Young career women inspire students of The Queen’s School
THE STUDENTS of The Queen’s School received sound career advice from dynamic female leaders in corporate Jamaica at its annual Career Day, held on Friday, April 28.
Facilitated by The Queen’s School’s guidance department, the Career Day programme provides third-form students with the opportunity to meet professionals from various fields and participate in interactive presentations designed to provide them with insight and guidance in time for the selection of their Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate subjects.
This year, guidance counsellor Shallimar Reynolds hoped to not only step away from the traditional job areas, but to also have strong representation of female presenters to empower the young ladies.
“Everyone is familiar with the subjects you need to practise law or become a doctor or an accountant,” reasoned Reynolds, “but what about fashion, engineering, music, marketing, communications?”
“I truly want to expand the career possibilities for the young ladies in Queen’s School. I want them to see new avenues for them to be successful in life and to look at the breadth of subjects available with open eyes and minds.”
“More important, I want them to meet women who are owning their leadership positions and transforming industries to instil that confidence in them, in hopes that one day they will do the same,” concluded Reynolds.
CAREER FIELD
Beginning at 9 a.m. and ending at 2 p.m., students were able to choose from over 25 presentations to attend based on their interest in the presenter’s career field.
The Hope Elliott Memorial Scholarship programme collaborated with The Queen’s School to bring guest presenters Catherine Goodall, marketing manager – Beverages at LASCO Distributors; Dania Beckford, CEO of Broadtail Designs and director of entertainment at the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport; and Carlette DeLeon, media personality and managing director of Breakthrough Communications.
From Beckford, the students walked away with a changed mindset about how to look at the core of the job versus the exterior aspects to ensure it truly suited them.
“The benefits of a job are always great, but it is important to think about what the core job is before you choose it. Do not just look at the glitz and glamour. If the core job does not make you happy, then maybe that job is not for you,” she proposed.
From Goodall the girls learned the importance of qualifications for whichever career field that they choose and the tasks that are important to do her job.
Beyond the presentations, The Queen’s students were also introduced to the Hope Elliott Memorial Scholarship and were able to see current awardee Amelia Smith in action as she gave the vote of thanks for these three sessions.
The Hope Elliott Memorial Scholarship, executed by Breakthrough Communications, provides financial aid in the form of tuition, insurance, sports gears and lunch allowance to two students at The Queen’s School who have shown academic promise but do not have financial means. Also as a part of the scholarship programme, recipients receive gift certificates from corporate sponsors LASCO Distributors Limited, as well as media and social skills training, mentorship, internships, a professional photoshoot and a networking luncheon.