Okanagan College and the Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association (TOTA) have collaborated to create a new Hospitality Professional Program, made for students anywhere in the Thompson-Okanagan-Shuswap regions.
The new program is being created because of a decline in the hospitality and tourism sector because of a decreasing youth population and an aging workforce. According to a 2019 BC Tourism HR document, unprecedented challenges within the hospitality sector has been exacerbated the past couple of years because of a record number of people retiring and a reliance on workers aged 15-24, which numbers are steadily decreasing.
The 17-week online course is followed by nine weeks of work experience in the students' local community.
“This new program at Okanagan College supports our Future Ready Plan and shows how working together with the local industry can both support people who are looking for training to advance in their careers, and help businesses find much needed skilled workers," said Anne Kang, the minister of advanced education and skills training.
Students in Kelowna, Penticton and Salmon Arm began their courses in the Hospitality Professional Program in October. The online offering is accessible to students throughout the region while industry partners will take the training to a hands-on model for the work experience portion.
"Since the classroom work can be done online and the work experience is completed in the students’ home community, this program is accessible to many people throughout our region," said OC President Neil Fassina. "You don’t have to live in Kelowna to participate."
The program will bundle several different OC courses together, while the area of studies include computer skills, management, leadership training, human resources as well as industry certificates. Those certificates include Serving it Right, FoodSafe, Hospitality Service training and the Basic Accounting Certificate.
If you are interested in registering for the program, you can do so here.
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