Salmon Arm Campus is More than You Think….
December 13, 2022
Katie Thielman joins a lengthy list of locals who have made Okanagan College’s Salmon Arm Campus her first-choice destination to begin her post-secondary education after high school. She is now one semester in – with no regrets. Thielman describes Okanagan College (OC) as “a college full of safety nets so you don’t just survive but thrive” in your studies and in life. She explains this means professors are available, know your name, and are willing to go the extra mile to help you succeed. Katie also noted the many supp...
Read more...
Meet Emily Schatz, OC Electronics Engineering alum
December 13, 2022
Q: What years did you attend OC? A: 2015-2017 Q: How did you end up at Okanagan College? A: I chose Okanagan College specifically for the technologist program. Q: How did you choose your program? A: I wanted to become an engineer. I had heard that a common problem engineers face is not understanding how to design products for the people who are building them. I wanted to gain hands-on experience so I could be a well-rounded design engineer. The ELEN at Okan...
Read more...
Okanagan College Foundation distributes over $450,000 in student awards in under two weeks
December 6, 2022
The holiday spirit came early for Okanagan College students who were the recipients of 426 bursary, scholarship and awards this past month, which totalled over $450,000. Students also had the chance to meet the donors who support the bursaries, scholarships and awards at receptions held at each of Okanagan College’s Vernon, Kelowna and Penticton campuses in November. Each event included an Indigenous welcome, student and donor speakers and most significantly, time for all invited guests to connect and celebrate a shared commitment...
Read more...
Candlelight Vigils return to OC’s Vernon and Salmon Arm campuses
December 6, 2022
Okanagan College’s Vernon and Salmon Arm campuses will once again be aglow with candlelight on Dec. 6, as a symbolic commitment to end violence against women. Communities in the Okanagan and Shuswap are marking the 33rd anniversary of the École Polytechnique Massacre, in addition to the ongoing cases of missing women from the region, with a Candlelight Vigil on Tuesday, Dec. 6 co-hosted by a network of organizations and volunteers. The event is a collaboration by Okanagan College, Okanagan College Students’ Union (OCSU), Vernon St...
Read more...
Meet Aaron Edis, Electronics Engineering alumnus
December 2, 2022
Q: What’s your hometown? Where are you now? A: Burnaby and Kelowna. I now live in Salmon Arm, B.C. Q: What years did you attend OC? A: 2008 to 2010 Q: How did you end up at Okanagan College? A: I was living in Kelowna at the time and I was interested in Electrical/Electronics, perhaps an engineering degree. I figured the college was the place to start since I could be a technologist after 2 years of school and then had the option to start working if I chose. Th...
Read more...
Partnership helping to fill staffing gaps in hospitality and tourism industry
December 1, 2022
Like many industries, the hospitality and tourism sector has been hard hit by staff shortages over the past few years with a declining youth population and an aging workforce combining to create significant challenges. But a new program designed in partnership by Okanagan College (OC) and the Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association (TOTA) will help to reduce those shortages. The first of four new cohorts of students enrolled in the Hospitality Professional Program this fall, a flexible program open to students anywhere in the Thom...
Read more...
Meet Jedidiah Forrest, OC Electronics Engineering alum
November 29, 2022
Q: What years did you attend OC? A: 2014-2016 Q: How did you end up at Okanagan College? A: Engineering technology programs caught my eye. Needed a career path change. Q: How did you choose your program? A: I applied to all three engineering programs and Electronic Engineering Technology responded first. Q: What did you like most about the program? A: The immersion was incredible. Every day is a science whirlwind, and labs were fantastically engaging. The staff is ma...
Read more...
Lived experience lands in Therapist Assistant classroom
November 29, 2022
Students in the Therapist Assistant Diploma (TAD) program took a deep dive into the lived experiences of those with spinal cord injury, thanks to a community partnership. Guest speakers from the Praxis Spinal Cord Institute attended the class last week. Praxis is a Canadian-based, non-profit that leads global collaboration in spinal cord injury research, innovation, and care. James Hektner, PLEX Community Liaison and Shannon Rockall, OT Clinical Liaison with Praxis Spinal Cord Institute, presented up-to-date statistics, research an...
Read more...
OC Chef stars in House Special docuseries
November 29, 2022
When it comes to comfort food, sometimes the simplest dishes from childhood land closest to the heart. That's the secret behind the recipe Chef Han Lin shared, when he was interviewed for a Telus documentary, House Special Episode 3: Hungry for Home. House Special is a docuseries exploring Chinese-Canadian history through small town restaurants and the families who run them. In episode 3, the host explores secret menus and hidden Chinese supermarkets, and even features a Kelowna driving range. The episode caps off with a lesson fr...
Read more...
Prospera gives big in support of Women in Trades at Okanagan College
November 28, 2022
More women will get a chance to lace up their work boots and take the first step in a career in trades, thanks to a recent $79,660 gift from Prospera to a program at Okanagan College that has already trained over 1,300 women since it was founded. The Women in Trades Training program was created to remove barriers for women interested in pursuing trades education and help meet the community’s surging need for skilled trades professionals. “These bursaries and added equipment provide opportunities for women to pursue t...
Read more...