OKANAGAN
COLLEGE
2018
progress report
20,910 STUDENTS
TOOK A COURSE
IN THE
PAST YEAR
SECOND-LARGEST
TRADES TRAINING INSTITUTION
IN B.C.
91%
OF OC STUDENTS SAY ATTENDING THE COLLEGE HAS
BEEN A GOOD
EXPERIENCE
1,745 ABORIGINAL
STUDENTS
PROVINCIAL
89%
TARGETS FOR
SAY OKANAGAN COLLEGE IS THEIR
EXCEEDED ENROLMENT
13TH YEAR IN A ROW
OF OUR STUDENTS
FIRST CHOICE FOR A POST-SECONDARY
INSTITUTION
LIGHTER FOOTPRINT
In the past 10 years, Okanagan College’s physical footprint has grown by 39 per cent but our overall natural gas use has decreased by 32 per cent. On a per square metre basis, consumption of natural gas has dropped by more than half – 51.7 per cent – in a decade. Electrical consumption dropped by 19 per cent per square metre in the same time period.
COYOTES: CONTENDERS & CHAMPIONS
In their first season of play, the Okanagan College Coyotes men’s and women’s basketball teams faced every member of the Pacific Western Athletic Association (PACWest conference) and earned a spot as the 10th member of the organization – the first new addition in 10 years. The Okanagan College Coyotes baseball team had a tremendous finish to the 2017-18 season, capturing a firstever Canadian College Baseball Conference championship.
Trades building opened in Vernon, 13,450 sq. ft., $6.2 million
2018 HONORARY FELLOWS
Three respected regional residents – Mollie QuilQuil Sneena Bono, Rick Thorpe and Patrick Waunch – were invested in June by the College as Honorary Fellows. Bono was acknowledged for her significant work as an educator and social activist in Vernon, helping advance reconciliation efforts. Thorpe was recognized for his distinguished career as a politician, public servant, volunteer, and fundraiser, while Waunch was acknowledged for his work promoting trades regionally, provincially, and nationally and for his company’s community service.
NEW SPACES FOR LEARNING Passive House Daycare opened in Penticton, 4,200 sq. ft., $1.1 million
Trades Training House opened in Kelowna , 2,700 sq. ft., $1.06 million
WE HAVE THIS TAPED Welding Health
sciences building under construction in Kelowna, 30,000 sq. ft., $18.9 million
building opened in Penticton, 5,000 sq. ft., $2.2 million
Applied research by one of Okanagan College’s Therapist Assistant instructors, Darrell Skinner, in 2017 paid welcome benefits among many of B.C.’s tree planters in 2018. Skinner worked with a physiotherapist, students and treeplanters to develop methods of taping hands and wrists to prevent tendonitis. This summer, the work paid off in the forests and fields: the physiotherapist reported a “staggering difference” in reports of tendonitis among planters. A 14-year veteran planter who had suffered tendonitis every year after planting did not experience it this year as a result of the taping.
STUDENTS CONNECTING TO THE COMMUNITY
Students who belong to Enactus Okanagan College undertake a variety of community-based projects each year, with impressive results. The Shuswap Launch-a-Preneur project, for instance, helped launch 15 businesses in the Salmon Arm area in 2018, bringing to 44 the number of businesses launched since 2012 by the program, which created 93 jobs. The Enactus OC students, operating at each of the College’s four campuses, donated 7,427 hours to various causes.
OH SO SOCIAL
CANNABIS CONNECTION
In June, when Okanagan College was awarding hundreds of credentials to graduates, 9,500-plus family and friends tuned in from around the globe via livestream feeds of the six ceremonies. Posts, tweets, retweets, ads, videos and livestreams of College activities meant more than two million sets of eyes encountered Okanagan College via social media in June alone. And by late October, that number exceeded eight million.
Anticipating the legalization of cannabis in October, Okanagan College developed and began offering an array of courses, focusing on everything from growing your own to employment- and industry-aligned courses. Waitlists led the College to offer additional sections of some courses.
PARTNERSHIP TAKES FLIGHT FOR CAREER SEEKERS
KF Aerospace and Okanagan College worked with the provincial Industry Training Authority and found ways to offer a new intake in September for 16 Aircraft Structural Engineering students at the company’s Kelowna airport facilities. KF has regularly hired entire graduating classes to help meet growing demand in the aerospace industry.
BIGGER THAN EVER
Enrolment at Okanagan College reached an all-time high in September – 13.3 per cent over the previous September – with more students at each campus. A portion of that growth is attributable to more international students: there were 1,393 in fall 2018, up from 876 the previous year. The College’s 2018-19 budget is $112 million.
MASTER-FUL PARTNERSHIP
A new partnership between Okanagan College and École Supérieure D’Agricultures (ESA) in Angers, France allows business students interested in agriculture or viticulture to study for five years (three at OC and two with ESA and partner universities) and receive a bachelor’s degree from OC and a m aster’s degree from ESA in either Vintage or Food Identity.
At its 10th Annual Powwow in September, Okanagan College was gifted an Eagle Staff by Elder Richard Jackson Jr. of the Lower Nicola Indian Band (left) and Noel Ferguson of the Canoe Creek First Nation as a symbol of respect and to recognize the College’s continued efforts to embrace Aboriginal culture and values and support the educational journey of Aboriginal learners.
2018 has seen growth and change as we continue to serve the communities of the region As you look at the numbers in this document, you will notice a tale of continued growth and expansion, whether it is the space associated with new facilities or – more importantly – the number of students choosing Okanagan College for their education. By introducing more intakes for some of our programs, an array of fresh offerings, and an increase to our services, OC is meeting student and community expectations. This year has been remarkable for the 2,000-plus graduates, 1,100 employees, nearly 21,000 students and many friends of the College. New partnerships, initiatives, support for equity-seeking groups and other achievements continue our history of first-rate education and incredible community support, a record which we are proud to share with you.
Christopher Derickson Chair, Okanagan College Board of Governors
Jim Hamilton President, Okanagan College
Keep up with our current news at okanagan.bc.ca/news