At each of our campuses in Salmon Arm, Vernon, Kelowna and Penticton, students are back sa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½“ several thousand returning to complete their programs sa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½“ and more than 3,500 beginning something new.

To each one, I extend a sincere welcome and say, with enthusiasm: Congratulations!

Today, the demand by employers for college-educated graduates is at an all-time high. More than 50 per cent of jobs now and for the next decade will require learning that you achieve at a college. This includes programs ranging from aviation mechanics to health care workers, and business accounting to early childhood education sa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½“ the opportunities are as varied as the individuals pursuing them.

The value of a college credential is on the rise, and we need to celebrate that reality and encourage others to do so as well. Choosing to come to OC is a choice well made.

And while this is exciting, itsa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½™s also a challenge to post-secondary institutions like ours to keep up with industry demand for relevant, current and dynamic programming.

Thatsa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½™s why Okanagan College has embraced an  to transform ourselves into what students, employers and communities need now and into the future.

Called sa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½˜,sa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½™ our plan involves building on the strengths of OCsa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½™s 60-plus year history in the region sa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½“ and making it possible for even more people to share in the excitement of coming back to school.

Flexible learning options, including programs that have both online and in-person components, or those that are scheduled in ways that make it possible for learners to continue to work, are just a few examples. Wesa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½™re also adding more short courses and microcredentials to our  throughout the year, as we work to make it easier to upskill or reskill across a range of sectors.

Added to that, Okanagan College partners with employers across the region so that students gain on-the-job experience. The sa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½˜campus-of-everywheresa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½™ approach empowers students to experience learning outside the classroom, while continuing to be supported by the incredible staff team at OC. Likewise, , which launched last year, is available to current students and alumni. That means you can stay connected to OC resources years after you graduate.

The transformation at OC is also visible and includes new buildings at each of our campuses. Over the Labour Day weekend we welcomed people into new student housing facilities in Kelowna and Vernon, with a similar building set to open in Salmon Arm this winter, and a fourth to begin construction next year in Penticton.

In Kelowna, wesa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½™ll see additional changes at the K.L.O. campus as our new Recreation and Wellness Centre is built and work begins on the Centre for Food, Wine and Tourism, slated to open to students in 2027.

Every week I meet . Their stories are inspirational sa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½“ theysa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½™ve started a business, pivoted their career, or are tackling new challenges which were previously out of reach. Isa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½™ve met chefs, engineers, trades professionals, teachers, entrepreneurs, community leaders and others who each have their own story of what their first day of school looked like, and where itsa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½™s taken them now.

So again, I say welcome sa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½“ and congratulations sa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½“ to each person who is here to learn with us at Okanagan College this fall.

Whether yousa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½™re taking those first steps into a classroom, or yousa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½™re joining online or in the workplace sa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½“ wesa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½™re as excited as you are to be here. The value of what yousa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½™re about to learn and where it will take you is absolutely on the rise.

Waysa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½™, Weytkp, Welcome!