Portage la Prairie School Division - Topic: AI
2026-06-29 09:00 - 11:00 (America/Winnipeg) | Virtual
MERLIN will be working with Portage la Prairie School Division on the topic of artificial intelligence (AI).
Learn more about custom training sessions by visiting our Training webpage.

Rolling River School Division - Topic: AI
2026-06-29 13:00 - 15:00 | Virtual
MERLIN will be working with Rolling River School Division on the topic of artificial intelligence (AI).
Learn more about custom training sessions by visiting our Training webpage.

Managing Windows Environments with Group Policy - CANCELLED
2026-07-13 - 2026-07-17 | SmartPark, Winnipeg
*Updated June 12, 2026: Unfortunately this event has been cancelled due to low enrollment.
On completing this course, attendees will be able to:
• Apply both local and remote management techniques to Windows 11 and Windows Server environments
• Describe Active Directory architecture as it pertains to Group Policy planning and troubleshooting
• Design organizational unit structures that support effective Group Policy delegation and administration
• Plan, implement, and maintain a Group Policy infrastructure aligned with organizational requirements
• Understand Group Policy processing order, scope, and conflict resolution, and apply that understanding to real-world troubleshooting
• Manage applications through Group Policy using current supported mechanisms, and understand the practical positioning of AppLocker, App Control for Business, and Smart App Control
• Configure user environments using Group Policy, with awareness of modern alternatives where legacy technologies have been deprecated
• Configure security through Group Policy, including account policies, user rights, security options, Windows Defender Firewall, and BitLocker
• Maintain Windows 11 through Group Policy, with current understanding of the Windows Update management landscape
• Use Group Policy Analytics and related tooling to assess existing Group Policy estates for Intune migration candidacy
• Apply a structured approach to diagnosing and resolving Group Policy application issues using current troubleshooting tools
Contact us for more information.
Registration closes one month prior to training date.

Basic Hosted Firewall
2026-07-22 10:00 - 11:00 | Virtual
Lead by the MERLIN technical team; this session will be a “deep dive” on how to fully utilize the firewall options available to clients. Strengthen your use of this important security tool before the 26/27 school year begins!
Based on a Palo Alto Networks firewall and currently serves 34 educational organizations. It includes all the protection of MERLIN’s vulnerability protection service and provides the following additional benefits:

Layer 7 next-generation firewall technology which provides application visibility. Clients can identify and classify application traffic from applications such as Facebook, YouTube, Dropbox, iTunes, X (formerly known as Twitter), FaceTime, Pinterest, Instagram, BitTorrent, and Netflix.
User identification through the firewall’s User ID functionality. This connects to a division’s user directory and provides the ability to apply application control rules to the appropriate users and groups.
Application control by user or group which provides flexibility on how, when, and to what destinations they are allowed. Applications can be blocked, allowed, or limited based on the application’s category and the educational need.
Visibility of internal device addresses which increases the client’s ability to track down and identify the source of malicious traffic and unwanted applications.
Content filtering by user or group allows for multiple unique content filtering profiles within a single school or site.
Secure VPN with MFA access to internal systems for staff.
Advanced vulnerability, anti-virus, and spyware protection

Contact us for more information.
Registration closes Wednesday, July 8 at 12 noon.

Web Content Filtering
2026-08-12 10:00 - 11:00 | Virtual
Lead by the MERLIN technical team; this session will be a “deep dive” on how to fully configure your system. Strengthen your use of this important security tool before the 26/27 school year begins!
Our web content filtering through Palo Alto allows partners to block or allow specific websites based on categories, URLs, or external blacklists; empowering administrators to prevent access to inappropriate or harmful online material.
This service protects users against malicious and evasive web-based threats; both known and unknown. It provides granular URL filtering, visibility into user activity, safe search enforcement, and phishing prevention.
Contact us for more information.
Registration closes Wednesday, July 29 at 12 noon.

Microsoft Security Operations Analyst
2026-08-17 - 2026-08-20 | SmartPark, Winnipeg
Learn how to investigate, respond to, and hunt for threats using Microsoft Sentinel, Microsoft Defender XDR and Microsoft Defender for Cloud. In this course you will learn how to mitigate cyberthreats using these technologies. Specifically, you will configure and use Microsoft Sentinel as well as utilize Kusto Query Language (KQL) to perform detection, analysis, and reporting. The course was designed for people who work in a Security Operations job role and helps learners prepare for the exam SC-200: Microsoft Security Operations Analyst.
Contact us for more information.
Registration closes one month prior to training date.

