This year’s Valley Wide Business After Hours will be held on May 12, at Gatzke Farm Market on Highway 97 North in Lake Country from 5 to 7:30 p.m. The annual event involves chambers from Osoyoos through to Vernon. This year the theme is “Fresh from the Farm” to reflect the agricultural history of Lake Country. Get your group together now and plan to attend. Space is limited. Call Lisa at the Penticton and Wine Country Chamber of Commerce at 250-492-4103 to book your table and tickets before the March 31 registration deadline.
Youth Skills BC has a new program which offers B.C. employers a $2,000 hiring incentive (for up to three employees at $2,000 each) to hire eligible youth between the ages of 15 and 29. Funded by the Ministry of Regional Economic and Skills Development, there is also an additional training allowance of up to $1,000 available should an employer wish to train their new employee externally. The program runs until March 2012. For more information visit the YSBC website.
The next Penticton and Wine Country Chamber Business After Business event will be held on Thursday, March 24 from 5 to 7 p.m. at Zero Gravity Hair & Esthetics located at 107, 437 Martin St. Bring your smile and your business cards, and enjoy mingling with fellow business people. Chamber members attend for free while non-members can attend for $20. Payment at the door.
Following on the heels of the successful “Eat. Drink. Tweet.” social media boot camp for the wine and culinary industries, Allison Markin of All She Wrote Consulting is facilitating the next Penticton and Wine Country Chamber Business Excellence Seminar happening on March 22. Entitled “Social Media – The Do’s and Don’ts of Using Facebook as a Marketing Tool” the seminar runs from 9 to 11:30 a.m. at the Wine Centre. Registration is $53 + HST for members and $73 + HST for non-members. Call Chamber Membership Services at 250-492-4103 or email admin@penticton.org to register.
Okanagan College SIFE students, School District 67 and the Penticton Economic Development Services have partnered to operate the second annual Windward Software Young Entrepreneurs Competition. Supported by local businesses and the Penticton Chamber of Commerce, the competition judges student teams through a set of three tasks, in which they pitch their business concept to local business leaders; defend the financial viability of their ideas; and prepare a marketing plan to launch their ideas. Teams are vying for over $3,000 in cash prizes and the winners will be announced at a luncheon banquet and contest trade show held at the Ramada on May 17. For more information, e-mail info.dragonsdenpenticton@gmail.com.
As part of the Year of Science initiative, the Applied Science Technologists and Technicians of British Columbia has been engaged by the B.C. Ministry of Sciences and Universities to provide job shadowing and work experience opportunities for Grade 11 and 12 students across B.C. You can help students make informed, post secondary science and technology career choices by inviting them into your business or workplace for a glance at what their future career can look like. To sign up simply visit www.asttbc.org/careers/yos; and fill out the on-line Placement Profile Form under “When and how do I get involved?”
Erin Hanson is the general manager of the Penticton and Wine Country Chamber of Commerce.