Those attending Okanagan College’s Career Fair on Nov. 4 will get more than future career or educational insights, they’ll leave with knowledge about the budding local cannabis industry.
Cannabis is now legal in Canada and the new legislation has brought new questions, that will be addressed in a session at OC’s Career Fair by industry expert Lyle Oberg, the Corporate Project Management Officer of Flowr, a local cannabis cultivator company located in Lake Country.
“We’re passionate about getting involved with Okanagan College because it helps bring our communities together and build for the future,” said Oberg. “Flowr is not going anywhere. We’re staying in the region, we’re looking for local employees and we’re only getting bigger.”
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Oberg will give an hour-long presentation to current and prospective College students about cannabis career opportunities in the Okanagan at noon during the College’s Career Fair in Rm. E202 in the Centre for Learning (E) building.
“Ninety-five per cent of our employees are local and we have a substantial need for even more employees in a wide variety of positions,” said Oberg. “That’s one of the interesting parts of this industry, we need office administrators, business people, cultivators, managers, trimmers, marketers, and more, all the way up to PhD researchers – this industry is really limitless.”
Flowr has been in operation for almost a year and within that time has already hired 120 full- and part-time employees and is preparing to double that number within the next six to eight months.
Attendees are encouraged to bring questions to the presentation.
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“The Okanagan has been an epicentre of cannabis for years and I’m hoping to shed some light on the exciting careers you can have in this industry,” said Oberg. “I imagine there are a lot of people out there with questions and I’m happy to take the time and really get to the bottom of things with them.”
Okanagan College made headlines last fall when it became one of the first in the sector nationally to implement a Cannabis course – The Emerging Marijuana Industry – through its School of Business. It now offers several courses through the Continuing Studies department including Growing your Own Cannabis, Pest Management, Cannabis Legislation, Business Fundamentals and more. An upcoming course on Cannabis Retail Sales is also being developed.
“This is a dynamic industry and the courses we have developed bring a unique hands-on educational experience for students – not just theory,” said Dennis Silvestrone, director of Continuing Studies and Corporate Training at Okanagan College. “Our goal is to provide education that is ahead of the curve and provides insight into this unfolding market.”
The College’s 37th annual Career Fair on Nov. 4 offers high school and post-secondary students the opportunity to explore potential career paths and connect with more than 50 employers across a range of industries. It is the Interior’s longest-running career expo that attracts hundreds of prospective students every year.
Attendees are also treated to post-secondary preparatory seminars, tours, activities, program information and draw prizes. The event will run from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Kelowna campus, 1000 KLO Rd.
Admission and parking are free for Career Fair.
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