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| Labour Department booth |
Basseterre, St. Kitts (April 27, 2004): Weeks of planning came to fruition on Friday, April 23 as the Youth Department’s Career Development Fair attracted a huge response from business houses and job seekers.
Approximately 17 firms from various sectors participated in the fair by setting up booths and presenting information on their respective goods and services. Included among the participants was the St. Kitts Marriott Resort, Kajola Kristada, Delisle Walwyn, Social Security, Harowe Server, the Labour Department and the Craft House. Law Enforcement such as the St. Kitts-Nevis Defence Force, Police Force and Fire Department as well as the Emergency Medical Services and Red Cross were also on display.
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| Police booth |
Youth officer Dave Connor told SKNIS that he was pleased with the corporate sector’s response. He noted that some companies were unable to participate due to internal training and other developments. He noted that they promised to take part next year. Others chose to submit details on job requirements and job description to advertise the needs of the firm.
Students from all high schools on island as well as those from the Clarence Fitzroy Bryant College and Advanced Vocational Education Centre attended the fair along with job seekers and interested persons.
The youth officer revealed that the April 23 event was open to everyone. “It was not just for job seekers,” he said, explaining that persons who may be bored with their present job or who would like to pursue their dream job were given an idea of what certain positions entail.
This year’s activity focused on an innovative website of the Labour Department. The site allows persons to register their qualifications and experiences in an online database. Employers then search the database to look for persons who match the requirements and arrange interviews with the prospective employees. Firms can also advertise vacancies on this website.
The internet domain was created as a part of the Caribbean Partners’ Project which is a programme of the United States Department of Labour and can be accessed at www.caribbeanpartners.org.
Some persons took the time to register on the site while others filled out application forms. Others provided contact information for job interviews.
Youth officer Connor disclosed that evaluation sheets were handed out to attendees to gauge feedback on the Career Development Fair and what they would like to see next year. “The ball is already rolling for the 2005 staging,” he said.
The Career Development Fair was organised by the Youth Department of the Ministry of Information, Culture, Youth and Sport in collaboration with the Counsellors Network and the Labour Department.
