Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) Country Representative, Juan Carlos De La Hoz Vinas ( second from right); and Coordinator of the Strengthening Human and Social Development Project in Barbados, Msaureen Pollard (right) speaking to students of the Caribbean Cosmetology Academy at the Youth Career Extravaganza held at Kensington Oval, yesterday.
Attendees to the Youth Career Extravaganza interested in Accounting as a career had the opportunity to take part in QuickBooks sessions.
Hundreds of young people seeking employment flocked to the ‘Youth Career Extravaganza’ held at Kensington Oval, yesterday.
They received career and interviewing tips, information on continuing education choices, curriculum vitae (CV) preparation, business etiquette and career counselling. There were also opportunities for individuals to gain summer work experience.
The initiative which targeted persons aged 16-30, as well as retrenched workers, was part of the “Strengthening Human and Social Development” project in Barbados, executed by the Ministry of Social Care, Constituency Empowerment and Community Development.
This Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) funded project is geared at contributing to the reduction of extreme poverty in Barbados through the execution of a number of components, a key one being the reduction of unemployment through improved employment services and demand-driven technical training.
Project Coordinator, Maureen Pollard described the response as ‘overwhelming’. “We are focusing a lot on youth in this our first event, so we decided that at this period when schools are releasing hundreds of students into the job market that it would be an opportune time for us to arm them with the information they need to enter the current job market successfully.”
“They have taken great interest in the training courses and that has been one of the concerns… We are doing things like ‘Preparing CVs’, ‘Dressing for the World of Work’ and ‘Interpersonal Communication,’” she said.
Pollard also assured that efforts to assist persons seeking employment will go beyond the Youth Career Extravaganza, revealing “It doesn’t end here today. We have hired a team of vocational counsellors who will continue to work with the persons who registered at this event – to try to match them with jobs and try to put them into training that is being offered.”
A number of agencies and organisations came together to facilitate the event such as the National Employment Bureau, the University of the West Indies, Barbados Community College, The Samuel Jackman Prescod Polytechnic, The Barbados Association of Guidance Counsellors and Corporate Barbados. (TL)