By Tom Mark

Okanagan College Budgeting For Growth

Mar 28, 2018 | 10:07 AM

The new budget passed by the Okanagan College board of governors Tuesday sets the stage to move the college ahead over the next few years.

The 112 million dollar budget expands some programs and instructional positions.

New instructional positions are being added along with a new two year diploma course in collision repair and a funding for more students in sustainable construction management technology and animation programs.

College spokesperson Allen Coyle says while international enrolment has been dramatic, domestic enrolment is beginning to increase.

“Even as grade 12 graduating numbers have decreased over recent years, we’ve seen an increase in domestic enrolment. It could be that people are changing careers, looking for new careers.”

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All campuses are seeing enrolment and the future is unlimited.

“We’ve got a whole bunch of things coming down the pipe at us, whether it’s the opening of the Vernon trades centre or planning for a new health sciences centre. In Penticton we’re hard at world on a welding building down there.”

Allen Coyle says there is a greater proportion of high school students going to post-secondary.

The Vernon campus saw a 17 per cent increase in course registrations, with more people taking full time courses.

He says January to January, the Salmon Arm campus saw an 11 per cent increase.

Penticton saw a five per cent increase and for the first time, Penticton’s winter semester drew over one thousand students.

Coyle says Okanagan Cillege is number 2 behind BCIT as a trades college and is the 3rd largest college in BC.

by Tom Mark