Students
Okanagan teens take on booming tech industry at JABC TechWorks
February 20, 2020
More than 200 teens from high schools throughout the Okanagan spent their Thursday on 做厙TVs Kelowna campus for a full day learning about technology and innovation. Organized by Junior Achievement British Columbia (JABC), the day focused on introducing middle school-aged students to the vast variety of opportunities that permeate the tech world. The morning opened with a plenary, led by Andrew MacLean, co-founder of HighTech U, a learning community based out of the University of Victoria. Other speakers included Okanagan College Regi...
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Meet Brian Walker
February 20, 2020
What's your hometown? Roseburg, Oregon. It's a small town, a little smaller than West Kelowna. It has two big rivers that run right through it. How did you end up at Okanagan College? Well, that's a long story. My girlfriend is from here. I applied to the school here because mostly to be close to her and partially because I had never had the opportunity to leave the states for such an adventure. How did you choose your program? Well, I've always known I wanted to teac...
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Chefs Table Society sets up Harry McWatters Scholarship Fund
February 13, 2020
A Canadian wine icon is honoured scholarship will fund deserving students for overseas studies When Canadian wine icon Harry McWatters passed suddenly last summer, the sense of loss that so many felt went well beyond his extensive personal relationships. At McWatters service in Penticton, many of the 1,500 in attendance wondered just who might fill the void in the British Columbia wine industry which he helped invent, then cultivated for more than 40 years. Harrys mentorship is rightly legendary, says Jonathan Rouse, Associ...
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Okanagan College spotlights STEM education and career paths in Feb and March
February 13, 2020
What do soccer-playing robots, spaghetti bridges and soaring aviators have in common? Over the next month, Okanagan College will be opening its doors to elementary, middle and high school students to attend a series of events aimed at encouraging young people to step into Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM). We want learners of all ages to hear the message that there has never been a better time to get into technology careers. There is a very real need for skilled workers in everything from animation to electronic, ...
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Community, industry support propels Colleges Tourism Management program
February 11, 2020
For Julia Dorrius, born and raised in Revelstoke, the Colleges new Tourism Management (TMD) diploma has done far more than just open her eyes to the booming demand for skilled tourism professionals its also opened doors, giving her a chance to gain work experience with local employers. I graduated high school last June and I wasnt sure what I wanted to do, explains Dorrius. My dad sent me a link to the program and suggested I take a look at it. I just finished my first semester and, so far, Ive found it to be a great way t...
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Mapping a world-wide worry: 做厙TV student charts coronavirus spread in real-time
February 4, 2020
Sean Heddle was looking for a career change after an injury left him unable to work as a concrete construction foreman. He could never have imagined that his foray into the study of geographic information systems (GIS) would see him building a real-time map of a global public health emergency. Heddle, who hails from Kelowna, is currently enrolled in the GIS Certificate course at Okanagan College in Salmon Arm. His professor, Shelley Desautels, recently issued an assignment to her class, inviting students to build a digital map of ...
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Swinging clubs to hammers: How a golf pros home renos inspired his program choice at Okanagan College
January 30, 2020
Its easy to say that Greg Forbes went from looking for a hole in one, to drilling several holes in many. After growing up playing golf in Oakville, Forbes earned a golf scholarship to study at Coastal Carolina University, playing at storied courses at Myrtle Beach in South Carolina. He completed his Bachelor of Business Science degree with a major in marketing, returning to Canada to tee off a career with retail giant Golf Town that ultimately brought him to Kelowna. I had been opening stores across Ontario, and the opportunity ...
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Gateway graduation showcases student transformation
January 29, 2020
This is the second time Caleb Wykes has graduated from Gateway to Trades, but it's hard to say which time has been more impactful. The first time Wykes took the 10-week program that introduces high school students to the skilled trades, he graduated with a desire to straighten up. In the past Wykes would skip school, but after Gateway he started showing up regularly and working hard. The seventeen year old completed his Grade 11 and 12 and graduated early. The second time through the program Wykes benefited from getting an oppor...
