Page 7 - Portage la Prairie Region Investment Profile - 2023

WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
evelopment of a skilled workforce is another area where Portage la Prairie demonstrates
Dits strength. Both through an enhanced focus on trades development in secondary school
as well as a slate of post-secondary programs offered locally, the needs of industry both today
and into the future are being considered.

Red River College Portage Learning & Literacy Centre
Headquartered in Winnipeg, Red River College has Addressing the education needs of both newcomers
a campus in the City of Portage la Prairie. Under the to Canada as well as to those adults in the community
direction of Regional Campus Manager, Guy Moffat, looking to upgrade their skills in order to secure
the school strives to be responsive to the needs of meaningful employment, the Portage Learning &
local industry. An example of this is the upcoming Literacy Centre is working with a focus to ensure
introduction of a Certificate in Value-Added Food that everyone that completes their program will find
Manufacturing program slated for introduction in the gainful employment. Their offerings include English
near future. Additionally, the College offers a platform as a Second Language training, high school diploma
for standard and customized corporate to address completion as well as workplace soft skills
the training needs of local business and industry. development to prepare their students for
any workplace environment.
Assiniboine Community College Portage Collegiate Institute
Brandon’s Assiniboine Community College has
teaching space in Portage la Prairie, housed in the Career Development Program: Beginning in Grade
nine, the high school education promotes a greater
Southport airport and commercial properties just understanding of student skills and interests to allow
three kilometres South of the City. Currently focused for a customized education in their final three years
on nurse education, ACC has a particular agriculture that directs a student down their desired career path.
focus in its offerings on their main Campus in Brandon This includes an extensive slate of skilled trades
which could be explored for workforce needs. programs to ensure a strong resource of these skills
in the future. Through the curriculum, the school has
partnered with local industry to provide on-the-job
apprenticeship opportunities with local employers
to ensure that incoming workers to the labour pool
are fully aware of the opportunities to ply their
trade in this market.

NEW INITIATIVE: Edge Factor
Beginning in 2018, Portage Regional Economic
Development is partnering with area high schools
and the Portage Learning & Literacy Centre to sponsor
EdgeFactor – a video platform that helps to illustrate
the career possibilities for students of all interests –
with a specific emphasis on the present and future
needs in manufacturing and the importance of STEM
(Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics)
courses in school. This three year investment in a pilot
program is intended to ensure a better prepared entry YOUR SUCCESS IS ROOTED IN OUR SOIL
level workforce for industry.
A secondary component of this platform allows
businesses to plug in to promote the slate of careers
available and pro-actively identify the qualifications
required for future hires.

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