About
Founded in 1965, Vancouver Community College has earned a strong and well-deserved reputation for its commitment to community, its student-centred approach, its award-winning faculty, and its range of access and applied career programming. The College strives to create new opportunities and offer enriched educational experiences for all of its students, with its fundamental mission being to offer students a first choice for innovative, experiential learning for life. With a majority of academic programs, at all levels, offering practicum and/or work experience, Vancouver Community College constantly strives to achieve this mission.
Located in the heart of the city, Vancouver Community College offers academic, cultural, and social environments that inspire relevant real-world training. Its on-campus facilities – including gourmet restaurants, an auto shop, and the College’s newly renovated salon and spa – allow students to hone their skills and training while providing high-quality lower-cost services to the Downtown and East Vancouver communities.
Vancouver Community College is proud to inspire a new generation of students to discover their passions, gain essential skills, and learn what it takes to succeed in a competitive workforce. With over 15,000 students, including a growing number of Indigenous and International learners, 1100 employees and an annual budget of $105 million, the school is a key player in the post-secondary landscape in British Columbia. Its connections to industry ensures that students have direct access to employers while its model of access and partnerships across the post-secondary sector assist students to reach their goals at any stage of their educational journey.
Why Vancouver Community College - Downtown
- Location: Vancouver is one of the most beautiful cities in the world and a great place to experience the rich culture and lifestyle of the Canadian West coast. It is a go-to spot for many international students.
- Small Classes: Students will get personal attention from instructors and will have the opportunity to interact with classmates.
- Industry Connections: Students will develop job-ready and academic skills that can be applied in the real world. The College has strong partnerships with various businesses and industries.
- Top-Rated Instructors: Vancouver Community College’s instructors are highly qualified experts with real world experience in their fields of expertise. Many have won national awards.
College Diploma - Hospitality Management
Employment areas may include positions within the hotel and restaurant industries or in related fields, such as the cruise ship and assisted living industries, sport management, event management, convention services, meeting planning and services, and human resources management. In addition, a number of graduates may embrace the spirit of entrepreneurship by conceiving, developing, and implementing a business of their own.
College Diploma - Cosmetology
The Hairstylist Certificate program is designed to meet the training needs of the Industry and the required training objectives established by the Industry Training Authority (ITA). The Hairstylist program provides a wide range of student learning opportunities in the classroom, salon and workplace settings. Students will gain hands-on practical experience working with clients in the VCC Salon and Spa.
Industry work experience provides students with additional opportunities to apply their knowledge and technical skills in a workplace setting. Classroom instruction is designed for students to develop theoretical knowledge and practical skills which will be applied for success in the VCC Salon and Spa.
Active student learning and participation is emphasized throughout the program to promote the development of knowledge, technical skills and professional behaviour required for success in the industry. Lectures, demonstrations, group work, peer assessment, reflective journaling, and project based learning strategies are used throughout the program to promote student leaning.
Practical training is conducted in a fully equipped spa where treatments are offered as to the public, providing authentic industry experience preceded by the necessary theory. Work practicum offers students spa industry work experience, opportunities to practice knowledge and skills learned at the college and potential for employment.