Voyager RV gives back, sees bright future for technicians in B.C.

Okanagan College Media Release

The Okanagan’s largest dealer of “homes away from home” has made a major donation towards the new home for learning students at B.C.’s second largest trades training institution.

Voyager RV has donated $30,000 to support the construction of a bright new student space in the trades training complex at Okanagan College’s Kelowna campus.

“We jumped at the chance to be part of building a facility that will make students proud and excited to learn their trade,” says Voyager’s Vice President Jason Friesen.

“I think the College is doing wonderful work to remind people that there are bright futures in the trades. Tradespeople are vital to so many businesses like ours in the Okanagan and all over the province.”

A completely renovated, state-of-the-art 6,302 sq./ft. RV shop is now in operation. The entire new complex is slated to open doors to students by the end of the month and will provide the College with room to train more than 2,600 students each year.

“Support from industry and the community has helped make this building a reality,” says the College’s Dean of Trades and Apprenticeship Steve Moores. “We thank Voyager RV for supporting so many of our graduates over the years and now for this generous investment in our new facilities.”

Friesen says the demand for RV technicians remains strong, noting that Voyager is already experiencing peak season traffic early in the year.

“Every year we keep adding technicians who have gone through the College’s RV program. We’ll be relying on these graduates for our workforce for the future as our business continues to expand.”

The Winfield company has grown by leaps and bounds since Friesen’s father Rod set up shop 1984 with one employee and a handful of consignment RVs scoured from around the valley.

Today, the business employs between 45-50 people depending on the season—including more than a dozen alumni of Okanagan College, from the RV Service Technician program to the Women in Trades Training program. About a year and a half ago, Voyager added a brand new six bay service shop to keep up the demand for both sales and servicing of the RVs and to house its growing team of technicians.

As the company has grown, so too has Voyager’s connection to the community.

“We’ve been fortunate to be able to do this for the last 34 years, due to the incredible people in the valley here who have supported our business. So we like to give back to local causes whenever we can.

“This was a particularly special opportunity. It has been amazing to watch the building come together and to know that something we supported will endure and benefit students in the Okanagan for many, many years to come.”

When completed this spring, the $33-million renovation and expansion of Trades shops and classrooms at the Kelowna campus will cap off one of Okanagan Colleges largest ever capital construction projects. In addition to more space for students, the project will see older, less efficient facilities replaced with more sustainable, energy-efficient spaces.

The provincial government has committed $28-million to the project. The Okanagan College Foundation is currently embarked on a $7-million fundraising campaign to raise an additional $5-million for capital construction and $2-million for program and student support.

More information about the campaign and opportunities to get involved is available at www.okanagan.bc.ca/campaign.