With the demand for skilled labour in the Okanagan and the rest of the province expected to continue growing, a new trades facility in the valley can’t come soon enough.
Work has begun on a $33-million dollar trades building at the Kelowna campus of Okanagan College.
“We are going to be able to provide our students and our staff with a building that is the same high quality as the quality of the instruction they will be receiving,” says Okanagan College President Jim Hamilton.
The province is paying for the bulk of the project but another $7-million is still needed.
On Thursday morning, the college kicked off the “Bright Horizons Buildings for Skills” campaign to raise the remainder of the cash.
“Our province is well aware that we have a skills shortage already in our face but it will get bigger and if we are to prosper we need to attract more people into careers in these areas,” says Hamilton.
The facility will allow for an expansion of trades programs and will increase the number of trades graduates from Okanagan college.
“We will double the space for students. Some new programs will come on. That will be a big help in meeting some local demands in our Okanagan market,” says campaign chair Dennis Gabelhouse.
The project will also mean that trades students will no longer have to take classes off site.
“I think it is great for the students because they can once again feel like they are part of this institution,’ says Hamilton.
Emma Paul is about to graduate from the trades program.
Paul is already working in the automotive field and she credits the college for getting her workforce ready.
She says with a new facility, the trades program will only get bigger and better.
“I think it will help the trades students a lot because the trades students are isolated down in the building so once this new building opens up it will get the crowds into one building, people can mingle people can talk,” says Paul.
Paul’s boss Adam Rich was also on hand this morning.
He’s the General manager of the Sentes Auto group.
He and other dealers have already collectively donated more than 610-thousand dollars towards the campaign.
They a vested interest in the trades program at Okanagan college.
“Finding key employees especially in trades field is absolutely paramount to the success of our business and we certainly rely and trust on Okanagan College’s support to find those employees that we need in our industry,” says Rich.
$2.5-million of the $7-million has already been donated.
If all goes according to schedule, the new trades building will be up and running early in 2016.
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