Top students begin internships after UWI outreach programme

A cohort of top-performing secondary school students is set to enter the workforce this month, after completing a six-month training programme designed to bridge the gap between academic success and real- employability.

The most outstanding students from 16 secondary schools completed the UWI Global Campus Alumni Outreach Programme, Preparing Today for Tomorrow’s Challenges – Transforming Children’s Lives (PTFTC-TCL), have begun preparations for month-long internships with private sector organisations across Barbados.

The students attended a pre-internship orientation session at the Roy Marshall Teaching Complex at the Cave Hill Campus on Monday, where they were briefed on workplace expectations ahead of being placed with their respective companies. They are scheduled to begin their month-long internships on July 15.

Representative of the PTFTC-TCL alumni outreach programme, Michael Chen, congratulated the students on being selected, telling them they had distinguished themselves throughout the six-month programme.

Explaining the purpose of the session, he added: “The main reason for today’s orientation is to teach you what is expected when you go into different companies and how to behave and what to expect.”

Drawing from his own experience, Chen encouraged the students to embrace the opportunity despite any initial uncertainty.

“After getting used to it you learn how to schedule yourself better, not to be late, how to be on time.”

The internship could open unexpected doors, he said.

“The internship is a good opportunity for you to learn and grow and this is a real work experience… You may even get the opportunity to stay on such as me. I stayed on with the Global Campus and I’ve been here for three years.”

The internship component follows six months of training designed to prepare students for the workplace through lessons in communication, professionalism, financial literacy, interview preparation, business etiquette and leadership. The initiative, now in its tenth year, was introduced after educators recognised that many academically successful students lacked the interpersonal and employability skills needed to transition into the world of work.

Aryanne Williams (Photo Credit: Lauryn Escamilla)

A student in last year’s cohort of interns, Aryanne Williams, reflected on her time at the Barbados Association of Retired Persons:

“I was extremely nervous, extremely scared because I heard all the horror stories about… bad customers, people coming and shouting in your face.”

But the experience quickly changed her outlook:

“I had a really good mentor… She taught me how I should answer calls, how I should speak to customers. She taught me that sometimes people just need to rant.”

Spending time in the accounting department also reinforced her career ambitions to be a forensic accountant. 

She encouraged this year’s interns to make the most of the opportunity:

“This internship brought a lot of insight on the world of work, how to dress, how to behave and it was a really good opportunity… I believe that for this month of July… y’all will learn a great set and y’all will have a very good time.”

Campus Officer of Alumni Relations Sandra Griffith-Carrington (Photo Credit: Lauryn Escamilla)

Campus officer of alumni relations Sandra Griffith-Carrington reminded students that employers would be evaluating far more than their technical ability:

“You need to showcase that you have grown over the six months programme and you need to be able to meet people for the first time and have a conversation with them.”

She noted that while previous interns had secured permanent employment, others had left a poor impression:

“We have had some people who have gone on to have permanent jobs and we have had some others whom we got complaints about. And so I don’t want to get any complaints here.”

Griffith-Carrington urged students to take initiative when seeking employment opportunities beyond the interns:

“Go to your teachers. Go to your principals… Let them know, ‘I’m ready to work. I have done PTFTC-TCL. I’m transformed. I need a job.’”

Throughout the orientation, students were reminded to arrive early, dress professionally, limit the use of their mobile phones, avoid workplace gossip and communicate respectfully with supervisors and colleagues.

“Be on time… Leave your bad attitude at home… Dress appropriately… Use proper language,” Griffith-Carrington told the group.

She also stressed that interns should seek clarification whenever they were unsure of a task:

“There is nothing wrong in asking. It is better that you ask me to explain something than you go on your own and do it and do it wrong because you would have wasted your employer’s time.”

Students were further advised to treat the placement as a genuine employment opportunity:

“When you finish your job, don’t sit back… Tell the supervisor you are finished,” she said, adding that employers notice initiative and professionalism.

(LE)