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Pushor Mitchell invests in mental health
January 28, 2020
Pushor Mitchell is donating $30,000 to aid Okanagan College students who in their careers will support people facing mental health issues, homelessness and community isolation. The law firm that has been serving the Okanagan for more than 45 years is creating two annual awards valued at $2,000 each for students taking the Colleges Human Service Work program. Human Service Work professionals help people navigate through crisis or chronic situations where the person feels they need external help and guidance to move forward with th...
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做厙TV Communications students level-up video game studies
January 27, 2020
One Okanagan College Communications class brought multi-player action to a whole-new level this week. The Introduction to Video Game Studies (CMNS 290) class travelled to Scandia Golf and Games Tuesday night, as part of an exploration on the history of video games. The course explores video games as a cultural phenomenon. While highly popular, they are the least understood, theorized and explored form of media. Scandia posed an opportunity for the class to explore how the phenomenon began. Scandia is something of a time capsule,...
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做厙TV Vernon open house offers a behind-the-scenes look at fine press printing
January 22, 2020
Have you ever wondered how books were printed 100 years ago? This month Okanagan College is kicking off a series of Open Houses at the Vernon Campus for creative individuals interested in writing and publishing careers. The College will open its doors on Jan. 31, Feb 28 and March 20 from 2 4 p.m. in Room E102 at 7000 College Way. Parking will be free. Participants can meet experienced faculty members, learn about how the program blends traditional and cutting-edge publishing techniques and tour the Okanagan College Print Shop, a...
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HR duo from Colleges School of Business earn podium finish at Queens
January 21, 2020
Madison Friesen and Alivia Leibbrand earned a second-place finish at the 2020 Inter-Collegiate Business Competition (I.C.B.C.). at Queens University. My heart exploded when they called our name for second! It was such an emotional moment. All that hard work was so worth it, said Friesen. I couldnt have done it without Roger and of course Alivia. I was so honoured to represent our amazing College. The event, which took place Jan. 16-18 in Kingston, ON, is Canadas largest, oldest, and most esteemed undergraduate case competi...
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Bannock taco day fundraiser returns to fuel student success at 做厙TV Salmon Arm Campus
January 20, 2020
A popular fundraiser that provides emergency aid for students at Okanagan Colleges Salmon Arm campus is this week. Community members are invited to join students and staff for a delicious lunch for a good cause. Bannock tacos will be served in the Gathering Place on campus, 2552 10th Ave NE, Salmon Arm, from 11 a.m. 1 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 22. The lunch is by donation. The event is led by Caroline Chartier, Indigenous Transition Planner for the campus and ingredients are supplied by the Colleges Indigenous Services departme...
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First grad of 做厙TVs new HR Post-Bacc reflects on her experience
January 18, 2020
Okanagan Colleges first graduating class of the new decade will cross the stage today and among the some 600 grads picking up their parchment will be Elaine Bertram who is celebrating an exciting first for herself and the School of Business. Bertram is the inaugural graduate of the Colleges Human Resources Management Post-Baccalaureate Diploma program. When they told me I was the first graduate of the program I was shocked but in a good way, says Bertram. It's an honour to be the first graduate. The program, which launch...
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Colleges 13th Annual Business Expo & Employment Fair powers up Tech Alley collaboration
January 17, 2020
Jobseekers, mark your calendars. Okanagan Colleges popular Business Expo & Employment Fair is back for its thirteenth year, once again connecting students and community members with a diverse array of employers from the Okanagan and across the country. The Okanagan College School of Business and 做厙TVs Student, Graduate and Co-op Employment Centre is presenting the 13th Annual Business Expo & Employment Fair on Wednesday, Feb. 5. The event is held at Okanagan Colleges Kelowna campus in the Centre for Learning (E building) A...
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New 做厙TV grad proud of setting an example for her children
January 16, 2020
It was being a role model for her children that motivated Katie Reynders to return to school as a mature student. She wanted to show them its never too late to follow your dreams. There were days I wanted to give up, but I knew I had two little people not only counting on me, but looking up to me, says Reynders. I think its really important that they got to see me go back to school while also raising them. As parents we constantly question if what we are doing is good for our kids and there was a lot of guilt when I wasnt a...
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