One of the Okanagan's largest auto dealers is making a major investment in the future of trades training in the valley.
Sentes Automotive, which employs 265 people at six dealerships from Penticton to Vernon, pledged $50,000 toward the Bright Horizons Building for Skills fundraising campaign to support a student study space in the new trades tower currently under construction at the college's KLO Road campus in Kelowna.
Adam Rich, Sentes general manager, said it's important to give back to the community in ways that can help transform people's lives, and supporting education can have a large impact.
“Our company recognizes the impact that new trades students and apprentices have, not only on our business, but on the industry as a whole throughout the Okanagan,” said Rich. “We see the skills and the energy these young people bring to the table, and we’re proud to support their training.”
The new complex will allow the college to train over 2,400 foundation students and apprentices every year, which will help further establish this region as a hub for trades training, according to Okanagan College president Jim Hamilton.
“We are very grateful to local industry leaders like Sentes Automotive who are helping us build for the future, and personally to Adam Rich for his efforts as a champion for the campaign out in the community,” said Hamilton.
The Sentes Automotive donation has special significance for Rich, who is volunteering his time as automotive sector chair for the campaign. Rich said saw the need to help raise awareness and ensure that the community understands the importance of trades training, given the demand in the Okanagan.
Rich says the buzz around the campaign has been very positive since it was announced, especially among auto dealers. The Kelowna Auto Dealers Association’s pledge of $10,000 was one of the early donations that helped to kick off the campaign and dealerships throughout the valley have collectively provided over $600,000 to date.
“It is great forethought on the college’s part to make this expansion now, with all the projections pointing to a shortage in skilled labour over the next decade,” said Rich. “Our group has experienced times when technicians were hard to find; sometimes the demand is such that they can’t be trained fast enough—so it’s wonderful that the college is being mindful of this and is expanding to meet the need.”
The Bright Horizons Building for Skills fundraising campaign for the $33-million complex renovation and expansion project launched in October 2014 with a goal of raising $5 million for capital construction costs and $2 million for program and student support. The provincial government has committed $28 million to the project.
Okanagan College is currently the second largest trades training institution in B.C. When completed in spring of 2016, the new complex will be one of the largest, most sustainable trades training facilities in Western Canada. To learn more about the campaign’s current needs and opportunities to get involved, please visit www.okanagan.bc.ca/campaign.