Twenty
young Barbadians proved to be eager participants in the second Smooth Transitions
Career Camp staged at The St. Michael’s School in the Barbados capital,
Bridgetown, in August, 2018
.
The
participants, in the age group 13 – 19, were drawn from a cross-section of that
island’s secondary schools and spent a week learning more about their
personality, interests, skills and suitable careers, in addition to how to
prepare themselves for the world of work. Poise and deportment were introduced
by a special guest, Miss Alexandria Secondary School, Ebony Forde.
After
using The Career Key Test and other materials provided by CHOICES Career &
Education Advice, the group researched careers suited to their personality and
which they had never thought about and were challenged with mock interviews and
the elevator pitch speech.
In
addition to having the opportunity of practical experiences such as creating
their own vision board to guide their future success, they also engaged in sporting
activities, ice-breaker and team-building exercises, a treasure hunt and talent
show.
According
to Angela deFreitas, General Manager of CHOICES, whose company partnered with
Smooth Transitions in presenting the career camp, “The career camp was a unique
idea, conceptualised by Smooth Transitions, was well-received by those who
participated and should certainly help them in moving forward successfully”. A
transition camp for students moving on from 6th to 7th
grade was held simultaneously and was equally as successful.