Searchlight hosts booth at Bethel’s Career Day

Searchlight is doing its part to help prepare local secondary school students for life in the workforce. Last Friday, March 20, Searchlight hosted a booth at Bethel High School’s annual Career Day.{{more}}

The event, now in its 8th year, is aimed at giving the school’s fifth formers an opportunity to develop interviewing skills and ask questions of working professionals in prospective fields of work.

Searchlight’s Senior Reporter Kirby Jackson took part in a series of mock interviews with a number of potential journalists, offering immediate feedback and grading their efforts.

Future stringer Ralmore Richardson said he gained a lot of insight into the industry from Friday’s exercise. The 17-year-old Campden Park resident said after his “interview” he’s now more certain of his chosen career path.

Another student, Krishna Richardson, 16, now believes she needs to learn more about the business before making any firm decisions about a career.

And that was one of the goals of career day, according to Roderick Jones, head of the school’s English department – helping students decide on suitable career options.

Jones, the principal architect behind Bethel’s career day, said the idea came from his university days when he witnessed a similar exercise being done to help graduates prepare for life after their studies.

The educator said he knows this exercise really benefits his students, as he has in the past received compliments from employers about former pupils who’ve gone on to work at various businesses in the country.

“At Bethel,” he said, “we believe in giving a holistic education – and this exercise is part and parcel of that.”

Jones also believes career day gives students a chance to make a first impression on prospective employers – a sort of ‘a-foot-in-the day’ tactic.

According to Jones, the exercise has gone so well that other schools have begun following Bethel’s lead.

Parents, he said, have also given their overwhelming support, as have the businesses which have taken part.

The Services Commissions Department and The Tourism Authority were just some of the other organizations represented at last Friday’s event. (SC)