Pinelands Creative Workshop completes successful program

Pinelands Creative Workshop (PCW) held the closing ceremony for its 22nd annual Career Life Management (CALM) Program at The Spirit Bond, Wharf Road, St Michael over the weekend.

Students from Springer Memorial, Princess Margaret Secondary, Alexandra, The Lester Vaughan School, The St Michael’s School and Parkinson Memorial Secondary were given the resources to be successful employees or employers during their ten days of training on topics which included Career Planning, Effective Communication, Managing Failure, Digital Transformation, Personal Marketing Toolkit, Interview Techniques, Steps to Becoming an Entrepreneur, Reproductive Health, Mental Health, Emotional Intelligence, ABCD’s of Image Management, Financial Wellness and Dressing For Success.

Reflecting on the experiences of the students during the program was Sierra Hope, a student from Springer Memorial School, who said the most impactful session for the students was held by Mental Health Professional Renee Napoleon.

“To us, as a group, the most important session was on mental health which is something that is very impactful on our lives today in this current post-Covid-19 environment. We learned how to find our coping mechanisms along with what makes us-us, which when found would make us a force to be reckoned with,” she said.

Hope expressed gratitude on behalf of the students to the guidance counsellors, tutors and mentors of the programme and said that the students thoroughly enjoyed their time in the CALM Program.

“I would like to thank the facilitators, mentors and guidance counsellors for making this an enjoyable time for each and every one of us students who participated in this program. I know you may have learnt from us and also vice versa but altogether thank you for a wonderful experience and time that can never be forgotten,” she said.

Hope was commended for her exemplary speech on behalf of the students by the Minister of Labour Colin Jordan who reminded the students that they must build on the challenges they have faced as those challenges when applied accurately would assist them in becoming global citizens.

“I encourage you to build on the challenges that you have been facing and recognize that these challenges have made you stronger. We often see challenges as challenges and when we look back at them, we feel a little bit of defeat sometimes but the fact that you are here shows that you have gotten through those challenges,” he said.

Jordan reminded the students that they are beneficiaries of a civil organization which has made it its mandate to build back better in the communities. Thus, he implored the students to give back to their communities by volunteering in Non-Governmental Organizations such as Pinelands Creative Workshop.

“You are the beneficiaries of [organizations] whose commitment is in this not to become rich but to help the community they live in, and I believe one of the best things you can do is to commit some of your time as you move on in your lives to helping some of these [Non-Governmental Organizations] or starting your own organization that would help others find their path. Congratulations to all of you on completing this CALM Program, I wish you all well in your future endeavours,” he said.

Chief Executive Officer of Pinelands Creative Workshop Sophia Greaves-Broome announced that there will be an Alumni Program to continue to provide support to the participants as they continue on their professional journey.

“When we started this program, I shared that the future fit work environment that is being mapped out will require that we are open and capable of boundaryless collaboration, have change agility, conversational competence, continuous insight and digital dexterity to name a few. It is hoped that our team has been able to contribute to this required level of preparedness and that this program has positively impacted where you have new skills and abilities and greater clarity of the next steps. As an immediate add-on to the CALM Program, there will be the Alumni Program to continue to provide support to participants by way of training, platform sharing and learning and to share success stories of participants,” she said.

Greaves- Broome also echoed the sentiments of Hope as she noted that Pinelands Creative Workshop has learned from the students and will be using the knowledge gained in the next cohort of the CALM Program.
(Write Right PR Services)