Trades and Apprenticeship

Yes. Student will receive more information regarding the schedule of your class from the Trades Office in the month prior to the start of class.  Note: some HMT or TTM Level 4 classes are offered partially online.

Please visit OC Online Resources for information on technical assistance, loaner laptops and support for Moodle and Collaborate.  The Trades Success Centre is open at the Kelowna campus. If you would like to book a virtual or in-person appointment with Trade Success Centre Coordinators, Elke Pritchard or Forough Jafari Poor,  for assistance with your program, please contact epritchard@okanagan.bc.ca or FPoor@okanagan.bc.ca or call 250 762 5445 ext. 4677 or 4473 or you may also contact Trades Student Success Centre.

Okanagan College campuses offer a variety of food and beverage opportunities, some owned and run by the college and other third party companies who cater to our students, faculty and staff.  There are student microwaves in the Trades building and next to the Market

Review Food Services for restaurants and menus.

On-campus housing may be available at the Kelowna campus – apply early, particularly for programs starting the first week of September.  Application opens November 1 for the following September and February 1 for the following January.  Short-term housing is most available in Summer Term (May-August). Visit https://www.okanagan.bc.ca/housing to apply.  

Important note: Apprentices with notification of an assigned seat who wish to apply to housing may call the student housing office at 250 - 862 - 5422.

Shared accommodation may be available off-campus through Happipad.  Community listings can also be found at https://www.okanagan.bc.ca/housing/off-campus-housing

Please refer to your program page for textbook, equipment and supply requirements.  If you require any equipment or have any questions about software, please refer to the OC Online Resource Centre.  For technical support, please refer to IT Services.

Yes.  For information about fees, pass options or public transit, please visit Parking, Transit and Carpooling.

Applicants who have not satisfied the Math admission requirement within the last seven years, and/or do not meet the English admission requirement for a foundation program, must write the Math and/or English Trades Entrance Assessment (TEA). This TEA will replace the former ABLE Test.

You must apply for a Trades Foundation Program and receive a response from Admission before you can register for this assessment.

Both of the assessments are online, multiple-choice and timed. Applicants are allotted 1 hour to complete each section (2 hours for both). A practice assessment and study resources are offered to all students who register to write the TEA.  Calculators are not allowed while completing the Math section; applicants who are observed to use a calculator of any sort, will receive a grade of zero.  Applicants who do not achieve the minimum passing requirement on their initial attempt, are offered a second attempt, at no additional cost, after a two-week study period.

For more information or to register for a TEA, please click here. 

Standard Level Exams (SLEs) are required for most apprenticeship levels and some Foundation programs (Welder) 

Interprovincial (IP) exams are required for most apprenticeship programs in the final level.

All exams require students to have two pieces of valid government ID, including a photo – see details below.

No. Before SkilledTradesBC  is able to update an apprentice’s file they must choose if they would like to obtain certification at their current level, or bypass certification and progress to the next level of training. Affected apprentices will be required to speak with their local Apprenticeship Advisor to discuss their options and notify STBC  of their decision. If the apprentice wishes to bypass certification they may progress to the next level of training without completing their exam(s). If they wish to obtain certification at their current level.

You need to ensure the following otherwise you risk not getting an exam.

You must be currently registered as an apprentice with SkilledTradesBC (this includes Foundation students required to write an SLE).

You have one form of a VALID & CURRENT Government issued photo ID such as:

• Provincial Driver’s License
• Provincial Identification Card
• Passport, BC Services Card
• Combination Driver’s License and BC Services Card
• Canadian Permanent Residency Card
• Canadian Certificate of Indian Status
• Nexus Card

The name in your SkilledTradesBC portal account must exactly match the name on your government-issued ID.

Renewing your driver's license or ID card? Remember that you may be requested to surrender your driver’s license when you go to renew it – the paper temporary license will not be acceptable ID for SkilledTradesBC SLE, CofQ or IP exams.  

