Okanagan College opens new $2.2 million welding training facility at Penticton campus

Okanagan College officials, students, industry partners and community members gathered at the Penticton campus today to mark the opening of the College’s new $2.2-million, 5,000 square ft. welding facility. Photo courtesy of Okanagan College.

Okanagan College marked the opening of the new $2.2-million, 5,000 square ft. welding facility at the college's Pecticton campus.

The state-of-the-art shop is one of the most advanced and sustainable in the province, informed by extensive input from industry. Before the facility opened, students in Penticton needed to head off campus for welding training.

“In building this facility, we had several goals,” explained Jim Hamilton, president of Okanagan College. “We set out to provide the highest quality learning environment for our trades students and apprentices in the South Okanagan, to build a space that would help to meet the needs of employers in the region, and to further reduce our carbon footprint in Penticton.”

A decade of strong demand for welders in the region, along with opportunities to reduce costs and improve the sustainability factor, spurred the College to build its own purpose-built welding facility on campus.

The new facility will also afford the College enhanced space and flexibility to be able to offer other trades programs on campus.

The facility was designed and built by Okanagan-based builder Faction Projects Inc.

Photo courtesy of Okanagan College.