RBC and Riipen's REACH UP program announces the 15 new academic institutions joining the program

Vancouver, B.C. – October 30, 2023 – The REACH UP Program (RBC/Riipen’s Experiential, Accessible, Canadian Hands-on-Learning) builds on the successful partnership between Riipen and RBC Future Launch. In 2019, RBC Future Launch and Riipen launched a partnership with the goal of increasing access to high-impact authentic work-integrated learning (WIL) opportunities for Canadian post-secondary learners. Our shared mission: to help prepare learners, particularly those from underserved communities, for the Future of Work. By the end of 2022, the RBC-Riipen partnership had already delivered over 27,000 WIL experiences to a diverse range of learners and educational partners across Canada. The 27 participating institutions reflect the emphasis of our partnership on increasing access, diversity, and inclusion across Canada. Through this partnership, learners had the opportunity to collaborate with employers to enhance their skills development, workplace readiness, and employability.

Announcing the first 15 academic institutions to partner with RBC Future Launch and Riipen for the REACH UP program:

As part of the renewed partnership between RBC Future Launch and Riipen, the REACH UP program was launched to enable a new cohort of 25 accredited post-secondary institutions across Canada to create 20,000 new WIL experiences to learners over the next two years, with an enhanced focus on reaching learners from underserved communities and demographics. These 25 academic institutions will be chosen through an application process. 

Welcoming the first 15 new academic institutions to join RBC Future Launch and Riipen to make WIL more accessible for students of all backgrounds.

‍

Join the latest schools taking part in the REACH UP program.

Applications to participate are being accepted on a rolling basis and are available here.

British Columbia:

• College of the Rockies
• Langara College
• Selkirk College
• University of Victoria
• Vancouver Island University

‍

Maritimes:

• University of Prince Edward Island

‍

Northern Canada:

• Yukon University

‍

Ontario:

• Fleming College
• Nipissing university
• University of Guelph

‍

Prairies:

• Concordia University of Edmonton
• First Nations University of Canada
• Great Plains College
• Northern Alberta Institute of Technology
• University of Calgary

‍

__

‍

About Riipen

Riipen is the world’s largest online work-integrated learning marketplace with a mission to end underemployment and close the skills gap. Riipen partners with governments, colleges, universities, and short-cycle training providers to provide authentic accessible online training for employment-focused skills and technical/professional proficiency. By connecting learners of all ages to employers from all sectors via customized Work-Integrated Learning (WIL) projects tailored to the individual needs of diverse learners, Riipen contributes to closing the skills gap, and to leveling the playing field in the labor market for learners from underserved communities, thereby advancing workforce equity, diversity, and inclusion. Riipen has successfully and proudly implemented 10.4 million hours of upskilling, reskilling and job training projects for over 190,000 learners via more than 31,000 employers and 590 academic partnerships,  portals and training providers in 9 countries, in both English and French.

‍

‍

About RBC Future Launch

RBC Future Launch is a 10-year, $500 million commitment to empower Canadian youth for the jobs of tomorrow. With a focus on networking, skills development, practical work experience and mental well-being support and services, the initiative aims to help break down the barriers facing young people. In 2020, RBC committed to providing $50 million in focused funding through RBC Future Launch to create meaningful and transformative pathways to prosperity for up to 25,000 diverse youth by 2025, with investments in areas such as skills development and mentoring.

‍

‍

For media inquiries:

Midia Shikh Hassan, Manager of Strategic Partnerships & Thought Leadership

Email: marketing@riipen.com

‍