Province adding 18 new engineering seats, new engineering hybrid pathway at U of M
Dean Beddoes looks on as Premier Selinger makes announcement in the EITC atrium.
Young Manitobans who want to become professional engineers will soon have more opportunities to enter the faculty of engineering thanks to $500,000 in new funding from the province that will create 18 new seats and a new hybrid pathway between the University of Manitoba and other Manitoba post-secondary institutions, Premier Greg Selinger announced today.
“Civil, electrical, industrial and mechanical engineers are in demand in our province and increasing the number of engineering graduates is necessary to create more good jobs and keep our economy growing,” Premier Selinger said.
The University of Manitoba is the only institution in the province to offer accredited engineering degrees and is currently operating at or above capacity.
“The faculty of engineering at the University of Manitoba is in high-demand – attracting the best and brightest students from Manitoba and beyond,” said Dr. David T. Barnard, president and vice-chancellor. “This investment ultimately will enable us to graduate more engineers, responding to a real and pressing need in our province.”
Undergraduate engineering enrolment has increased by 48 per cent at the U of M since 2008, Barnard noted.
The new hybrid engineering pathway will be introduced over several academic years through collaborative efforts between the University of Manitoba and Red River College (RRC) and other post-secondary institutions, supporting increased credit transfer and recognition of prior experience for those students.
“Red River College is proud of the quality of its graduates and we welcome opportunities for them to further their education as a result of this pathway program with the University of Manitoba,” said Paul Vogt, president and CEO, Red River College. “When you combine the experience our students receive from both institutions, it’s a recipe for success that will have a considerable benefit to many industries here in Manitoba.”
Once fully established, this new hybrid pathway will transition between 10 and 15 hybrid engineering students annually from RRC and other post-secondary institutions to U of M engineering degree programs.
“Engineers provide services that drive our economy,” said John Bockstael, president and CEO, Bockstael Construction, and graduate of the faculty of engineering at the University of Manitoba. “It’s important that we provide opportunities for our students to receive a first-rate education in their home province where they can then build careers and contribute to our economy.”