The Tribune

By RICARDO WELLS

SCORES of young Bahamians were given job advice yesterday by panellists at the College of The Bahamas’ Career Symposium.

Speakers, including Ryan Pinder, Ed Fields, Charles Sealy and Jeffrey Lloyd, encouraged students to make themselves ready for a constantly changing economy.

The event was held at the college’s Performing Arts Centre.

Mr Pinder, minister of financial services, warned the audience that jobs that are available today will not exist in the near future. The minister said that employers in the financial services industry are seeking workers that are “game changers”.

Mr Pinder presented the audience with examples of students that studied at COB and are now presently employed in the finance industry after taking part in programmes at the Ministry of Financial Services.

“We designed these programmes with the intent to equip participants with the idea that a financial degree can work in many arenas,” he said.

He informed students that they can pursue careers in a number of fields once they are prepared to find ways to improve those areas.

The Elizabeth MP added that the key to a good, diverse financial services industry is “specificity in skills”. He added: “Don’t be a generalist, be a specialist”.

Mr Pinder explained that persons who are wise in a variety of areas are a benefit to any company, but employees that “understand their craft thoroughly, are the ones that become critical to that company’s success”.

Mr Fields, senior vice president of public affairs at Atlantis, indicated that having the capacity to learn and adapt will be key to secure employment in the near future.

He said that students should “learn how to continuously learn”.

“The thing that will take you to the next level is the ability to problem solve,” he added.

Mr Sealy, Doctors Hospital CEO, told students that the secret to ensuring a career in any industry is “critical thinking.”

“We need people that are ready to come in and push the envelope, professionals ready to change the medical standpoint of the Bahamas,” Mr Sealy said.

Mr Lloyd, a lawyer and talk show host, told the students: “We need to change the career and education model that pushes for only doctors and lawyers”.

He said that the country needs a model that “encourages a complete education and produces critical thinkers ready to solve problems”.

The symposium was organised by the college’s Job Placement Advisory Committee to assist students in identifying career opportunities.