ABIB/PCS CAREER AFFAIR – A TEACHER’S
PERSPECTIVE
Sharon
Weston
Jennings Secondary
Since its inception in 2002, the ABIB/PCS Career Affair
formerly the ABIB Career Affair has been lauded as one of
the major successes in the area of career guidance in
Antigua and Barbuda. This initiative has provided a large
number of students with unprecedented opportunities as they
approach the threshold of employment. The programme focuses
on development from the onset, as students are required to
complete detailed application forms in an effort to gain
selection among the group of “Fast Trac” students. In so
doing, students are required to utilize their abilities to
use written expression and use the opportunity to assess
themselves in terms of their strengths and weaknesses. This
would therefore help to reinforce their chances of selection
as a Fast Trac student.
Students who are fortunate to have gained selection have
benefited tremendously from this programme. Benefits have
ranged from increased self-confidence to actual employment
in career paths exposed to during the career seminar. These
opportunities arise as a result of the exposure and
mentorship experienced by these students during these two
intense days of career guidance as well as post seminar
support arranged by the organizers. Further, students who
participate in this developmental programme in most
instances transfer the sense of focus, discipline, and other
lessons learnt to their academic studies. In such instances,
their successes in academic pursuits usually surpass those
of their counterparts. Also of significance is the fact that
most of these students after experiencing the career affair
tend to see themselves as role models for their peers. In an
era where negative peer pressure seems to dominate, this is
an extremely rewarding benefit to be derived from a
programme like the ABIB/PCS Career Affair. From this
viewpoint, it is hoped that the ABIB/PCS Career Affair
continues to feature significantly on the developmental
calendar of our education system.
ABIB/PCS Career Affair is scheduled for February 7 and 8, at
the Multi-purpose Centre, Perry Bay, under the theme,
Thinking in and outside the Job. |
