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NEW AGENCY PROVIDES STUDENTS WITH WORK EXPERIENCE AND INCREASES SMALL BUSINESESS PRODUCTIVITY An innovative partnership between Red River Colleges Creative Communications program and The Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce Winnipeg, 7 November 2013 The Creative Communications Agency is the only program in Winnipeg that is taking the communications skills of Red River Colleges Creative Communications students and sharing them with members of The Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce. Red River College and The Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce have partnered to create the Creative Communications Agency (CCA). The CCA is a voluntary program, in which second-year Creative Communications students can elect to be paired with a Chamber member-company to help develop its communications materials. Anything we can do to help our students differentiate themselves and give them the best chance for success, were happy to do, says Susan Andree, Chair of the Creative Arts Department at Red River College. We are excited to be partnering with even more small businesses in Winnipeg, and we are hopeful that this agency will prepare our students for their careers in the communications industry. Creative Communications students learn practical communications skills that help them develop their professional portfolios. Students take courses in: creative writing, journalism, advertising, public relations, audio and video production, layout and web design, marketing, photography, oral presentation, and more. Chamber member-companies will have access to the communications skills they may not have had access to prior to the creation of the CCA. Eighty per cent of the current 2,050 Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce members currently qualify to register for the CCA. Alana Odegard, Policy and Communications Manager for The Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce and a Creative Communications graduate, will pair students with Chamber member-companies and be responsible for overseeing the partnership. As a recent Creative Communications grad, I know how high the bar is set for these students, says Odegard. I know the work they will produce will help our members to achieve their communications goals. The CCA could provide up to 12,600 work hours to Chamber member-companies every year. About this organization:

Red River College of Applied Arts, Science and Technology is Manitobas largest institute of applied learning with more than 30,000 yearly enrolments. Visit us at: www.rrc.mb.ca. -30For more information, please contact: Sarah Tone Coordinator 204. 771.1955 stone@rrc.ca

Red River College | The Roblin Centre | 160 Princess Street | Winnipeg, MB R3B 1K9 | 204.632.3960 | www.rrc.ca

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