Students urged to participate in National Careers Week

Minister of Education, Youth and Information Fayval Williams is encouraging students to participate in activities marking National Careers Week from February 6-12.

Careers Week is a collaborative engagement involving the education ministry, HEART/NSTA Trust, and Junior Achievement Jamaica under the theme ‘Executing the Vision through Career Development: I Think It! I Can Be It!’

Williams said parents, teachers and school administrators should help students get the best of the week’s activities, as it will “provide critical information on educational opportunities, especially those concerning different career paths”.

She was speaking during the virtual launch of the event on Saturday, February 6.

The programmed activities include a science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (STEAM) conference on Tuesday, targeting at-risk youth.

The forum will focus on the Fourth Industrial Revolution, with emphasis on preparing for life, work, and learning.

“The STEAM movement has been gaining traction over the years in various countries and, by policy, Jamaica has moved to position technical and vocational education and training into the mainstream of the education system,” Williams said.

She noted that there is growing demand by employers for workers to possess the knowledge, technical and soft skills to function effectively and be more competitive in the workplace.

“To attain this level of competitiveness, workers must be lifelong learners who will continue to increase their knowledge and update their skills for upward mobility in the workplace. These are essential to making people employable, gaining access to decent work, and staying out of poverty,” the education minister stated.

She further noted that globalisation of the labour market has caused workers to have greater mobility across borders, adding that there is increasing need for specialised education and training for flexibility and adaptability by individuals.

“COVID-19 has taught us the importance of being flexible, and the need to have the right skills and aptitude to respond to sudden shifts in our sociological and economic environment,” Williams further said.

Careers Week will feature several other events for students and educators that will be streamed live on the ministry’s social media platforms, as well as those of the HEART/NSTA Trust and the Jamaica Library Service.