OC Promotes Growing Role

Okanagan College continues to grow.

President Jim Hamilton told Vernon council, they provided courses to more than 19-thousand people last year.

“That works out to about one in every 20 people that lives in the region we serve, is a student at Okanagan College in any given year.”

Hamilton says O-C is now the third largest college in BC, and the second largest trades training institution.

Hamilton says O-C employs over one thousand staff, including about 100 in Vernon.

The women in trades training program at Vernon’s campus will hit a significant milestone this year.

Campus Dean Jane Lister says its one of the largest in Canada.

“This year we will witness our 1,000th student completing this program, which began eight years ago.”

Lister told council, says they will be able to offer additional intakes of the program when their new $ 6 million trades training building opens next year.

OC has five main campuses in Vernon, Kelowna, Penticton, Salmon Arm and Revelstoke, as well as smaller access centres.