Olds College (OC) has been awarded a silver Award of Excellence in Entrepreneurship from the World Federation of Colleges and Polytechnic Schools (WFCP).
The entrepreneurship award recognizes institutions that demonstrate excellence in integrating entrepreneurship into academic curriculum and/or implemented innovative entrepreneurial activities.
It was presented in Brazil last month.
That's not the first time the college has received hardware for its work in that area.
In 2014, the WFCP presented OC with the 2014 Gold Award of Excellence for its approach to shared leadership in an entrepreneurial culture.
OC president Tom Thompson is pleased and humbled to see the college get such recognition for its efforts.
“At Olds College, we work hard to create a culture of innovation. As a result, entrepreneurship is embedded into everything we do,” he says.
“From our Spirit of Entrepreneurship App focused on providing training to all our students, to our learning enterprises and entrepreneurial partnerships; we take pride in being a leader in entrepreneurship and are honoured to be recognized by the WFCP. Innovation lives here."
Entrepreneurship is integrated across the OC campus using four main pillars: Training, Business Support, Learning Enterprises and Entrepreneurial Partnerships.
Under the training pillar, all students who intend to graduate must complete the Spirit of Entrepreneurship – a gamified entrepreneurship iPad app. Business, turf and horticulture programs are integrated, with industry providing students the opportunity to work with small businesses.
OC also works to provide students with support in starting their own business. That's done through assistance in business planning.
They also get access to commercialization expertise via the Central Alberta Regional Innovation Network and the ATREK business incubator, a fund created to provide grants up to $5,000 for access to Olds College expertise, facilities and equipment.
Learning enterprises on campus include the National Meat Processing Centre and the college teaching brewery retail stores that provide students with experience in running a business.
Entrepreneurial partnerships have allowed the college to expand programming and build new facilities.
The joint venture between OC and the Chinook's Edge School Division to create the Community Learning Campus (CLC) is one example of how entrepreneurial partnerships have helped grow the campus. Another is the partnership between the college and College Housing (Olds) Co. to build the new on-campus residence, Centennial Village.
OC recently partnered with Arlene Dickinson's new business accelerator, District Ventures, providing students an invaluable opportunity to work with District Ventures member companies. Olds College is also supporting new entrepreneurs at District Ventures through the Entrepreneurial Legacy Fund.
