Manitoba’s film training and workforce development organization, Film Training Manitoba (FTM) has been named as a finalist for the CPHR Manitoba’s HR Excellence Awards 2022.
Throughout the pandemic, FTM has provided extensive COVID-19 training for Manitoba’s film industry workers to do their jobs safely. FTM launched three different COVID-19 courses which were held nineteen times to train over 700 film industry professionals COVID-19 best practices on film sets. FTM’s training supported Manitoba’s film industry’s productions to continue to operate throughout the pandemic.
The HR Excellence Awards is the CPHRs most prestigious event of the year and celebrates HR professionals in Manitoba. The event is an opportunity to bring awareness to the Human Resources profession while showcasing the accomplishments of the HR community.
Awards winners are announced live at the HR Excellence Award gala on April 13, 2022, at The Metropolitan Entertainment Centre (The MET).
“Film Training Manitoba’s Managing Director Adam Smoluk is a charter professional in human resources (CPHR) and FTM has been highly effective at bringing HR standards to our industry which directly supports the growth of the Manitoba film community’s workforce. FTM wishes to thank the CPHR Manitoba for this important nomination. We are honoured,” said Andrew Yankiwski, FTM’s chairperson and owner of Precursor Production.
In the summer of 2020, FTM partnered with the Manitoba Tourism Sector Council (MTEC) and received input from the Province of Manitoba’s Department of Economic Development and Jobs (EDJ) to develop the SMART START: COVID-19 Safety Cleaning and Sanitization course curriculum which was instructed by Manitoba film industry veterans Lesley Oswald and Ellen Rutter.
Once FTM fully developed course materials, it shared the curriculum with a film industry committee that included staff of organizations such as Manitoba Film and Music, the City of Winnipeg, the Province of Manitoba, the Director’s Guild of Canada (Manitoba District Council), IATSE 856, On Screen MB, and SAFEwork MB to ensure the effectiveness of the training.
FTM delivered the course SMART START: Safety for Supervisors in the Media Production Industry during COVID-19 which was led by SAFEwork MB’s Jack Slessor. FTM then worked with instructors Ellen Rutter and Nicole Loewen, who both had experience as COVID-19 Safety Supervisors on film sets, to deliver a third FTM course; Introduction to COVID-19 Safety Supervision for the Film Industry.
“As a long-serving film professional, there is no doubt that FTM’s highly responsive training contributed greatly to a safer production environment during the COVID-19 era,” added Ellen Rutter, who also has a track record as a line producer, production manager, and FTM mentor.
Since launching FTM’s COVID-19 courses for the film industry, FTM conducted this training for other film organizations and companies. This included the Royal Winnipeg Ballet Company, Manitoba production company Frantic Films, and the CBC production The Porters.
“FTM’s courses have provided the tools necessary for a strong record of COVID-19 safety in film productions,” said FTM instructor Nicole Loewen, who’s also a COVID Supervisor with a background in Nursing and Clinical Education
FTM is a non-for-profit charity and member of the Province of Manitoba’s sector council program (through the Department of Economic Development and Jobs). FTM conducts workforce development and training to build a highly skilled and adaptable film industry to support the activities of Manitoba production companies. FTM collaborates with members of the film and television industry to identify the training needs within the community.