Photo: Sprott Shaw College

Dozens of graduates celebrated completing months of hard work at Sprott Shaw College on Wednesday, walking the stage and into their next phase.

Practical nursing students, healthcare assistants, early childhood education students, medical unit clerk students and community support workers will all be entering the work field.

Zola Goebel, the director of the Penticton campus of Sprott Shaw College said with it being their 120th anniversary, it was exciting to see such a large grad class.

"They are off to all corners of our community. I know some of the practical nursing students are looking at travel medicines so they could be literally running around the province filling in gaps and spaces where needed," she added.

"I think the impact that they're gonna make is that much needed valued employee out there as we look at, especially in the industries like early childhood education, where there aren't enough workers."

With a constant need for more staff in many of their graduate programs, Goebel said this is a key time to have more qualified workers.

"In the nursing programs and the health care system programs, they're looking at what are their needs these days. Something like they need 4000 nurses across the province, 4000 plus, so we're a drop in the bucket. But every drop helps to fill that gap."

Twelve students are graduating from the nursing program at Sprott Shaw College this year.

"The industry is stressed, I think the industry is in need of generally more workers," Goebel said.

"We're starting our nursing program again in the fall, hoping to get more people interested in it now that we have moved back to on-ground, so it is on campus so we've moved offline. So there is that one on one with our classmates, one on one with their instructors and just preparing them for what the industry has in mind for them once they graduate."

Goebel added that the college is always hoping and looking at new programs coming down the pipe that will serve the community.

"I know there's some exciting things coming down the pipe and it's based on industry needs or community needs."

Goebel gave her heartfelt congratulations to the 2022/2023 classes.

"The guest speaker last night said 'your accomplishments have a ripple effect. Not only have they changed you, but if you're a nurse, think about that patient that you'll know care for. You've changed them. Think about that with seniors, if you're a healthcare assistant that you help, you've changed them and their families," she said.

"Their graduation has such a huge impact that they don't even realize. And again, we're just so very proud of them all."

Photo: Sprott Shaw College