GEL joins Parkinson students for job showcase

The students of the Parkinson Memorial Secondary School recently got the opportunity to investigate a variety of careers that are open to them when they leave school. The extensive Careers Showcase was mounted as the brainchild of Guidance Counsellor Kara Maynard who invited Goddard Enterprises Ltd (GEL) to participate, as the company had adopted the school some time ago.

Shaneal Bynoe (left) and Lyn Marie Franklin (centre) man the McBride Booth while an aspiring marketing student takes a selfie with the McBride Marketer paddle.

The subsidiaries readily responded to the outreach from the GEL Head Office to take part and McBride (Caribbean) Limited, Goddard Shipping (Barbados) Limited, Precision Packaging Inc and Caribbean Label Crafts Limited all had booth displays showcasing various careers alongside entities like the Barbados Police Service, a beauty school and other businesses.

“I am really pleased with the number of companies and persons on site. It gives the children encouragement and a level of knowledge about their choices. When they can see past students who are successful in their careers, they see something to work towards,” stated Principal Ian Holder as he expressed satisfaction with the day’s setup.

Guidance Counsellor Ms. Maynard explained that the showcase had given students options to contemplate.

Saran Cox, the Accountant at Goddard Shipping, explaining the logistics of the shipping business to some of the students.

“We did a needs assessment with the fifth formers to find areas on which they wanted to focus, and then we sought businesses that fit the criteria that the students asked for and we gave them some other options to look at,” she added.

“We are a skills-based school and therefore experience and exposure to practical aspects of careers are important for our students,” she said.  

Staff at the GEL Companies reported interest from the children in the various career paths that could be followed within the companies. Many, they said, were unaware of how many options they had within the organisations. McBride introduced a unique element to their booth. The students were invited to take part in a raffle where five of them will be able to tour the McBride Plant in Lowlands and witness first-hand what happens there. (PR)