Curtains come down on Invest SVG’s SSSIP

The curtains have closed once again on the Secondary School Summer Internship Programme (SSSIP), as Invest SVG, the agency responsible for the programme, said congratulations and good bye to its third batch of interns, since the inception of the programme in 2011.{{more}}

This year, 10 students underwent the month long internship, and were placed throughout several business houses which partnered with Invest SVG by hosting one of the programme’s interns at their respective offices.

Among the activities at the closing ceremony held on August 9, the 10 students delivered PowerPoint presentations, inclusive of pictures and video, summarising their internship, and sharing their fondest memories of the experience.

Recently appointed executive director of Invest SVG Bernadette Ambrose-Black used the opportunity to thank the SSSIP business partners for their support, and expounded that the agency is looking at extending its internship programme to include tertiary level students, as well as exploring the possibilities of other programmes targeted at developing young entrepreneurs. Ambrose-Black also implored the 10 students to be ambassadors of the SSSIP, and encouraged them to promote it throughout their schools and their communities.

In addition to Ambrose-Black’s remarks, communications officer and programme co-ordinator B. Tedra Kirby, also expressed appreciation to the 2013 partners and to the Ministry of Education and the Toastmasters Club which had delivered presentations during the month. She encouraged the local business community to support internship programmes such as the SSSIP, as the involvement of more businesses would result in more students being afforded the opportunity. She added that preparations for next year’s SSSIP will begin earlier than previous years, in hopes of getting more corporate support.

The 10 students, who received certificates of participation, were Devonti Boyea, Terricia Graham, Terika Alexander, Sienna Wales, Kurtisha Baptiste, Mekisha David, Crystal Webb, Malikha Providence, Brittney Lewis, and Rhea Cain. Cain, who interned at the General Employees’ Cooperative Credit Union (GECCU), received an extension on her internship from GECCU, and would remain with the credit union until the end of the August school vacation.

This year’s SSSIP partners were: General Employees’ Cooperative Credit Union, St Vincent & the Grenadines Broadcasting Corporation, IK TV, Financial Services Authority, and Baptiste & Co Law Firm, all of whom were presented with certificates of appreciation by Invest SVG.