Okanagan College is unable to reschedule your SkilledTradesBC (STBC) exam if you were unable to write it or were unsuccessful at the end of your intake. You will need to contact SkilledTradesBC Customer Service directly to arrange your exam.https://skilledtradesbc.ca/contact-us

If you are unsuccessful in your course, you will be required to retake it before progressing to the next level of technical training.

Please note that you will be removed from any future intakes and/or waitlists for which you are currently registered. If you were scheduled to attend the next level of technical training immediately following the unsuccessful course, you will no longer be eligible to attend that training.

To help avoid these situations and ensure students are adequately prepared, requests for back-to-back technical training will no longer be approved unless prior approval has been granted by the Dean.

In order to be admitted to a Foundation or Pre-Apprenticeship program, you must meet a Math and English requirement. Please refer to each program webpage for admission requirements.

For information on submitting transcripts please click http://www.okanagan.bc.ca/BecomeaStudent/Admissions/How_to_Submit_a_Tra…

If you are unable to meet the admission requirements for your program or it has been more than seven years since you have completed the required math, you would be required to write the Trades Entrance Assessment (TEA) Math and/or English test.  Please note the that TEA has replaced the former ABLE exam. For more information about the TEA, please click here.  

You will be notified by the Admissions office via email once your application has been received. After your application has been processed (can take 5-10 business days), your application status can be checked through your MyOkanagan account.

To access your MyOkanagan account:

Note: former students will need to update their accounts with Multifactor Authentication – please contact IT Services for assistance

Login to MyOkanagan at http://myokanagan.bc.ca. Log in with your college email (firstname.lastname@myokanagan.bc.ca) and OC network password

Application status can be checked under Applicant>View My Applications

Any further communication regarding your application will be done via email. Please check your MyOkanagan account to ensure your most current email address is on file. 

If you have any problems accessing your MyOkanagan account, please call IT Services at 

1-866-839-4032 or complete an online MyOkanagan Password Reset Request.

Waitlists for Foundation programs are controlled through the Admissions office which can be contacted at 250-762-5445 ext. 5417 or admissions@okanagan.bc.ca. Seats in Foundation programs are offered by date of application.  Once all seats are confirmed by the payment of deposits, the remaining applicants are waitlisted.

Generally accepting a seat in one program/intake results in the automatic cancellation of all other applications. If you accept a seat in a future intake, but are available on short notice for a close date, please let Admissions know.

Seats are reserved in some intakes for Dual Credit program students. A Dual Credit student means that your school district has agreed to partially sponsor your program.  Please make sure that admissions is aware of your dual credit status, upon applying.  Dual Credit students are responsible for paying their first deposit to confirm a seat in the program.  This deposit can be used towards your portion of material or ancillary fees.

You are still able to submit an application to waitlisted intakes.  Please be prepared for the possibility of receiving a seat offer quite quickly, if a seat becomes available.  A deposit will be required upon receipt of an offer, with full tuition due by 3 weeks prior to program start date. Please check your  emails regularly for updates on your application or log-in to your myOkanagan account to review your application status. 

We would also recommend applying to the next open intake.

Your offer can be accepted through your MyOkanagan account. You will be contacted by email when an offer is sent out. It will also appear in your MyOkanagan account.

To access your MyOkanagan account:

Log in with your college email (firstname.lastname@myokanagan.bc.ca) and OC network password

Please ensure, once you have accepted your offer, that you pay your non-refundable deposit by the deadline. 

If you have any problems accessing your MyOkanagan account, please call IT Services at 

1-866-839-4032 or complete an online MyOkanagan Password Reset Request.

A non-refundable deposit is required to secure your seat in the program. A payment of $200 ($500 for Aircraft Maintenance Engineer programs) is due within 21 days of receiving an Offer of Admission. The tuition deposit is deducted from your total tuition fees.

