Published 12:45 pm Thursday, October 1, 2026
Okanagan College Kelowna campus.
(Okanagan College)
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There are now more classes for future entrepreneurs at Okanagan College (OC).
According to OC, the courses launch this fall and are designed around what entrepreneurs need to do to move forward with their business or business idea.
Hall School of Business and Entrepreneurship Dean Joe Baker believes the Okanagan has always been built by courageous people with gritty ideas and the relentlessness to persist.
“That’s the kind of entrepreneurship we want to fuel. Not theory for theory’s sake, but technical and durable skills and the confidence to test an idea, get it into the market and build something that scales,” said Baker. “We have an opportunity to contribute to the Okanagan becoming one of Canada’s great entrepreneurship regions, and this programming is part of how we get there.”
The available courses are designed for a wide range of learners who have different needs and schedules and can even be taken online.
The programs include the Start Up Lab: From Concept to Company, the entrepreneur’s toolkit and rural entrepreneur and artisan microcredential.
– The Start Up Lab: From Concept to Company. Beyond basic business theory, learners work through their own concept step by step, intending to build a real business plan that they can execute or a pitch that they’re ready to deliver to potential investors.
– The Entrepreneur’s Toolkit. This series of short, focused workshops, taught by people who have built businesses themselves, lets entrepreneurs pick the skill they need to tackle next, including strategic planning, managing risk, preparing for a sale or navigating growth.
– Rural Entrepreneur and Artisan Microcredential: Designed specifically for rural and community-based realities, helping learners turn a skill, craft or idea into a sustainable income.
According to the director of InspirED Continuing Studies and Corporate Training, Mary Kline, the new offerings are built around the reality that entrepreneurs don’t have a lot of time, but want and need to build skills quickly.
“This is a prime example of what we do with our programs, where we offer flexible, applicable learning for people at every stage of life and career,” explained Kline.
Other short courses are also in development for skilled trades entrepreneurs looking to start, run or grow their own business.
Head to Okanagan College to learn more.
