Parkinson students get keys to financial success and tips on professionalism

Goddard Enterprises Limited (GEL) recently held outreach sessions with Parkinson Memorial Secondary School girls in observance of International Women’s Day. The goal was to provide the youth with the keys to financial success.

GEL Chief Financial Officer Natasha Small advised the teenage girls to start saving money now.

“Try to save between 10 to 20 per cent of your money,” said Small, suggesting the students open accounts with financial institutions to save their allowances, monetary gifts and other funds.

During the session focused on financial success, she underscored the significance of cultivating a disciplined approach to money management. She introduced the girls to the ABCs of financial management: Attitude, Behaviour, and Choices. Small stressed the value of early savings, budgeting, and responsible spending habits, suggesting weekly budgeting exercises using school allowances.

Small illustrated budgeting techniques using a family budget and encouraged discussion on handling deficits and surpluses.

Practical suggestions included cost-cutting measures such as bulk buying and carpooling. Throughout the session, she employed adages and Biblical verses to reinforce her points, cautioning against materialism and debt traps.

“Your worth is not in your possessions,” Small told the students, cautioning against overspending on possessions to increase self-worth. She advised separating wants from needs and recycling clothes rather than constantly buying new items.

On debt, the CFO said: “Choose debt wisely.” Discussing credit cards, hire purchase and lending methods, she warned: “Beware of get-rich-quick schemes; don’t be fooled by instant gratification, rather be prepared to work for what you want in life.”

Stephanie Catling-Birmingham, Divisional People Manager at Courtesy Garage Limited, led an afternoon session on personal branding, work ethic, and professionalism. Students engaged in activities aimed at identifying personal strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. They were advised to cultivate authentic personal brands and exemplary work ethics, emphasising traits like punctuality, integrity, and professionalism.

Catling-Birmingham outlined 15 workplace etiquette tips, including respectful and appropriate attire. The students actively participated in discussions and evaluations, expressing enthusiasm to apply their newfound knowledge. They pledged to implement the lessons learned from both sessions into their lives.

The sessions aimed to cultivate financial literacy, personal branding and professional skills in the students. Organisers reported the students were actively engaged and promised to apply the lessons learned. (PR/BT)