house a new laboratory and shop space and classrooms for up to 1,000 students RED RIVER COLLEGE IS Skilled Trades and Technology Centre will increase training capacity By Pat Rediger Growing