Youth Employment Gets Boost from Paint Giants

More than 40 interns from Jamaica, Barbados, St Lucia, Dominica, Guyana and as far away as Canada were selected to participate in the B-H and Harris Paints 2016 Youth Employment programme which began in May and will run until August 31

. The Caribbean's champion of colour and member of the Harris Group of Companies continues to invest in the future workforce of the Caribbean through this annual programme.

With studies varying from science/engineering, chemistry, business management and finance to tourism and hospitality, the students were challenged to use their skills and training to add value to the workplace while advancing their career goals. According to Radcliffe Myers, head of B-H Paints, the company has a vested interest in skills development and nation building.

"Our goal is to offer opportunities to these students who have clearly expressed a desire to work and showcase a level of proactively and creative out-the-box thinking that belies their age. In doing so, Harris is helping young adults take the next step in their career path and our region as a whole take the next step in developing our future workforce," Myers said.

Intern Abigail Welch, from Guyana, and who is studying economics and finance in Canada, was appreciative for the experience, she said, "It is a privilege to work at the Caribbean's leader in the paint industry. My experience in the finance department alongside the senior vice-president of finance has been rewarding."

The long-term goals of the programme are to help address the low numbers of Caribbean students pursuing advanced degrees in science engineering; groom the next generation of science, engineering technology and business leaders in the Caribbean; and help diversify the economies of the Caribbean by stimulating more technology-based entrepreneurship.