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By Liam Verster

Addressing Employment Barriers

Okanagan College gets boost to help people facing employment barriers

Oct 3, 2025 | 11:44 AM

The local college has received some funding for programs aimed at addressing barriers to employment.

Through a joint provincial and federal program, the Canada-British Columbia Labour Market Development Agreement, Okanagan College has received $483,000 to fund Education Assistants Training at the Vernon, Kelowna and Penticton campuses.

This program sees up to 25 Indigenous people and people with complex barriers to employment able to access a 27-week course where they will receive occupational skills training, employment readiness and hands-on experiences to prepare them for roles as education assistants. The training began at the start of September.

The joint funding agreement has also provided the Okanagan College with $592,000 to help people receiving income assistance prepare for careers in hospitality and culinary arts. There will be three intakes supporting eight to 15 individuals each, who will undertake 13 weeks of occupational and employability skills training, five weeks of on-the-job experience with local employers, and two weeks of job search and follow up support.

The participants will also receive the knife sets, uniforms and shoes required for these jobs through this program. Training in the North Okanagan and Shuswap regions, as well as in Kelowna and Penticton, will begin on October 20.

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The local MLA touted this agreement and the support for the education programs, as they will be able to set people up to find good jobs.

“This investment is a game-changer for people in Vernon and across the Okanagan who have faced barriers to employment,” Harwinder Sandhu, MLA for Vernon-Lumby, said in a release.

“By providing access to quality education and hands-on training in high-demand fields like education assistance and hospitality, we are creating real opportunities for people to thrive. These programs empower participants with the skills, confidence, and support they need to build brighter futures by getting trained for better paying jobs. When people are given the chance to succeed, families grow stronger and our whole community benefits.”

These funding boosts are part of a $3-million committment through the joint agreement to support training programs for people facing employment barriers in B.C. The other programs include agricultural training in the Cowichan region, community support worker certificate training programs in Kamloops, Langley, and Prince George, a construction worker’s custom project in Surrey, a building-service worker training program in Vancouver, and a heavy-equipment operator training program in Coal Harbour.