Opening supportive housing project with Kelowna Mayor Walter Gray
Clark with West Kelowna Food Bank executive director Lenetta Parry.
She says she wants to be sure that UBC Okanagan and Okanagan College are providing the grads required by tech industries, but she also sees the need for curriculum changes at the high school level.
“We need to make sure we are delivering a curriculum for kids in high school, an animation curriculum for example, that would be specifically applicable to the jobs that you can get at Disney here,” she says. “Those kids can go from high school with very little post-secondary education and go straight into a job, if that’s what they want to do. Buy a home, start their life, get married, have kids—all those things right out of high school, we should be making that possible.”
It’s the marriage of post-secondary institutions with the private sector that will bring true economic bliss, Clark says. “No one wants to go and get a four year degree and find out that it is not useful, and have to go back and do another degree.”
For Clark it is about getting the mix right for educational funding, making sure it matches the real needs of the economy and matching up education with jobs for people.
“Because of the liquefied natural gas industry alone, we’ll be creating more jobs in British Columbia than we have people for, so we better make sure every British Columbian has access to the training they need to take advantage of those jobs. I want British Columbians to be working in those jobs first.”
Clark also sees the LNG strategy providing a payoff for the Okanagan. She says her government will act as a “matchmaker,” connecting BC businesses with the multi-national corporations behind the proposed projects.
“These huge multi-national companies are coming in, locating in BC and they do hundreds of billions of dollars of business around the world. We want them to put down roots in our communities and we want them to buy as many products from British Columbia as possible.”
Clark is already praising the work of local companies like Penticton’s Britco, which has the ability to supply all the temporary housing needs for LNG; Vernon’s Kal Tire, the world’s leading earthmover and mining tire specialist; and West Kelowna’s Alpine Helicopters.
Looking ahead
Less than a year into her mandate, the Valley’s newest MLA has already made her mark in the annals of British Columbia politics. The second woman to serve as premier, Clark has held this position the longest and was the first to lead her party to victory in a general election. While Clark has not yet established a residence in the Valley, her local constituents are eager to see how the premier will make her mark as an Okanagan MLA.
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[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row]Read more of the original stories celebrated in our 30th-anniversary issue.
Wine reviews: Valley expressions of bold red wines
As seen in [downloads ids="156027" columns="1"] Summerland Pyramid Winery 2014 OM Organic MeritageKelowna, Okanagan Valley1/2 $65 This Bordeaux blend is very new-world in style. Full-bodied and robust, it is a wonderful presentation of ripe dark fruits...
Beautiful blends
Even a blend of one or two percent can make a significant difference in wine, says sommelier Mike Lee.
Kitchen Confidential with Todd Laidlaw of True Grain Bakery
Baking up a storm with heritage wheat
Retail Real Estate Revolution
Okanagan developers are reviving urban centres with a mix of workplaces, greenspaces and lofty living.
Whites: Best of BC Wine Awards 2018
Let’s celebrate the wines from our fourth annual Okanagan Life Best of BC Wine Awards, this year held at the Delta Hotels Grand Okanagan. Our judging panel was a select group of independent, experienced wine judges from the trade, restaurant and education...
In the kitchen with Kristina Klein at EATology
At the bus stop Young Vernon chef serves up the science of eating fresh food It started out as a side thing, but then it just took off, says Kristina Klein, founder of EATology, an unusual bus depot diner in Vernon. It’s modern, but funky, with wooden floors instead...
Wine reviews: Sperling Sparkling Brut
Sperling Vineyards 2011 Sparkling Brut Kelowna, Okanagan Valley 1/2 $40.00 Reminiscent of a fine quality Champagne, this single vineyard Pinot Blanc sparkling wine is grown organically and biodynamically, allowing it to truly represent its own unique...
Garagiste winemakers
A garage can make for a passionate first crush At 650 metres above sea level, Forgotten Hill Wine Co. is the highest-elevation vineyard in the South Okanagan — a nod to a tract of land way up the hill on a forested, gravel road past...
Penny wise: Confessions of a thrift store shopper
Back in the swinging sixties, I was six and still enjoying playground swings. It was not until I was out of my brown school uniform and had started working that I realized what I’d been missing out on, fashion-wise. My hard-earned money...
Alpine skiing opens at SilverStar Mountain
On Thursday, Nov. 28, the alpine ski season officially kicks off at SilverStar, with some of the best early-season conditions in BC. "We couldn't be more thrilled to kick-off another amazing season on the slopes at SilverStar," said Chantelle Deacon, media relations...
Quintland: Five strong story sells
Shelley Wood's debut historical novel tops best-seller list In the 1930s, public appetite was insatiable for news and images of the Dionne quintuplets. Before reality TV shows and viral videos, the unlikely survival of five identical babies in a small town in Northern...
Stuart Park: Outdoor skating in downtown Kelowna
Get ready to lace up your skates and take to the ice at Stuart Park outdoor ice rink. The outdoor rink will be open starting Dec. 1 from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily through to late February, weather permitting. Skaters at Stuart Park will have the chance to warm...
Public gathers to grand opening light-up celebration to mark construction completion of JoeAnna’s House
After two years of fundraising and an ambitious construction schedule, JoeAnna’s House in Kelowna is set to open its doors to Okanagan families in need. But first… we must turn the lights on! The public is invited to gather in celebration at nightfall and count down...
Tuition credits for story writers
Could you write a short story in only three hours? What if you had to include a random phrase such as, “frozen fish sticks,” “dead hamster,” or “jumper cables?” That’s what students in Grade 11 and 12, and those attending Okanagan College can expect when competing in...
Spot hiring for Y lifeguards
The YMCA of Okanagan will host an Aquatics Day of Hiring on October 3 at the WorkBC, Capri Centre offices to recruit lifeguards and swim instructors - and offer spot hiring. For or those who are interested in becoming a lifeguard or swim instructor please attend the...
