UWI outreach programme ends on polished note

Parkinson Memorial Secondary School students put their best foot forward at the University of the West Indies at Cave Hill, where the final session of the Global Alumni Outreach Programme focused on interview skills, presentation and dining etiquette ahead of their exams.

Parkinson Memorial students at Mount Restaurant for practical dining etiquette. (LE)

The programme, Preparing Today for Tomorrow’s Challenges – Transforming Children’s Lives (PTFTC‑TCL), held its final dining etiquette session at the Cave Hill Campus Solutions Centre with Parkinson Upper Fifth students on Monday, as a review before their final exam on Tuesday.  

The session began with Aisha Estwick, Assistant Registrar, Employee Success Division in Human Resources for UWI Global Campus. She spoke to the students about what they should include in their curricula vitae (CVs) and cover letters when applying for jobs.  

She explained why she would reject certain CVs — those that include inappropriate email addresses, grammatical errors or list skills that the applicant does not actually possess. She added that excessively long CVs, such as those running to “ten pages”, were also likely to be dismissed.  

Estwick then outlined what should be included in a CV, such as Information Technology skills, which should extend beyond Microsoft Office to include familiarity with social media platforms.  

Cover letters, she said, should accompany CVs and be tailored to the specific job applied for: “First, you are going to highlight a connection between your qualifications and the position so that we understand why you want this job.” She also advised the students to pay careful attention to the language used and the requirements of the advertisement in order to craft an appropriate response.  

Having reviewed hundreds of CVs and cover letters herself, Estwick noted that only five applicants are typically shortlisted for interviews.  

One female student recalled her own interview experience for the position of a checkout packer, where she underwent two interviews of about ten minutes each.  

Students also listened to a recorded message from Antigua and Barbuda’s Governor General, Rodney Williams, who encouraged them to develop strong interpersonal abilities such as communication, problem-solving, time management and emotional intelligence as they prepared for their future careers.  

Campus Officer of Alumni Relations, Sandra Griffith‑Carrington, then led the basic business and dining etiquette review. The students had their fingernails and shoes checked, were taught how to give and receive a handshake, and were shown how to set a table and fold napkins in designs such as the bow, rose and candle.  

Parkinson students watching napkin folding demonstration. (LE)

After the theory review, there was a practical exercise at Mount Restaurant, where the students demonstrated everything they had learnt.  

The programme was designed to help students understand the importance and value of social graces, and to expose them to professional ethics such as accountability, dedication and courtesy.  

Griffith‑Carrington also left the students with a piece of advice to guide them not only in interviews but in life: “Gratitude is the attitude that determines your altitude.”  

Now in its tenth year, the programme was implemented in 16 secondary schools across Barbados with the support of alumni volunteers and sponsors including the Sandals Foundation. 

(LE)