Rebellion Brewing Co. Reaps the Benefits of Professional Development

Updated: Sep 18

With the support of their boss Mark Heise, Stephanie Robb and Vanessa Owen took PD training to help them build leadership and project management skills which is contributing to Rebellion's success in the craft beer industry.

The pandemic has been a time of challenge and opportunity for businesses across all industries, sparking innovation and creativity to weather the COVID-19 storm successfully. And, for many business owners and their teams, professional development training played a key role in elevating their performance and growing success for the long-haul.

"The Canada-Saskatchewan Job Grant was easy to apply for and it paid for most of the cost." - Mark Heise

Mark Heise, President and CEO of Rebellion Brewing Co. - a thriving local Regina pub and brewery with craft beer sales across 350 Saskatchewan locations and a million pints sold in 2019 - is an avid fan of career development for his employees. When two of his team members approached him about taking a career development program at the U of R’s Centre for Continuing Education (CCE), he gave them enthusiastic support. “When Stephanie and Vanessa asked about enrolling in the Professional Leadership and Project Management Certificate programs, I felt excited for them and knew it would be a valuable experience for not only them, but Rebellion and their colleagues, too.”

"...one thing that really stands out to me is how important it is to apply different listening and communications skills to meet the needs of different individuals." - Stephanie Robb

Stephanie Robb, who likes to go by “Beer Lady,” has grown into a leadership role at Rebellion as the manager of sales, delivery and events. She joined Rebellion five years ago after working in oilfield construction for a number of years. She knew taking the Professional Leadership Certificate was the right program for her, but she was hesitant at first. “I’d never taken a university course before,” she admits. "I was intimidated to have a full-time job and study, but I would do it all again.” Stephanie has caught the career development bug and is eyeing up future courses. “I already have my mind set on taking a public speaking course. I want to continue learning and growing."

Local instructors taught Stephanie many different skills which have made a positive change in her leadership approach. “I learned so much, but one thing that really stands out to me is how important it is to apply different listening and communications skills to meet the needs of different individuals. This has helped me be a better manager and deliver better customer service.”

"It was great learning from instructors with such a wealth real-world experience to share with students." - Vanessa Owen

Vanessa Owen, Rebellion’s brew manager, had a similar learning experience to Stephanie while taking the Project Management Certificate, picking up many skills to help her manage the operations of Rebellion’s brewery. She enjoyed the instructors and how knowledgeable they are. “It was great learning from instructors with such a wealth real-world experience to share with students. It helped us connect with them and what they were teaching.” She also mentioned how she enjoyed the flexibility of the program. “I liked being able to take the program remotely at home,” says Vanessa. “It made managing my time between work and my courses easier than if I had to go in person.”

"I see the results of investing in my employees and ultimately it makes my job more enjoyable and easier." - Mark Heise

Mark made good use of the Canada-Saskatchewan Job Grant to help cover program costs. “The Canada-Saskatchewan Job Grant was easy to apply for and it paid for most of the cost.” Stephanie was grateful for the funding too. “Getting support from Mark and having the Canada-Sask Job Grant meant I could really focus on learning, finish the program in a short amount of time and apply what I learned on the job right away.”

Rebellion has reaped the benefits of CCE’s programs through business growth and adapting to the changing business landscape. “I encourage my employees to share what they learned with the broader team.” says Mark. “I see the results of investing in my employees and ultimately it makes my job more enjoyable and easier.” Stephanie adds, "Watching Rebellion grow is one of the biggest pleasures in my life."