Okanagan College increases skilled trades training capacity by 256 seats to meet rising demand

Okanagan College in Kelowna will receive 256 additional skilled trades training seats as part of the British Columbia government’s broader “Look West” strategy, which aims to deliver 5,000 new trades seats across the province for the 2026–2027 period. 
According to the announcement, the new training capacity is designed to ease pressure on apprenticeship waitlists, attract more young people into trades careers, and strengthen workforce pipelines in high-demand industries. These include construction and housing, critical minerals, automotive, manufacturing and clean energy—sectors that continue to face sustained labour shortages driven by major infrastructure and industrial projects across the province. 
The province says growing investment in clean energy, critical minerals, construction and transportation is significantly increasing the need for skilled workers, making expanded training capacity essential to support long-term economic development. 
As part of the Look West initiative, British Columbia is also establishing two advisory tables that will bring together senior industry leaders, post-secondary institutions, training providers and organized labour. The goal is to identify workforce requirements, skills gaps and emerging opportunities across key sectors and align training programs accordingly. 
In Kelowna, the expansion carries additional strategic importance due to the city’s position as the third-largest aerospace hub in British Columbia, hosting roughly 18% of the province’s aerospace companies. Skilled trades such as sheet-metal mechanics, welders and electricians are in high demand, not only in aerospace but also across construction, maritime and natural resource industries. 
A separate partnership between Okanagan College and the BPL Legacy Foundation/KF Aerospace is also underway to build a new aerospace training facility. Once completed, it is expected to significantly increase aircraft maintenance engineer training capacity, growing intake from 64 to 144 students per year by 2028. 
“With expanded programming at Okanagan College and a strong aircraft maintenance and manufacturing base, Kelowna is well-positioned to support B.C.’s priorities under the Canadian Defence Industrial Strategy,” the release stated. It also highlighted that local companies such as KF Aerospace, CAE and TerraSense Analytics are already involved in defence-related activities, contributing to opportunities in aircraft maintenance, advanced manufacturing, remote sensing and artificial intelligence.