New mentorship platform/Okanagan College

By Vernon Matters Staff

New program

Mentorship platform launches for Okanagan College trades students

Sep 23, 2025 | 1:00 PM

Okanagan College has launched a new mentorship platform aimed at helping its trades and apprenticeship students connect with industry mentors as they prepare for careers in the skilled trades.

The OC Trades Network went live this fall as more than 500 new and returning students begin their studies across the College’s trades and apprenticeship programs. The platform is designed to connect apprentices with industry leaders for one-on-one mentorship, while also offering resources, training opportunities and networking events.

Danny Marques, associate dean of trades at Okanagan College, said mentorship could make a significant difference in a student’s journey.

“When I think back to my early days as an apprentice, I realize how much a mentorship program would have shaped my journey,” said Marques, who holds two Red Seal certifications. “Having a mentor to guide me, to share their experiences and to reassure me through those challenges would have given me the confidence to grow faster, both personally and professionally.”

The initiative is part of Okanagan College’s ACTION Project — Apprenticeship Completion, Training, Innovative Opportunities and Networking — which is supported by the federal government’s Canadian Apprenticeship Strategy. The project’s goal is to improve apprentice retention in construction and manufacturing trades, particularly among women, Indigenous learners and other under-represented groups.

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Alongside mentorship, the ACTION Project also supports apprentices with training, bursaries for transportation, textbooks and protective equipment, as well as advanced skills development for senior apprentices.

Okanagan College is the Interior’s largest trades training provider, offering more than 20 programs at campuses in Kelowna, Vernon, Salmon Arm and Penticton.