The Tribune

JUNIOR achievers of the flagship “Company Programme” staged their annual business conference.

More than 500 students from around the Bahamas including Grand Bahama, Andros, Eleuthera and New Providence took part in the three-decade old Bahamas Junior Achievement Conference (BahamaJAC) last Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Philip Simon, executive vice chairman and acting executive director, said: “BahamaJAC is the event that not only represents the annual occasion where we’re able to bring achievers together from all of the participating islands but it represents a whole lot of fun and learning wrapped up into one wonderful weekend.”

He gave thanks to the volunteers and sponsors who made it all possible and added: “We’re already looking forward to next year.”

The conference included a ‘JA’s Got Talent’ show, business seminars, career exposure workshops, college presentations and team building sessions, ending with a church service at Golden Gates Assembly.

Derek Whyms, conference co-chairman, said: “The career workshops that included medicine, architectural design, cosmetology, fashion, teaching, nursing, accounting, banking, music and entertainment, sales and marketing and marine biology gave the hundreds of participants the opportunity to dialogue with professionals as the students try to confirm if they wish to pursue certain careers.”

At the official opening ceremony held last Saturday at St John’s College, Raymond Winder, JA Bahamas Chairman, encouraged students to have ‘unlimited imagination’ of what they can accomplish. Lionel Elliott, former executive director of the programme, gave the keynote address.

Jacqueline Matera, a participant of JA Eleuthera, said: “The conference was awesome. I met so many business persons and peers who were interested networking for better possibilities after high school. JA is a great experience.”

The conference partners included Deloitte, Royal Bank of Canada, Scotiabank, CIBC FirstCaribbean, Commonwealth Bank, Bahamas First, Arawak Homes, NIB, BEC, BTC, KPMG, Bahamar, BTVI, Johnson and Wales University and many others. Conference sponsors included Coca-Cola, Abaco Markets Limited (Dominoes), D’Albenas Agency, Bahamas Wholesale Agency, Rubis and Chelsea’s Choice.