The Tribune

By KEILE CAMPBELL

kcampbell@tribunemedia.net

STUDENTS of C I Gibson Senior High School had the opportunity to speak with professionals from several industries ranging from medical, hospitality, security, and law enforcement as the school, in collaboration with the Department of Labour, hosted its 'Labour on the Campus' career fair.

Roughly 34 companies that included Atlantis, Doctors Hospital, Public Hospitals Authority (PHA), National Training Agency (NTA), and more set up stalls bolstering their respective pamphlets and flyers explaining what their respective line of work offers, inclusive of benefits, and explanations on how interested persons may get involved.

C I Gibson’s principal Chavez Rutherford told reporters that the aim of the career fair was to give her students the chance to see opportunities available to them after graduation, underlining that regardless of whether one decides to pursue a college education or not, they must still be a productive member of society.

“By being a productive member of society, means that you need to actually get a job, someone that is willing to take care of themselves, take care of their family and make a positive future for themselves,” Principal Rutherford said.

All 750 students attending the high school will be allowed to walk through the career fair that will be split into phases, according to the C I Gibson principal.

“We’re looking forward to seeing what the students think as well as what the employer thinks the students have to offer and how qualified and how capable they are of joining the labour force.”

Principal Rutherford said that the school tries to have a career fair every year, however, this year the fair was a little bigger than what they’re used to.

Simone Thurston, manager of the Public Employment Services Unit in the Department of Labour, said that career fairs inside schools is an ongoing initiative to add more skilled labour to the country’s workforce.

“It’s very important for us at this time because from where I sit at the Department of Labour, there is a skills gap, especially with those young persons so we are here and we’re taking every opportunity to try and assist at building that skills gap wherever we can,” she said.

According to Ms Thurston, last year the career fairs resulted in over 800 job placements.

“It’s a good thing when you’re able to place, if only 100 job seekers, those are persons that won’t need assistance elsewhere and so it’s important for us to do our part in assisting job seekers in finding gainful employment.”

According to Ms Thurston, they are looking to have other career fairs at two other schools, though those schools have not yet been identified.