The remaining tuition for your program is due 3 weeks before the start of your class. Tuition can be paid with a debit card, cheque, or money order, through online banking (bill payment), or PayMyTuition. If you use online banking (bill payment), please set Okanagan College as a payee and your account number as your 9-digit OC student number. More information on tuition and payment can be found at this link. 

If you have a sponsor or a student loan application, please let registration staff know by emailing a copy of your funding agreement to registration@okanagan.bc.ca  prior to the fee payment deadline date.

What happens if I am unable to attend my intake and need to withdraw?

For information on withdrawing from your Foundation program please see the Tuition Refund Policy. 

To secure your seat, please have your sponsor provide a signed letter on company letterhead, with their contact information and ALL of the following information before the deposit deadline date.

• Name
• 300# (student number)
• Program title
• Program Dates start to finish
• Tuition and Fees Amount $XX (this can be found on the Foundation program website or at https://www.okanagan.bc.ca/registrars-office/tuition-and-fees - the total amount includes the two deposits)
• Deposit Amount $200 x 2 (if applicable) (the deposit is part of the tuition but there are two $200 deposits which are non-refundable and can be invoiced separately or invoiced as part of the full tuition and fees amount.  The first one is due within 21 days of receiving an offer.  The second one is due 90 days prior to program start, or June 1 for Fall term programs.)
• Textbook Amount $XX (if applicable) (this information can be requested from the Trades Office at 250-762-5445 ext. 5457)
• Parking Amount $XX (if applicable) (find parking costs at https://www.okanagan.bc.ca/parking-and-transportation)

Email the letter to accountsreceiveable@okanagan.bc.ca or fax to 250-862-5479.

The sponsorship letter must be received before the deposit deadline, otherwise you will be removed from the intake. The sponsorship letters cannot include conditions for payment including but not limited to students’ academic performance/success. Please note: Information will not be released to your sponsor/employer without an information release form on file, signed by you.

 The "Your Future After Foundation" presentation is a resource guide designed for graduates to help them with their next steps after completing foundation training. Presentation includes topics such as how to register as an apprentice with the ITA, grants and tax credits, registering for the next level of technical training and employment tips. 

Note: Presentation is available to Okanagan College students with a student ID number and Moodle account.
 This presentation should be viewed on a laptop or tablet (not a cell phone) for best quality and experience. 
Start Your Future After Foundation

It’s a good idea to plan ahead for your training as some of our apprenticeship intakes may only be offered once per year or every second year. To apply to an apprenticeship program, you must have an SkilledTradesBC# and be an Active Apprentice (submitted hours in previous 18 months). You are able to apply for your next level of training once you have paid for your seat in your current level. 

1. Review the Training Schedule under your trade’s apprenticeship web page.
2. We recommend you apply 6 months to a year ahead of the class start date.
3. Applications can be filed online.
4. NEW – As of January 1, 2022, a $200 seat deposit (non-refundable) will be required within 7 days of an emailed notification of an available seat.  
   1. This applies to programs with start dates after May 1, 2022.
   2. No deposit is required to be waitlisted for a seat.
   3. The seat deposit is not refundable, but may be transferred to an earlier intake, should a seat become available.
   4. The seat deposit is not refundable if you withdraw from the intake.
   5. The seat deposit is not refundable if you don't meet the pre-requisites to enter the intake (i.e. successful completion of the previous level).
5. A confirmation of admission letter will be sent to you by email 90 days prior to program start.  Your remaining tuition will be due then, with a deadline to pay by 60 days prior to program start.
6. If you are waitlisted originally and a seat becomes available more than 60 days prior to program start, you will be asked for a $200 seat deposit.
7. If you apply or a seat becomes available less than 60 days prior to program start, you will be asked to pay the full tuition amount.
8. Failing to pay seat deposits or tuition by deadlines will result in being removed from the class.
9. Seat deposits and tuition fees can be paid online by credit card or through online banking. Payments can also be made in person by debit card at the Trades Office on the Kelowna campus or at the Administrative Offices on the Penticton, Vernon, and Salmon Arm campuses.
   Please note: Credit cards are no longer accepted in-person at any campus.
10. Amounts owing can be viewed on your myOkanagan (for returning students). Please check your email account for instructions on how to log-in to your myOkanagan account for the first time. 

