Soaking in Careers At Sparkling Hill
The hands of Salmon Arm Secondary Grade 12 students Tika Stephanishyn (left) and Danielle Monteith (right) scraping excess protein from a steelhead fish which will be used in the daily risotto (cheesy rice dish) served at one of Sparkling Hill's restaurants.
It may not have been spa-tacular, but SD83 students got wound up about careers in a destination resort famous for people checking in to wind down.
Nearly 30 Grade 10-12 students from all district secondary schools visited Sparkling Hills Wellness Resort located south of Vernon for a full-day field trip. This was a trades-focused trip. SD83 Careers wanted to demonstrate to students that working in the trades does not equate every time with working in dirt, mud and facing other elements. Students had a choice of spending part of the afternoon either shadowing the culinary arts, electrical or plumbing/piping trades.
Grade 12 PVSS student Francine Josue is separating the egg white from the yolk while making Kaiserschmarren, a fluffy pancake dessert with apple sauce.
Some students had a chance of asking Sparkling Hill's two Executive Chefs questions about their work, the challenges they face and the journey they have taken on their way to becoming red seal and executive chefs. Students also had a chance to do some hands-on activities as well like making some Kaiserschmarren, an Austrian pancake dessert. They also had their chance at scraping a fish carcass for excess protein which will be used in other food by the restaurant later. Plumbing and electrical students learned more about the behind-the-scenes maintenance of the spa, its geothermal heating system and the intricate piping system needed to operate its three pools and various spa amenities.
Grade 12 SAS student Isabella Rodriguez gets ready to devour some of the Kaiserschmarren cooked up by her crew.
Students also had a chance to learn more about the resort itself. GM Bozidar Gujic says Sparkling Hill employs over three-hundred staff year-round with the vast majority of them being full time. Over one-quarter of that staff stay in their staff accommodation, and they are planning on expanding their living quarters to allow for more staff to stay. The nearly quarter-million square foot complex is located on 172 acres, making it one of North America's largest spas. There are over 3.5 million Sworovski crystals throughout and on the building, all of them coming from central Europe. Gulic adds anybody 16 years age and over can apply and be considered for work at the facility.
Sparkling Hill General Manager Bozidar Gujic talks to the nearly 30 SD83 student in attendance about its vison statement for the wellness resort.
Student also learned about a dual credit opportunity with SD83 to start their journey as a professional cook. The District, in partnership with Vancouver Community College, is offering a Level One course at Salmon Arm Secondary starting next February. Students interested in taking part can ask for an application form at their school's career centre and to get that application back into the centre as soon as they are able. If you have any questions about the SD83/VCC PC1 program, please contact your school's career coordinator or George Richard at 778-824-1188 (text or phone) or email grichard@sd83.bc.ca.