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Jay Charleyboy with his daughters (l to r) Skylah, Lexus, and Justice.
NEW PROGRAMS
FROM IN-DEMAND TRADES TO ONLINE HEALTH For Jay Darwin Charleyboy, a member of the Ulkatcho First Nation, the College’s new Construction Craft Worker Aboriginal Bridging program allowed him to accomplish two goals. It brought him one step closer to his dream of becoming a Red Seal-certified tradesperson. It also gave the single father of three a chance to demonstrate to his daughters the importance of lifelong learning. “One of the reasons I enrolled was to show my children that we should always strive to better ourselves in life,” says Charleyboy, who moved from the community near Williams Lake to the Okanagan a few years ago. “I plan to continue on to Level 2 of the program, complete my apprenticeship, and keep building a better life for myself and my daughters.” Charleyboy is well on his way to accomplishing both goals—and more. He’s also helping others do the same. After graduating from the program in June 2016, he was hired on by a local First Nations construction company based in West Kelowna. He then reached out to the College and signed on as a peer mentor for the next intake of students, which launched in September.
Another collaborative success story came in the development of the new Gastroenterology Nursing Certificate program. The College launched the program last October, after consultation with Interior Health and the Canadian Society of Gastroenterology Nurses and Associates revealed a clear need for new talent in one of the nursing’s quickest growing specializations. Shirley Pope is among the first graduates of the program. A neonatal nursing veteran of 15 years, Pope decided to forgo retirement in favour of the chance to make a difference in this increasingly important field. The decision proved to be a good one. Pope considers it a new calling. “It’s been a wonderful thing for me,” she says. “I love the new challenge. It’s a specialty that’s definitely growing, and it’s one that requires a great deal of education.” For Pope, the best news of all came just after completing her practicum when she was offered employment on the Gastroenterology unit at Kelowna General Hospital. She says a number of her classmates are also working on the unit.
“Being able to train with other Aboriginal students, in an allAboriginal setting, and having access to a peer mentor was a great benefit to me,” explains Charleyboy. “I’m proud and excited to support others on their journey through the program.” The Construction Craft Worker Aboriginal Bridging (CCWAB) is one of a number of new programs launched by the College in 2015-16. It’s a collaborative program that runs in concert with local bands and construction sector employers.
The second intake of the Construction Craftworker Aboriginal Bridging (CCWAB) program kicked off at the Westbank First Nation Community Centre in September 2016.
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