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Red River College (RRC) is a college located in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. It is the province’s largest institute of applied learning and applied research, with over 200 degree, diploma and certificate programs and more than 30,000 enrollments annually. Through award-winning instruction and training on state-of-the-art equipment across eight campuses, Red River College prepares its students to become leaders in their chosen fields, while partnering with industry to conduct research and keep curriculum up-to-date.
The college boasts a 96% graduate employment rate and a 93% graduate satisfaction rate. Between 6,000 and 8,000 students attend daily, as well as students registered in continuing and distance education programs. Red River College hosts approximately 300 international students each year, from over 29 countries.
The College has over 100 full-time programs in such areas as biotechnology, construction trades, digital multimedia, business, aerospace, nursing, engineering technology, as well as others.
The College offers one year certificate, two- and three-year diploma, joint-degree and post-graduate advanced diploma programs. English as an Additional Language programs for international students begin each month. Tuition and related fees for the most popular programs ranges from $7,200 to $13,500 per year.
Red River College offers three Kids Technology Camps throughout the year to introduce kids to technology. "Girls Exploring Trades & Technologies Camp" is a program for girls 12 to 14, "Technology Exploration Camp" is a summer camp program for girls and boys aged 11 to 13, and "Saturday Kids Kamps" introduces Grade 7 students to Electrical Engineering Technology.
History
The forerunner to RRC, The Industrial Vocational Education Centre, was established in the mid-1930s by three Winnipeggers: R.J. Johns, T.O. Durin, and Otto Peters. The Centre provided evening programs to train unskilled and unemployed youths in various trades. The success of the Centre resulted in the federal government providing funding through the Department of Labour in 1938. A few of the first courses offered included carpentry, sheet metal, machine shop, needle trades, welding and forging, power engineering, and radio.
By 1948 the centre was rebranded the Manitoba Technical Institute (MTI) and became the first public post-secondary vocational school in Manitoba.
In 1950 the Central School of Practical Nurses transferred from St. Joseph's Hospital to MTI. Advisory committees formed from top executives from local businesses and industry helped keep MTI up to date with changing industrial and business practices.
In 1963 the Notre Dame campus was built and the college name was once again changed this time to the Manitoba Institute of Technology (MIT). The name changes would continue with a change to "Red River Community College" in 1969 and eventually "Red River College" in 1998.
Stevenson Aviation & Aerospace Training Centre was established in January 2002, and Stevenson Aviation merged with Red River College to create the Stevenson Campus in April 2002.
In 2004, the Princess Campus was built in Downtown Winnipeg, with a large focus on multimedia design, computer technology, and the popular Creative Communications program, which prepares students for careers in advertising, journalism, media production, and public relations.
In 2011, the Princess Campus was renamed to the Roblin Center in honour of former Manitoba Premier Duff Roblin. The Roblin Center, together with the Paterson Global Foods Institute are now known as the Exchange District Campus.
On July 4, 2012, Red River College discontinued over the air broadcasting of student radio station 92.9 Kick FM after nearly 10 years of broadcasting, due to a campus radio policy change by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC).