Belonging through sport
March 11, 2025
Having grown up in small-town Manitoba, Ryan Powers knew everyone. So, at 17 years old, he remembers how daunting it felt to move out of the comforts of his hometown to Kelowna, where he really didn’t know anyone, to attend À¦°óSM (OC).Powers recalls that what made the transition easier was knowing he would be joining the OC Coyotes baseball team.“At my first practice I met 50 of my best friends,†recalls Powers, who has been playing on the Coyotes baseball team for three years while pursuing a bachelor of business adminis...
Read more...
À¦°óSM takes ACTION to support women in trades
March 7, 2025
À¦°óSM (OC) and the Government of Canada have partnered to support female apprentices with a new mentorship and education program aimed at increasing opportunities for females to enter the trades and complete their Red Seal certification.À¦°óSM is receiving $873,000 over three years from the Government of Canada to support women in the skilled trades through the ACTION project: Apprenticeship Completion and Networking.The project will support retention and progression of female apprentices in construction and man...
Read more...
Doors Open at OC events welcome communities across the region
March 6, 2025
After successfully wrapping up its student-focused Open Houses, À¦°óSM (OC) is keeping its doors open and welcoming the broader community to its campuses through a new series of Doors Open at OC events. These events are designed to welcome everyone — from alumni and families to local businesses and curious community members — offering a behind-the-scenes look at OC’s campuses, programs, and learning spaces.“At OC, we believe that education should be accessible, welcoming and supportive for every learner, no matter the...
Read more...
Women leaders the focus of trades and construction technology event at OC Penticton
March 6, 2025
As president of the Canadian À¦°óSM Builders Association, a Red Seal carpenter, project manager, interior designer and president of her own design and building company, Krista Paine knows first-hand how to thrive in the construction industry.Paine will share her story and join other women professionals at the Women in Architecture, Construction and Engineering Summit at À¦°óSM’s Penticton campus this Friday (Mar. 7), in celebration of International Women’s Day.Hard work and determination combined with good training have allo...
Read more...
Hundreds of students converge on OC for Skills Regionals.
March 4, 2025
Sparks flew, culinary creations delighted, and engineering expertise were on display as 225 competitors converged on the Kelowna campus for the 2025 Skills Canada BC Regional Trades and Technologies and Spaghetti Bridge Building competitions on Friday, Feb. 28.Eight Central Okanagan students in grades 7 to 9 have now advanced to the 2025 Skills Nationals in Abbotsford.Students worked on projects as part of their school curriculum and then came to À¦°óSM and took part in a timed competition."I learned quite a bit from ...
Read more...
Message from Dean of Arts and Foundational Programs Judith Anderson
February 27, 2025
Message from Dean of Arts and Foundational Programs Judith Anderson:Adult Upgrading resets, with a focus on student access and program sustainability region-wide For many people, À¦°óSM offers an alternative pathway to post-secondary education or a new career. Part of our identity as an institution is that we strive to be accessible and welcoming to students, regardless of how a student learns or what their previous educational experience has been. This is especially true in our Adult Upgrading (AU) department, w...
Read more...
Skills Regionals and Spaghetti Bridge at À¦°óSM February 26, 2025
February 26, 2025
Members of the media are invited to attend the Skills Regionals 2025 event, including the annual Spaghetti Bridge competition, at À¦°óSM’s Kelowna campus this Friday. Over 200 school students from across the Okanagan Valley will take part in skills building events in carpentry, welding, culinary, engineering and architecture, introducing them to the À¦°óSM. When: Friday, Feb. 28, 2025Most competitions start at 10 a.m.Spaghetti Bridge: Bridge building 10 a.m. to noon. Judging at noon.Closing ceremony a...
Read more...
Message from OC President Neil Fassina
February 24, 2025
Message from OC President Neil Fassina:As everyone across our college community is aware, post-secondary institutions across the country are facing a degree of uncertainty right now. À¦°óSM is no exception.Although OC enjoys a strong history in this region – of over sixty years – we are feeling the impacts of new federal immigration policies, rising costs and unknowns in the economy, and changing student enrolment.When our enrolment goes up and it is possible to add capacity, we expand by hiring team members and creating n...
Read more...
Gear up for adventure this summer with Camp OC
February 21, 2025
For many families, Camp OC is more than just a summer camp — it’s a welcoming and inspiring community where kids can explore their interests, build confidence and experience hands-on learning in a college environment. Axelle Bazett, a Kelowna parent, shares how Camp OC has become a vital part of her son’s summer experience.“We’re now headed into our fourth year of registering our nine-year-old son to enjoy his summers at Camp OC,†said Bazett. “He loves the engaging camps, especially Minecraft, Lego Robotics, Drama Llama and O...
Read more...
Camp OC in Penticton: “Safe and supportive†Spring Break edition
February 14, 2025
À¦°óSM is thrilled to announce the launch of its first-ever Spring Break kids’ camps in Penticton, bringing innovative and engaging educational experiences to local youth during the upcoming break.For many families, activity camps are more than just a way to keep kids active during the break — they’re an opportunity for growth, learning, and confidence building. For Isabella Tamayo, Camp OC provided exactly that.Last summer in Penticton, Isabella attended the Survivor and Babysitting camps where she discovered new interest...
Read more...