Photo: Contributed
Aja Zenuik is one of more than 2,000 Okanagan College students who will graduate during the institution’s first online convocation ceremony on Saturday.
The Okanagan Falls resident completed the esthetics and nail technology certificate program at the college, and she is already working in the industry at a salon in her hometown.
“I find that people feel better once they come into the salon for a treatment,” Zenuik said in a press release. “Helping provide that boost to their confidence is rewarding.”
Zenuik will always remember her experience at Okanagan College, as it started with everyone together before transforming into both online and in-class learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic. And now she will be graduating virtually, although she was able to gather with some of her classmates during a physically distanced ceremony in June at the Vernon campus.
“The transition to online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic challenged us to come up with innovative ways of teaching these hands-on techniques,” instructor Sherri McCarthy said. “Our focus on helping students adapt and grow throughout the program has helped us create a blended program that works, even when we’re not in the classroom together.”
As for the esthetics and nail technology certificate program, continuing studies associate director Jennifer Gorman said it is delivering work-ready graduates.
“Demand for training within the ESNT program at OC has been high,” Gorman said. “With 90 per cent of our recent graduates employed in the spa industry, students are taking their training and transforming their experiences into meaningful work and business opportunities.”
Okanagan College’s pre-recorded virtual ceremony can be seen here beginning at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday.
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