Friday, June 30, 2006

St Ignatius students learning lessons in broadcasting at the CITN television centre.

FIFTY-three students of St Ignatius Catholic High School were introduced to five possible career choices during the annual Chamber of Commerce Career Awareness Visits last week.

The 20 June exercise was part of the Chamber of Commerce's ongoing programme to educate and raise awareness on career options in the public and private sectors in the Cayman Islands.

The students from the George Town school toured the Health Services Authority (HSA), Butterfield Bank and the Ritz-Carlton in the morning session, while CUC and CITA were visited in the afternoon.

At the HSA, Chief Operating Officer Cathy Gomez conducted an informal session and led them through some sections of the Island's main health facility in the capital, George Town.

Prior to embarking on a tour of facility, students were asked what areas they were interested in and their top pick was pediatrics, forensics and the morgue. 

In addition, radiology, in-patient units, laboratory, maternity and the ambulatory care unit were also visited.

Manager of Learning & Development Centre, Samantha Nehra, and Recruitment & Employee Specialist at the Butterfield Bank, Diane Wagner, presented a thought- provoking and interactive session on banking.

Careers available at the bank were also disclosed to the students along with the qualifications and experience needed to fill the positions.

Lunch was had at one of the restaurants at the Ritz-Carlton on Seven Mile Beach where they also learned the inner workings of one of the Island's premier resorts.

Resort Manager Marc Langevin was on hand to greet the "guests" and answer their questions.    

In the afternoon, it was off to the Island's lone power company CUC to meet with Manager of Corporate Communications, Caren Thompson, who gave them a tour followed by career talks. 

AT the CITN, News Director Karla Stanley and News Anchor Donna Bush provided them with a behind-the-scenes look into the operations of a television station.  

Transportation for the students to visit the various sites was provided by Webster's Tours. 
Wil Pineau, Chief Executive Officer of the Chamber of Commerce, said the visits are important educational tools. 

"Showcasing career opportunities to our youth is an extremely important part of their educational experience," he said.

He said the career awareness visits allowed students to learn about various industries, which would assist them in selecting an educational or vocational path that best suits their interests, values and skills.

"There are many opportunities in the workplace and it is our hope that these visits will assist students to decide for themselves a profession that interests them," he said. 

Mr Pineau on behalf of the Chamber expressed thanks to the businesses and government agencies that welcomed the students on the visits.

Accompanying the students as chaperones from St Ignatius were Gareth Thacker - Head of Upper School, Dominique Chenier - Head of Business Studies, Emily Handscombe - Head of Geography, Jacqueline Schofield - Life Skills Coordinator, and Joanne Diaz Berry - Programmes Coordinator for the Chamber of Commerce.

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