Young Employees receive training

Young graduates and employees from across the country are now enrolled in a one week programme aimed at making them more efficient in the workplace.{{more}}

The fourth annual E.C.I.B & F.S. (Eastern Caribbean Institute of Banking and Financial Services) and Rotary Club SVG Young Employees Socialization training programme began on Monday, August 10, 2009, at the SVG Community College at Villa.

Giving welcoming remarks at the opening ceremony, Cheryl Rodriguez, local co-ordinator of the programme, told the participants that the programme will expose them to what is expected of employees in the workplace, and also caters for young recruits interested in commercial banking and the financial services sector.

Also giving remarks, Kirk Da Silva, President of the Rotary Club of St. Vincent, encouraged the participants to use the opportunity to gain as much knowledge as possible from the various facilitators whom he described as outstanding Vincentian professionals.

The facilitators include Dr. Kenneth Onu; Country Manager for the RBTT, Isaac Solomon; Dr. Adrian Fraser and St Clair Leacock, among others.

Da Silva said that too often, young persons go into the workplace without knowing how to behave or perform well and said that he was extremely happy that the participants chose to enroll in the programme to learn what is expected of them.

President of the E.C.I.B & F.S. Errol Allen, also giving remarks, said that he considers St. Vincent to be very fortunate to have two YES programmes: the Government’s Youth Empowerment Programme and the E.C.I.B & F.S. Young Employees Socialization programme. He added that the Young Employees Socialization programme helps with the transition from the classroom to the workplace.

Other objectives of the forty hour programme include providing knowledge of the working environment, an understanding of good work habits and etiquette, and information about the career opportunities, recruitment and selection practices of commercial sector enterprises. Facilitators will speak on several topics, including Goal Setting and Action Planning, Personal Financial Management, Personal Development and Customer service, among others.

The programme began in 2006, and ninety-seven participants have benefitted from the programme in the past three years. The programme will end on Monday, August 17, 2009, with a Graduation Ceremony at the SVG Community College.(OS)