You must be a registered apprentice with SkilledTradesBC . Please refer to the recommended secondary school pre-requisites and hours for your trade at www.skilledtradesbc.ca

Scheduling back-to-back training is not recommended for success  and can cause refund and waitlist issues if a student does not pass a level of training.  As of April 1, 2021, back-to-back training will not be approved without special permission from the Dean or Associate Dean of Trades, usually requiring sufficient hours for both levels, a strong academic record and extenuating circumstances.

Students are not automatically enrolled in their next level of training. Students may apply for the next level immediately following their current level of training.  For example: a Level 1 student may apply to or be waitlisted for a Level 2 class. They can not apply in advance for a Level 3 or 4 program until they have been enrolled in a Level 2 class.  

Your STBC  number can be found by contacting SkilledTradesBC at 1-866-660-6011 if you are a previously registered apprentice. If you are not currently a registered apprentice, your employer would need to complete an Apprentice and Sponsor Registration form which can be found online at https://skilledtradesbc.ca/forms

Once your application has been processed a Notification Letter and/or Waitlist Letter will be emailed to you through the email address you listed on your application.  Please note neither your email nor your home address will automatically update across our systems and ensure you provide the Trades Office with any updated information, including cell phone numbers in case of seat opportunities at short notice.

Your seat notification or offer letter for an apprenticeship class will include the instructions below, which should be followed as soon as possible.  The letter will autofill your course information and tuition amount.  You can find parking costs at https://www.okanagan.bc.ca/parking-and-transportation.  Please contact our office for an updated textbook and supply list.

To secure your seat, please have your sponsor provide a signed letter on company letterhead, with their contact information and ALL of the following information before the tuition deadline date (or deposit date, if applicable).

• Name
• 300# (student number)
• Program title
• Level of apprenticeship class
• Program start and end date
• Tuition and Fees Amount $XX (see https://www.okanagan.bc.ca/registrars-office/tuition-and-fees for a full break-down of costs, if required)
• Deposit Amount $200 (if applicable) (the deposit is included within the tuition amount but may be invoiced separately or as part of the full tuition and fees amount.  The deposit is due within 7 days of receiving a seat offer, or immediately with full tuition if it is within 60 days of program start date.)
• Textbook Amount $XX (if applicable)
• Parking Amount $XX (if applicable)

Email the letter to apprenticeship@okanagan.bc.ca.

A new letter must be provided for each class being sponsored. Please note: Information will not be released to your sponsor/employer without an information release form on file, signed by you. The sponsorship letter must be received before the deposit deadline, otherwise you will be removed from the intake.  Sponsorship letters cannot include conditions for payment including but not limited to students’ academic performance/success.

Please refer to the online Training Schedule frequently and watch your phone and email if you are waiting for a seat. The Training Schedule is updated weekly; therefore, seat open/waitlisted information may not be fully accurate on a given day.  
 

You may be placed on up to two waitlists for your apprenticeship level at the time of application. If additional intakes are added later, you may request to be added to those waitlists; however, this will not occur automatically.

There is no fee to be placed on a waitlist.

If a seat becomes available in a class for which you are waitlisted, you will be contacted by email and/or phone. You will be given a response deadline of 24–48 hours. If you do not respond by the specified deadline, you will be removed from that waitlist.

If you are offered a seat in an earlier intake after the tuition payment deadline has passed (60 days prior to the program start date), you will be required to pay the tuition fees immediately to secure your seat.

Refunds or transfer of tuition can be requested up to 30 days before program start.  No refunds are available after that date.

In the case of a medical or compassionate withdrawal, tuition and fees may be transferred to available seats in upcoming intakes within the year, while being subject to annual tuition fee increases, if applicable (updated in August of each year).