StormWind Studios PD - CANCELLED
2026-08-19 13:00 - 16:00 | Virtual
*Updated August 13, 2026: Unfortunately this event has been cancelled due to low enrollment.
Join StormWind Studios and MERLIN for a free virtual professional development session exploring StormWind Studios: a training solution to upskill your team by giving IT staff access to hundreds of courses, hand on labs, practice material, skill assessments, and certified learning that empowers them to grow and be more efficient every day.

In today’s dynamic landscape, high-quality and personalized learning can make all the difference in your team’s efficiency. This event features a 30-minute overview of StormWind Studios; including our updated course catalogue, new personalized learning experience platform (PLE), and more! We are also offering FIVE 30-minute one-on-one session slots where organizations can meet directly with our team to discuss your training goals, provide personalized demos, and answer your questions to help you get the most out of StormWind. Whether you are new to StormWind or looking to better understand our new offerings, this session is designed to help educational organizations strengthen their technical skills by providing a smarter path to the skills that matter.

For registration details and additional information, please contact MERLIN.

Registration closes at noon on Wednesday, August 12th.

Mystery Lake School District - Topic: AI
2026-09-09 | Thompson
MERLIN will be working with Mystery Lake School District on the topic of artificial intelligence (AI).
Learn more about custom training sessions by visiting our Training webpage.

Tech Check
2026-09-15 16:00 - 17:00 | Virtual
Designed for educators who consider themselves as beginner-intermediate technology users. Scheduled to assist educators who are planning to fine-tune their tech integration plans for the school year.

Addressing issues with “education” labelled software

7-step checklist for software selection

Contact us for more information.
Registration closes Tuesday, September 1 at 12 noon.

Intro to AI
2026-09-17 16:00 - 17:00 | Virtual
Designed for users that are new to using AI in a professional capacity and/or consider themselves “beginners”.

What is AI and how does it actually work?

Potential for AI in the classroom

Ethical considerations

Trends influencing education

General and MB focus

Reimagine education with AI

Contact us for more information.
Registration closes Thursday, September 3 at 12 noon.

Microsoft Accessibility and Learning Tools
2026-09-18 | SmartPark, Winnipeg
Designed for users who have familiarity with Microsoft and are interested in learning about how these features can increase accessibility for themselves, the colleagues they supervise, or their students.

Basic navigation and features through an accessibility lens

Microsoft Learning Tools / Learning Accelerators

Immersive Reader

Dictate

Language Translation

Math Solver

Live Captions across tools

General accessibility options

Microsoft Coaches / Progress

Reading

Speaker

Search

Contact us for more information.
Registration closes one month prior to training date.

Curiosity in Action: Building Deeper Understanding Through Simulation and Inquiry-Based Learning
2026-09-22 16:00 - 17:00, 2026-09-24 16:00 - 17:00 | Virtual
*A Gizmo event from Explore Learning
Audience: 9–12
Today’s science classrooms must do more than deliver content. They must develop curious, analytical, and evidence-driven scientific thinkers. This interactive session explores how simulation-based inquiry examples (Grades 9–12) allow students to actively investigate scientific phenomena, test ideas, analyze data, and build deeper conceptual understanding through exploration and discovery.

Participants will experience engaging, curriculum-connected science investigations designed to support implementation of the new Manitoba science curriculum while fostering student curiosity, creativity, and critical scientific thinking. Through interactive simulations and visual models, educators will explore strategies for making complex and abstract scientific concepts more accessible across biology, chemistry, physics, and earth science classrooms.
The session will also highlight practical approaches for supporting classroom discussion, differentiation, assessment, and student engagement through inquiry-driven learning experiences. Educators will leave with ready-to-use ideas and strategies that help students think, question, and investigate like scientists.

For registration details and additional information, please contact MERLIN.

Curiosity in Action: Building Deeper Understanding Through Simulation and Inquiry-Based Learning
2026-09-23 16:00 - 17:00 | Virtual
*A Gizmo event from Explore Learning
Audience: 5-8
Today’s middle years science classrooms must spark curiosity, encourage exploration, and help students make sense of the world around them. This interactive session explores how simulation-based inquiry examples (Grades 5–8) allow students to investigate scientific phenomena, making meaningful questions, analyzing evidence, and developing deeper conceptual understanding through hands-on exploration and discovery.

Participants will experience engaging, curriculum-connected virtual science simulations designed to support implementation of the new Manitoba science curriculum while fostering student curiosity, creativity, and scientific thinking. Through interactive simulations and visual models, educators will explore strategies for making abstract and difficult concepts more accessible and engaging across life, physical, earth, and space science topics.
The session will also highlight practical approaches for supporting classroom discussion, differentiation, assessment, and student engagement through inquiry-driven learning experiences. Educators will leave with new ideas and strategies that help students think critically, explore confidently, and build understanding like young scientists.

For registration details and additional information, please contact MERLIN.

