Millennials are benefiting from starting small businesses, says a contractor for the Central Okanagan Economic Development Commission.

Drew Vincent, of the Okanagan Young Professionals Collective, said he sees millennials starting their own businesses and working at smaller companies or start-ups and attributes it to the drive young professionals have to want to make a difference.

鈥淩eally, the biggest thread is feeling like they make a contribution. Gone are the days of 鈥榮it down, shut up鈥� for 20 years and then you鈥檒l have a voice at the table,鈥� he said.

Millennials don鈥檛 necessarily thrive when they work in large corporate offices, but when they work with a small company and see something come to life, they are encouraged, he said.

鈥淚t鈥檚 having the opportunity to have the input but also working hard to achieve that end result,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hat theme that young people don鈥檛 work hard, I think it鈥檚 that they want to work smart.鈥�

Black Press is hosting a from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Capital News spoke with UBCO and Okanagan College to determine what young graduates are choosing for their careers and where they want to live.

鈥淚 think a lot of our students are finding work in the Okanagan. Of course when the oil patch was in full swing there were a lot of people headed north and to Alberta, but quite a few of them live in the Okanagan,鈥� said director of public affairs at Okanagan College Allan Coyle.

鈥淟ook at the construction industry (in the Okanagan) now. The trades are certainly booming here in the region,鈥� he said, adding he can鈥檛 specifically tell how many Okanagan College students are staying in the valley, but there has been an increase in interest in the trades, tech and tourism sectors.

The college鈥檚 business program has also been increasing.

According to Sharon De Vries, director of alumni services at UBC , she hears more stories of students starting their own career paths as entrepreneurs.

She estimated about 25 per cent of UBCO students come from the Okanagan and finds around 60 per cent of students overall indicate they want to stay and work in the Okanagan after graduation.

鈥淭hose are rough numbers because they do change,鈥� she said, adding young adults also tend to move around to build their careers.

With rental rates soaring in Vancouver, she said there鈥檚 more appeal to live in the Okanagan. However, primary living areas where graduates initially move to, continue to be in larger cities like Vancouver, Calgary and Toronto.

鈥淲hen you鈥檙e looking to build a career the larger cities have more opportunity,鈥� she said. 鈥淵ou have to go where the work is as you build your career.鈥�

The Black Press Extreme Education and Career Fair takes places on Thursday, Sept. 14, at the 琉璃神社 Curling Club (551 Recreation Ave.), from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more info: facebook.com/BlackPressExtremeEducationandCareerFair