Representatives of the Crimestoppers organisations chat with students at the Christ Church Foundation Career day exhibition.
Guidance Counsellor of The Christ Church Foundation School, Karen Haynes speaking about the various representatives from the private and public sector at the school’s career day.
From motor car racers to meteorologists, the students of the Christ Church Foundation School got an opportunity to see up close the many professions available to them during their Career day, held in the school auditorium yesterday.
Organiser and Guidance counsellor, Karen Haynes, spoke to The Barbados Advocate about the event, which was held yesterday during the last week of the school term. Students from first to fourth form were able to visit the twenty exhibitors, who displayed their various occupations throughout the day.
Traditional careers like accounting, medicine, education and law were represented by private and public institutions, such the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Barbados (ICAB); The American University of Barbados; Queen Elizabeth Hospital; The University of the West Indies and The Royal Barbados Police Force, as well as Crimestoppers.
In addition, there were representatives from the hospitality sector, Sandals Barbados and Infinity on The Beach, energy and telecommunications, Information technology, agriculture, hydrology and meteorology and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth.
Young car racer and 2015 Digicel’s “Extraordinary Bajan”, seventeen year old, Tremaine Forde-Catwell, who is based in Trinidad, displayed his motor car, Daihatsu Charmant, in the school’s car park. Later in the morning, he showed off his driving skills and shared his knowledge about motor racing with the students.
Haynes explained that the Career Day is only part of the process, as there are plans to have professionals visit the institution later and interact more intimately with students, advising them about their desired career choices.
She added that the career show gives students the opportunity to ask professionals questions so they can select the prerequisite subjects which will allow them to pursue their future careers. However, she explained that students will also be advised on soft skills to get a clearer understanding of what is required of them when they enter the world of work.
“The other thing I have done is invited the Barbados Productivity Council to talk about things like work ethic, because it is important... for our students to recognise that there is a certain ethic, a professional ethic that is expected,” said Haynes.
In addition to this, Haynes said that there was also representation from the Substance Abuse agency, who was able to advise students about the dangers of drugs and the detrimental effects it can have on their education. (KPB)