Guernsey Institute hosts industry-led careers seminars
THE GUERNSEY Institute held a morning of industry-led careers seminars and workshops for the first time last week, to supplement its annual recruitment event.
The recruitment events have been running since 2018 and allow students to meet with various organisations to discuss employment and placement opportunities. The latest one took place at the Princess Royal Centre for the Performing Arts on Friday afternoon.
Workshops and seminars were also delivered across the Institute’s campuses in the morning, covering a wide variety of topics including interview techniques, behaviours in the workplace and discrimination.
‘It helps the students see values in transferable skills and not just their vocational ones,’ said enterprise and employability manager Charlotte Froome.
‘Some industries don’t have the capacity for work experience so it’s a great opportunity for the students to get some insight.’
Students were able to attend four half-hour sessions that included the importance of pensions and mortgages, the adult disability service and sustainable fashion.
A visit from the Red Carnation Group was also among the seminars and saw Old Government House bar manager Lovejoy Neshamba give a mocktail-making demonstration to a group of students on the Access course, designed for students with special needs.
After watching Mr Neshamba make a virgin Pina Colada, 16-year-old Thomas Goodwin was able to have a go himself, having taken an interest in bar-tending through social media.
‘I’ve been watching TikToks and learning tricks,’ he said.
‘The tasting was the best part. I might have a go at home if my mum will let me.’
OGH general manager Andrew Chantrell thought the Institute’s morning event was a great idea. ‘It’s a good opportunity to show the breadth of opportunities in hospitality and the best way to do it is face to face with the students.’
Public services level three student Toby Pedersen was able to get a better understanding of the police force, with a career in law enforcement being his plan if he does not join the army. He said the session with Sergeant 147 Matt Le Page proved very useful.
‘It answered a lot of questions and I was quite surprised at how much they actually do.’
Around 50 local employers took part in the afternoon recruitment event, with 20 different workshops being run in the morning.
