Kelowna school caters to hospitality clients

KELOWNA, BC—International Gateway Kelowna, is twinning with local companies such as Bellstar Hotels’ Spirit Ridge Resort to provide much needed assistance in the hospitality and service sector during the peak tourist season.

Students receive intensive English language training at IGK for three to nine months before being placed in both paid and unpaid internship positions depending on their visa status and skill level.

Working Holiday and Work and Study Visa students can typically work and study for up to one year. IGK works together with the student and the host company to find the best match for each party.

Dale Lockhart, director of IGK, has seen an increased need for seasonal workers in the Okanagan and he feels that international students may help to fill some of the gap.

“Typically we host 50-120 students a month from over 15 countries. Our key countries are Japan, Mexico, Korea, Taiwan, Colombia, Switzerland, Germany and the Czech Republic,” Lockhart told PRN.

“Students can use English as well as their mother tongue which is a definite advantage for the tourism industry,” Lockhart added. “Some students are multilingual as well—especially the Swiss [who speak] English German, French and Italian.

“We usually suggest students be at a Cambridge FCE level which is considered the minimum standard in the Commonwealth and the EU for entry level positions in an English speaking work environment. We are a Cambridge testing centre and offer a full range of 12 week Cambridge certificates.”

During 2007, IGK students were placed at local restaurants, hotels, non profit organizations, retail shops, community centres, wineries and tourist attractions.

Mohamed Awad of Spirit Ridge Vineyard recently started a program with IGK, and so far he is pleased with it.

“I have known Dale and [his partner] Coco for many years in Vancouver and before all of us moved here to the Okanagan. This was an idea that came up while discussing a few other things and we thought it would be beneficial to both parties,” he said.

“Being in a remote resort section of the province and due to the difficulty and lack of finding the right talents, this will prove beneficial to add more talents to our summer staffing.”

While he hasn’t set final numbers, Awad expects to have around 4-6 students and they are to spend at least eight weeks at the hotel, training in different departments such the as guest services department, housekeeping, and food and beverage.

“Staff accommodation will be provided to these students for a minimal daily fee so they don’t have to worry about finding their own accommodation,” Awad said.

Other IGK customers include Summerhill Winery and Executive Houseboat Charters in Kelowna.