Posted on February 16, 2021

VCC joins prestigious list of BC’s Top Employers

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Vancouver Commuinty College (VCC) has been recognized as one of BC's Top Employers. The organizers of the 16th annual competition announced the list Feb. 16, which includes employers such as Save-On Foods, City of Vancouver, and UBC.

BC's Top Employers is a special designation that recognizes companies and organizations in the province that lead their industries in offering exceptional places to work.

"I am so proud of the employees and leadership at VCC and this award from BC Top Employers is well deserved," says Darlene Hodgson, Associate Director, Human Resources at VCC. "The VCC community is so special and our staff and faculty take a huge amount of pride in their work. It means a lot to us to be recognized in this way."

In this competition, participants are compared to other organizations in their field to determine which offer the most progressive and forward-thinking programs. The annual competition is open to any employer with its head office in British Columbia. This is the first time VCC has entered.

"At VCC, we often focus on the achievements of our excellent students, programs, and graduates; this acknowledgement from BC's Top Employers is something we are very proud of and reflects the wonderful work all our employees bring to VCC every day," says Ajay Patel, VCC president and CEO. "It also speaks to the culture of care and community that makes VCC such a special place to work."

VCC's labour partners agree with the recognition for the college. "This honour speaks to our strong collective agreements, culture of collaboration, and dedication to doing our best for our students and colleagues," says Taryn Thomson, president of the VCC Faculty Association.

Stepping up in 2020

Employers were evaluated by the editors at Canada's Top 100 Employers using the same criteria as the national competition:

  • Physical workplace
  • Work atmosphere and social
  • Health, financial, and family benefits
  • Vacation and time off
  • Employee communications
  • Performance management
  • Training and skills development
  • Community involvement

For this year's competition, B.C.'s leading employers also stepped up with strong and comprehensive responses to keep employees safe and help protect the community during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"The practical and timely responses we saw in British Columbia included organizing task forces and committees to spearhead organizational response and coordinate important tasks, such as safety and mitigation protocols for essential workers," says Richard Yerema, Managing Editor of the Canada's Top 100 Employers project. "Clear lines of communication and accountability have enabled these employers to create positive outcomes – even in the face of the pandemic's daunting challenges."

See the full list of BC's Top Employers and read VCC's feature story in the BC's Top Employers special magazine.