Caitlin Hartigan

Caitlin Hartigan is a senior post-secondary executive operating at the nexus of education, industry, and government to transform skilled trades training and address critical workforce shortages across Canada. As the Dean of Trades & Apprenticeship at Okanagan College in Kelowna, British Columbia—and the youngest female Dean of Trades in Canada—she directs a team of 145 faculty and staff members, overseeing vocational programming that supports roughly 2,500 apprentices each year. Throughout her career, which includes past senior administrative roles at Keyano College in Fort McMurray and Northwestern Polytechnic in Grande Prairie, Caitlin has built a reputation as a visionary leader who converts complex systemic challenges into practical, industry-aligned solutions.

A dedicated champion of equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging, Caitlin works to dismantle structural barriers for women and underrepresented groups in industrial careers. Her leadership extends into championing neurodivergent learners and professionals, advocating for inclusive environments that leverage diverse cognitive perspectives to elevate workplace safety, innovation, and operational excellence. To bridge the gap between academic institutions and active job sites, she established four dedicated Industry Steering Committees that align vocational curricula directly with real-time labor market demands. Additionally, she championed a Blue Seal-style entrepreneurship program that equips Red Seal tradespeople with essential business, management, and financial leadership skills to transition successfully into business ownership.

Caitlin’s strategic vision was further highlighted when she led Okanagan College to become the first post-secondary institution in British Columbia certified by the Alberta Boilers Safety Association (ABSA) for B-Pressure welder testing. This achievement eliminated cross-provincial friction, enabling welders to move seamlessly between British Columbia and Alberta while lowering costs for workers and boosting regional labor capacity.

Holding a Master of Business Administration, a Master of Science in International Business, and a Bachelor of Commerce, Caitlin pairs rigorous academic grounding with active industry governance. She serves on the Board of Directors for Skills Canada BC, sits on the Board of the Canadian Coalition of Women in Engineering, Science, Trades and Technology (CCWESTT), and previously served on the Alberta Board of Skilled Trades. A sought-after keynote speaker, mentor, and advocate through organizations like Women Building Futures, Caitlin continues to shape the future of Canadian technical education and workforce development.