Selkirk College is launching two new programs aimed at giving students hands-on, job-ready training while responding to local labour market needs.
The college is now accepting applications for a new Entrepreneurship Associate Certificate and a Tourism and Destination Management Diploma for the 2026/27 school year.
Both programs, according to Taya Whitehead, Selkirk’s vice-president of education and students, were developed alongside regional industry trends to ensure they meet local needs.
They also align with the college’s strategic plan, Land Learning and Legacy: Our Path to 2040.
“When we develop programming that aligns directly with our new strategy, it does more than just fill seats. It creates relevant, creative and sustainable learning experiences that meet labour-market needs in our communities,” said Whitehead.
Entrepreneurship program
The eight-month Entrepreneurship Associate Certificate program is geared toward people who already hold a certificate, diploma or degree and want to launch a business or freelance venture.
Whitehead said students will learn strategy, marketing, finance and digital solutions while developing real business ideas, ideally completing the program with a launch-ready business plan.
“Here in the West Kootenay Boundary region, so many of our businesses are small or family-run, and self-employment is really a part of our DNA. So that’s why Selkirk created the new Entrepreneurship Associate Certificate,” she said.
“It helps students turn ideas into real workable business plans, whether they’re in the trades, tech or something totally different.”
The program will accept 24 students at the college’s Castlegar campus. It also ladders into further business studies, with transfer pathways into bachelor’s degree programs in B.C., Alberta and Paris, France.
Tourism and destination management
The new Tourism and Destination Management diploma will focus on sustainable tourism, destination planning, marketing, financial management, guest services and responsible leadership.
Whitehead said the program is unique in its emphasis on place-based learning, environmental stewardship and Indigenous perspectives.
“What’s really special about this program is its focus on place-based learning and Indigenous perspectives. It’s all about preparing new generation of tourism professionals who can innovate, collaborate, and lead in this dynamic growing industry,” said Whitehead.
She said tourism brings in more than $1 billion in revenue to the region each year, and workforce development is critical to sustaining the industry.
“Through our refreshed tourism diploma we’re hoping to keep students local and get them ready for opportunities in a growing sector, building on skills that they can take into really all types of careers.”
The diploma program will accept 30 students at Selkirk’s Tenth Street campus in Nelson. It will begin in the fall of 2027.
Whitehead said the new programs also reflect Selkirk’s efforts to mitigate financial pressures caused by federal restrictions on international student enrolment.
“These two new programs really grew out of areas that were hit hard by the drop in international students and we’ve taken the opportunity to reimagine the programs so they better serve local learners,” she said.
“We’re really looking at the domestic market, connecting more closely with industry, opening up stronger career paths, and creating clear transfer for students who want to move on to degree programs.”
While some intakes for international postgraduate business and tourism programs are suspended, Selkirk continues to offer business, tourism and hospitality programs for domestic students.
“We’re really just excited to be building in areas that our community need and encouraging our local students to stay close to home and study here at Selkirk College,” Whitehead added.
More information on both programs is available on Selkirk College’s website.
Want to get your business noticed? Have you considered advertising through your local radio station? Speak to one of our sales agents and find out how radio advertising can boost your business today. Call 250-365-7600 or email Vista Radio.
link