For more information on withdrawing from an intake please see our refund policy online at http://webapps-5.okanagan.bc.ca/ok/Calendar/Fees.  Please note that you are unable to withdraw from your intake if you have completed more than 50% of the intake as per the Registrar’s Office, unless, you are withdrawing for Medical or Compassionate reasons.

While attending an apprenticeship program, you may be eligible for Employment Insurance (EI). For information on the EI application process, please visit https://www.workbc.ca/employment-services/apprentice-services.aspx

Note: if you are sponsored by Okanagan Training and Development Council, please note OTDC can register you with EI and may provide supports in lieu of WorkBC.

Work-based hours need to be reported and signed off by your employer to SkilledTradesBC . A work-based hours form can be found online at https://skilledtradesbc.ca/forms 

Okanagan College is unable to provide you with your 16 digit reference code. In order to receive your reference code please complete Step 1 of the EI application process which can be found online at https://www.workbc.ca/employment-services/apprentice-services.aspx.

Note: if you are sponsored by Okanagan Training and Development Council, please note OTDC can register you with EI and may provide supports in lieu of WorkBC.

No, high school transcripts are not required to apply for an apprenticeship program. 

If you are applying to an entry-level foundation program, your transcript may be required. For information on submitting transcripts please click here (http://www.okanagan.bc.ca/BecomeaStudent/Admissions/How_to_Submit_a_Tra…)

Your T2202 form will be available through your MyOkanagan account on the last day of February.

To access your T2202 form:

1. Log in to MyOkanagan using your Okanagan College email address (usually firstname.lastname@myokanagan.bc.ca).
   • If your name is common, a number may be added (e.g., firstname.lastname1@myokanagan.bc.ca).
2. Once logged in, select “T2202 Tax Form” under My Student Resources.
3. Please ensure your SIN is entered in your MyOkanagan account, as it is required to access your T2202. You can provide your SIN here.

If you experience any issues accessing your MyOkanagan account, please contact IT Services at 1-866-839-4032.

The "Apprenticeship Path" presentation includes information specific for apprenticeship students who only attend training for approximately 5 – 16 weeks. Topics include how to access SkilledTradesBC Transcripts and log in information, apprentice FAQ, how to apply for E.I. and apprenticeship supports and instructions on how to register for their next level of training.

Note: Presentation is available to Okanagan College students with a student ID number and Moodle account.
This presentation should be viewed on a laptop or tablet (not a cell phone) for best quality and experience. 
Start Apprenticeship Path

Foundation program

Please refer the link here: Tuition and Fees

Apprenticeship program

Option 1: PayMyTuition - As of June 26, 2024 new apprenticeship students can pay their deposit or tuition through via Apprenticeship PayMyTuition link

               For further instructions and details click here.

Option 2: Online Banking - through your financial institution banking app (Pay Bills option)

                Payee: Okanagan College

                Account Number : your Okanagan College ID (300XXXXXX)

Option 3: Sponsorship/Employer - follow instructions on your notification letter

Course materials (textbooks, course packs, etc) will be available for purchase ONLINE ONLY through our website or by visiting our in-store ordering stations at each campus.  

The Kelowna Campus Store has undergone renovations summer 2023 to create an online order processing centre and will be the centralized distribution centre for all course materials moving forward for Penticton, Vernon, Salmon Arm and Kelowna.   The storefront at each Campus Store will remain open as a retail space for OC branded merchandise and giftware, but will no longer contain course materials.   

Course materials will be available online only, but orders can be picked up in-store at any of our four Campus Stores locations. 

We accept all major credit cards and visa/mastercard debit. 

Where can I get my course materials? 

All course materials will be available through the Campus Stores website.  Students may choose between the free order pickup option at any of the four Campus Store locations (Kelowna, Penticton, Vernon, and Salmon Arm), or they may choose to ship their orders to the mailing address of their choice (various shipping rates may apply). 

When will my order be ready for pickup? 