AI for Education
2026-09-28 09:00 - 15:30 | Brandon, Manitoba
Designed for users that are new to using AI in a professional capacity and/or consider themselves “beginners”. This in-depth session will explore topics such as:

What is AI and how does it actually work?

Potential for AI in the classroom

Ethical considerations

Trends influencing education

General and MB focus

Reimagine education with AI

Contact us for more information.
Registration closes one month prior to training date.

Cybersecurity for Educators
2026-10-07 16:00 - 17:00 | Virtual
Designed for non-technical end-users (teachers, support staff, division-office, school/divisional admin, etc)

General information and reminders on best practice surrounding:

Password creation

When and where to use your work email versus personal

At-home and personal-device access to work systems

Work accounts on shared devices

Work accounts on public wifi

Best practices for classroom teachers and EAs with students and families

Contact us for more information.
Registration closes Wednesday, September 23rd at 12 noon.

Bitwarden Admin PD
2026-10-20 10:00 - 11:00 | Virtual
Join MERLIN for a free virtual professional development session exploring Bitwarden Password Manager—a secure and easy-to-use platform designed to help organizations safely store, manage, and share passwords and sensitive information.
Full agenda to be released Fall 2026.
For registration details and additional information, please contact MERLIN.

Secure passwords. Stronger protection. Simpler management.

Council of School Leaders - Topic: AI
2026-10-23 | Virtual
MERLIN will be working with the Council of School Leaders on the topic of artificial intelligence (AI).
Learn more about custom training sessions by visiting our Training webpage.

Windows Server Hybrid
2026-11-03 - 2026-11-06 | SmartPark, Winnipeg
This four-day course is intended for Windows Server Hybrid Administrators who have experience working with Windows Server and want to extend the capabilities of their on-premises environments by combining on-premises and hybrid technologies. Windows Server Hybrid Administrators implement and manage on-premises and hybrid solutions such as identity, management, compute, networking, and storage in a Windows Server hybrid environment.
Contact us for more information.
Registration closes one month prior to training date.

Pine Creek School Division - Topic: AI
2026-11-20 | Gladstone
MERLIN will be working with Pine Creek School Division on the topic of artificial intelligence (AI).
Learn more about custom training sessions by visiting our Training webpage.

Microsoft Endpoint Administrator (Intune)
2026-11-23 - 2026-11-27 | SmartPark, Winnipeg
Students will learn to plan and execute an endpoint deployment strategy using contemporary deployment techniques and implementing update strategies. The course
introduces essential elements of modern management, co-management approaches, and Microsoft Intune integration. It covers app deployment, management of browser-based applications, and key security concepts such as authentication, identities, access, and compliance policies.
Contact us for more information.
Registration closes one month prior to training date.

MERLIN Technical Training Day [Winnipeg/Central]
2026-12-01 | SmartPark, Winnipeg
This event is designed specifically for Manitoba’s K–12, post-secondary, and independent school technical teams and will feature a series of hands-on workshops that provide a robust training opportunity on key MERLIN tools and services, how to get the most out of them, and the people behind them.
Full agenda to be released Fall 2026.

Introduction to Power BI Desktop
2027-01-11 - 2027-01-13 | SmartPark, Winnipeg
This course is designed as an introduction to the Microsoft Power BI Desktop app. Throughout the course, participants will work in Power BI Desktop to connect to data, create visualizations (charts) based on that data, and then publish the reports they build. They will use the Power BI Query Editor to perform data modelling techniques to prepare data for visualizations. They’ll also experience publishing Power BI reports both locally and to the online Power BI Service, including creating dashboards and mobile phone views. By the end of the course, participants will have a solid foundation of the essential skills in Power BI needed to create Power BI reports, including connecting to data, modelling data, creating visualizations, and publishing
Contact us for more information.
Registration closes one month prior to training date.

Prairie Rose School Division - Topic: AI
2027-02-05
MERLIN will be working with Prairie Rose School Division on the topic of artificial intelligence (AI).
Learn more about custom training sessions by visiting our Training webpage.

Power BI Intermediate
2027-02-08 - 2027-02-09 | SmartPark, Winnipeg
In this course, participants will work in Power BI Desktop to connect to data sets, create visualizations, and publish reports. They will deepen and expand the knowledge they gained in the Intro to Power BI Desktop course in data transformation and modelling, utilizing DAX functions, and data models. Course participants should have taken the Intro to Power BI Desktop course or equivalent. They need to be comfortable with essential Power BI Desktop skills such as connecting to datasets, creating and formatting visualizations, creating custom columns, creating measures, using basic DAX functions, and performing basic data modelling with the Query Editor
Contact us for more information.
Registration closes one month prior to training date.
