Micro-credentials offer energy- efficient education

Provided by RRC Polytech

Every dollar counts in a world where rising costs are unavoidable, so energy efficiency is an investment worth making for budget conscious home and building owners everywhere. Of course, maximizing your long-term savings is often dependent on the knowledge of a registered Energy Advisor (EA) to identify problem areas where valuable energy is being lost and to provide proper solutions so that a structure can function at its highest possible efficiency.

This shift in consumer priority combined with the Government of Canada’s Greener Homes Initiatives including grants of up to $600 toward the cost of pre- and post-retrofit EnerGuide evaluations, created an opportunity for employment in the sector – and for Red River College Polytechnic to highlight its strength of agility to respond to industry needs and ensure the necessary training is readily available in Manitoba.

“The ability to create and offer microcredential courses helps us to tackle disruption and adapt in real time to the needs of our partners in industry and the community at large,” says Jamie Wilson, Vice President, Indigenous Strategy, Research and Business Development at RRC Polytech. “Students, employees, and entrepreneurs use these experiential learning programs to level up specific practical skills in just hours, days, or weeks to improve their marketability and open up career options.”

Developed in partnership with Manitoba Environmental Industries Association (MEIA), Efficiency Manitoba, and the RRC Polytech Building Efficiency Technology Access Centre (BETAC), the college has created a six-month micro-credential program that prepares students to become a registered Energy Advisor. The program is the only training of its kind provided by a Canadian post-secondary institution.

Expert instructors convey the knowledge of construction and renovation, building science, building envelope, heating, ventilation, air tightness testing, air conditioning and house energy computer modelling that is required to pass the Natural Resources Canada examinations to become a registered Energy Advisor – and thanks to RRC Polytech’s dynamic applied research facilities as well as the program’s work-integrated learning component, graduates leave with the practical experi- ence they need to enter the workforce with confidence.

“The Energy Advisor program introduced me to using the HOT2000 software and prepared me for a rewarding mix of in-the-field and office work,” says Andrew Koch, RRC Polytech alumnus and EA subcontractor for prairieHOUSE Performance Inc. “Determining a site’s level of energy usage and efficiency requires critical thinking, but with proper measuring, reporting, inspecting of equipment, and energy modelling you can always find solutions that save real money for clients.”

Providing value to both prospective employees and employers, the EA microcredential program is just one example of the customized training solutions that Manitoba’s polytechnic makes possible. Through its traditional catalogue of available programs and the continuous development of specialized accredited training, RRC Polytech’s responsive team is eager to support business growth and prosperity ensuring Manitoba remains competitive across all sectors in local and global markets.

Learn more about RRC Polytech’s Energy Advisor micro-credential program. v