Statement attributed to Dr. Neil Fassina, President, Okanagan College
“Okanagan College is in strong support of the measures announced by the B.C. government this morning and appreciates Minister Robinson’s efforts to ensure international students have a positive experience in our province. Post-secondary institutions must be leaders in this space, unrelenting in our commitment to high quality education for all students. At OC, we are very much focused on helping B.C. attract the talent and skills we need in our labour market today, and going into the future.
“Ethical recruitment, student support and fair treatment are essential elements of our international student strategy at Okanagan College. By way of example, OC connects directly with every international student before they leave their home country. We provide orientation sessions online and answer questions from students and families, to help them be prepared and know what to expect. This means that students who come to OC from outside Canada have support from our staff team from the first day we receive their application, right through to their graduation. Okanagan College supports include help navigating their course selection, finding accommodations and making social connections. We also work closely with local community partners to help students new to OC feel welcomed on and off campus. And, we regularly review our program marketing materials to ensure they are accurate and clear.
“Across the Okanagan and the Interior region, employers in many sectors are facing staffing pressures. Just last week I toured a local healthcare facility, where they expect to need three times as many staff in the next 10 to 15 years. Many of these jobs will be filled by students who come from our region and from around B.C., and Okanagan College is absolutely committed to helping people increase their skills to fill in-demand opportunities. At the same time, we are growing our program options in responsible ways to attract bright students from outside of Canada into professions and jobs that are critical in our communities and to our economy.”