While we strive to process online orders within 1-2 business days, orders may take up to 5 business days for processing and delivery to campuses during peak periods.  For instore pickup, you will be notified by email when your order is ready for pickup on campus. 

During peak periods (ie. the first 2-3 weeks of September), we will ensure there are multiple deliveries to each campus every week.  In non-peak periods, deliveries to campuses will be on the weekly truck runs from Kelowna.   

Who can I contact with questions or concerns? 

Email: campusstores@okanagan.bc.ca 

WEBSITE: https://campusstores.okanagan.bc.ca 

Tool room attendants will confirm with each student if they are purchasing a toolbox from Okanagan College. For those students who are purchasing a toolbox, the appropriate charges will be applied to your account. Payment can then be made online with a credit card or through online banking. Online banking is completed through your bank’s personal website. Okanagan College will need to be added as a Payee and your student number is the account number used.

OCSU believes that no student should have to choose between buying groceries and paying bills. OCSU offers a variety of non-perishable food items as well as basic hygiene and toiletry items for students facing short-term food insecurity and hardship. There are food banks for OC students, run by OCSU. They are routinely stocked with a variety of non-perishable breakfast, lunch, and dinner items as well as basic hygiene and toiletry items.

Kelowna Campus: The Pantry; The Pantry is located within the OCSU office in room A148.

Penticton Campus: The Harbor; The Harbor is located in the Sunoka Building

Salmon Trades Campus: In partnership with Diyame and OSCU; located in the student lounge room.

The BC Ministry of Health provides a dedicated resource page for trades and industry workers, including mental health, substance use, and toxic drug response supports. Visit: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/health/managing-your-health/mental-health-substance-use/resources-for-trades-workers

Okanagan College also offers free mental health and emotional support services for students, including counselling and wellness resources. Visit: https://www.okanagancollege.ca/ask-oc/mental-health-and-emotional-support

International students should contact the International Education Office to discuss potential visa and other implications. Email: askoc@okanagan.bc.ca   Phone: 250-762-5445.

Yes, provided you meet the requirements.  To be eligible, you must be authorized to work in Canada with either of the following:

• a valid work permit that was issued on or before June 7, 2023, or
• a letter authorizing you to work while we process your work permit extension application (The letter must have been issued on or before June 7, 2023.)

If you applied for a work permit after June 7, 2023, you’re not eligible for these measures.

More information can be found here: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/work-canada/permit/temporary/workers-study-without-study-permit.html

There are limited seats available, however and International student fees will apply.  Please contact the Trades Office or the International Education Office to discuss potential visa and other implications. Email: askoc@okanagan.bc.ca   Phone: 1-250-762-5445.

Yes, provided you meet the requirements. More information can be found online at https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/ukraine-measures.html#feb4

There are limited seats available, however.  Please contact the Trades Office or the International Education Office to discuss potential visa and other implications. Email: askoc@okanagan.bc.ca   Phone: 1-250-762-5445.

Yes, provided you meet the requirements.  There are limited seats available, however and International student fees will apply.  Please contact the Trades Office or the International Education Office to discuss potential visa and other implications. Email: askoc@okanagan.bc.ca   Phone: 1-250-762-5445.

All students must apply to graduate in order to receive their credential and/or attend a convocation or commencement ceremony. Trades Foundation students also need to apply to ensure their SkilledTradesBC accounts are updated in preparation for apprenticeship registration. For more information about graduation, please visit www.okanagan.bc.ca/convocation. 

The Trades and Apprenticeship office is open for in-person service, phone and email. We can be contacted between 7:30 am and 4:00 pm by phone at 1-800-621-3038 or email apprenticeship@okanagan.bc.ca. 

Please email the documentation to apprenticeship@okanagan.bc.ca, fax to 250-862-5457 or drop it off in person from 7:30 a.m. - 4 p.m. Monday - Friday.  If the Trades & Apprenticeship office is closed, you may drop it in the mailbox located outside of the office.