OC’s Apprentice Hiring Project connects Ukrainian worker with welcoming environment
March 2, 2023
When Fedir Solovei and his family arrived in Vernon from Ukraine last year they were looking for a fresh start after escaping the harsh realities of the Russian invasion of his home country. Of the many hurdles Fedir was facing, finding employment was top of the list. Highly accomplished as an engineer in Ukraine, and with some experience in general construction, Fedir enjoys creating projects with wood and noted the difference in the use of wood in B.C construction practices. That interest led Fedir to apply for a position...
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Personal connections highlight Early Childhood dual credit program
March 1, 2023
Emily Patenaude knows what it’s like to be misunderstood as a child; she also understands a thing or two about fighting through adversity. The experience and knowledge will serve the Kelowna high school student well as she looks to begin her post-secondary education. Emily is one of 10 Central Okanagan-area students completing a five-month Okanagan College course in Early Childhood Education while still in high school, known as a dual credit program. Emily’s passion for childcare began early as she watched her brother struggle to ...
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OC’s Red Dot Players present The Beast of Blackthorn Manor
March 1, 2023
Spring may be in like a lion out like a lamb, but a different beast is on the prowl at Okanagan College this month, courtesy of OC’s theatre troupe. The Red Dot Players are excited to present the premiere production of The Beast of Blackthorn Manor, a new comedy by Okanagan College English professor Jeremy Beaulne. The plot promises to delight fans of gothic literature and those new to the genre: When she accepts a position at Blackthorn Manor, an isolated manor house in the Yorkshire moors, governess Charlotte Vole has no idea t...
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Health care students in the South Okanagan Similkameen are about to breathe a sigh of relief thanks to a new bursary fund
February 23, 2023
Local philanthropists Yasmin and Rick Thorpe have partnered with Summerland’s Penny Lane Legacy Fund to create a $50,000 bursary fund to help bolster the future of health care in the South Okanagan Similkameen. The Caring for Health Care Students Fund will provide $750 - $1,750 awards for eligible students studying at Okanagan College’s Penticton Campus. “We know if we educate healthcare professionals in Penticton, there’s a good chance they’ll stay and work in the region,” says Yasmin John Thorpe. “We want to help increase ...
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Â黨´«Ă˝increases access to early childhood education in the South Okanagan
February 22, 2023
Okanagan College (OC) is opening new spaces for people interested in working in early childhood education, as childcare facilities across the region and British Columbia continue to face staffing challenges. The Early Childhood Education Certificate program starts at OC’s Penticton campus in mid-March and runs through May 2024. The intake will have space for 24 students, adding to the more than 145 Early Childhood Education students studying at Okanagan College in Vernon, Kelowna and Penticton this year. According to the province’...
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Plasma donor drive campaign boosts Â黨´«Ă˝nursing student with $3,000 bursary
February 22, 2023
Okanagan College nursing student Taylor Hubick learned a valuable lesson this year: persistence with plasma donation pays off. Hubick is the recipient of the Canadian Blood Services bursary of $3,000 for her studies in the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program, for recruiting 23 plasma donors between May and October last year. Hubick says she originally got recruited to donate by a friend who was studying on Vancouver Island. “She pulled out of the challenge because she was going travelling, and that’s when I realized I s...
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Community donations support College's trades facility
February 21, 2023
Two recent donations to Okanagan College’s trades training facility are a perfect example of how partnerships with the community continue to benefit students. People taking courses in Okanagan College’s RV Training program are benefitting from donations that allow them to work on equipment that is in use in the industry. GLP Canada and Atlas Trailer both donated an assortment of new appliances including hot water heaters, furnaces and range/oven to the RV Training program. “Thank you to our valued partners in the co...
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College students mentoring high school peers for Sustainable Development Challenge
February 17, 2023
It’s students helping students tackle the biggest issues of our time. Okanagan College (OC) students have joined forces with youth leaders in Grades 8 to 12 in the Central Okanagan to provide mentorship on projects that will impact the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The high school teams are preparing for a local Sustainable Development Challenge event, inspired by the UN initiative, and are able to bounce their ideas and projects off Â黨´«Ă˝students prior to the challenge finale later this month. VIDEO: Â黨´«Ă˝...
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Acclaimed musician brings Songwriting 101 to Â黨´«Ă˝Salmon Arm and Revelstoke
February 16, 2023
Have you ever had a song that you couldn’t get out of your head? An award-winning local musician is presenting a day-long introduction to the craft and joy of songwriting at Okanagan College in Salmon Arm and Revelstoke. Joanne Stacey has spent most of her life working in the music business as a performer, musician, recording artist, and songwriter. On Feb. 25 in Salmon Arm and again on March 11 in Revelstoke, Stacey will be pouring that lifetime of music industry experience and songwriting expertise into a new course: Songwriting ...
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Local couple's Okanagan Dream Rally contribution is a dream come true for Okanagan College students
February 14, 2023
Jason and Laura Norup-Boyer are passionate about education; that’s why when they participated in the auction at the 2022 Okanagan Dream Rally, they requested their $40,000 contribution go to bursaries for Okanagan College students. The Okanagan Dream Rally is a well-established fundraising event hosted by the August Family Foundation. The Rally, which has raised upwards of $3 million for local charities since its inception, pairs special needs children with high-end cars and drivers for the day. Last year’s event drew more than 50...
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