Insufficient Funds: Career Fair Cancelled
The 2012 Career Fair has been cancelled due to a shortfall of funds, with some of the major sponsors cutting back on their support.
The Career Fair, which now is in its 8th year, was supposed to take place on October 18th and 19th at the Bermuda College. The plans were to showcase over 75 booths showing various career options. Past years have seen around 2,500 students attend the two day event.
Last month we reported that the 2012 Career Fair was in doubt, with the organisers saying the event may have to be cancelled unless additional financial support was found.
A statement from the organisers said: “The Career Fair Organizing Committee regret to announce the cancellation of this year’s Annual Career Fair. This would have been the 8th year of the event which began as an ACE Foundation Initiative in Partnership with the Ministry of Education in April of 2005. The reason for this year’s cancellation was simply due to insufficient funds needed to run the event, which has been a very successful partnership between the public and private sectors.
“It can be noted that the interest in the Career Fair amongst the business participants this year was very high with many organizations calling us for exhibit booth space. There was also support and interest from several Government Ministries which normally participate as exhibitors each year. The Ministry of Education had also pledged their support.
“However in the end there was a shortfall of funds as some of the major sponsors had to cut back on their support, while the committee was not able to raise the balance of the funds required. The Career Fair Committee would like to thank all of those who offered support as well as those who had planned to participate as exhibitors this year.
“We are hoping that we will be able to raise support for the event next year. Based on the exit surveys carried out by our teams, we are certain that the Career Fair has helped hundreds of young people to make that important connection between their studies and the workplace, which for many, marks the point at which learning becomes a matter of urgency.
“We look forward to a successful event next year. We would be interested in speaking with any business or organization that might like to take a leading role as a sponsor next year as well as others that would be prepared to offer their financial support to help Bermuda’s students learn about their life work options through exposure and dialogue with industry professionals.”
BS….with no indication of the estimated costs versus the availible funding, I think the real reason is Business apathy and dis-interest….some people just get tired of putting the cash forward for a futile exercise….job market is shrinking, revenues are shrinking, and years of getting beat down by poor government policies have taken their toll on big business….blanket term limits, immigration red tape, rude civil servants with ‘I don’t need you’ attitude, and home grown social issues are killing us little by little…..If you love your country more than ‘traditional’ party affiliation….vote OBA
Swing Voter my tail. Please tell me what this story has to do with govt?
Ask the insurance companies who are making money hand over fist.
Many made a loss in 2011
Yes, I can see why a career fair around “business, hospitality and technical training” should be solely funded by the insurance companies.
These companies give alot back to the community on many fronts, but they shouldn’t be expected to foot the bill for everything just because they are profitable.
The PLP will probably come in and save it now…all part of a cunning plan.
Government is finally….. SAVING MONEY. They know well enough that NO ONE will hire from a career fair right now! there is PLENTY of advertising space in the royal gazette and/or all other advertising agencies!
It would be a flock of unemployed construction labourers stating they’re accountants and lawyers. THOUGH they are prosperous lawyers in the making….
If govt could not sponsor a Career Day at the Bda College then we are in trouble. I guess govt would rather hang onto their UBP perks than help strugling students.
@ swing voter
Your final line indicates that your reasoning is superficial at best. How many ‘traditonal’ UBP voters have simply moved to OBA? If there is any doubt, look at the results in the C 12 bye election. By all accounts Mr. Richardson was a superior candidate to Mr. Cannonier but the voters were completely oblivious to that fact and gave the same result as the previous UBP PLP election.
You must also remember the public comment that OBA is a marriage of convenience for the former BDA and UBP as publicly stated after MP Marc Bean was successful in the Warwick bye election after Dr. Brown retired.
Blah blah blah. PLP are done for this election. Better luck next time. Please learn from your mistakes and uninformed policy flip flops that cost this country and all of us dearly.
OBA are over before the plane takes off
Don’t be silly!
The plane can’t take off because it’s broken and there’s no money to buy spares.
We’re in BDA/LFW and we (all of us) ain’t going nowhere so…..cheers, drink up!!!
You have no plan to fix the plane.
OBA would fix the plane efficiently and not 60million or 30million over budget.
You see. the plane AINT BROKEN. It’s all the extra weight….
PLAN 1 – Get rid of extra baggage.
PLAN 1A – PATCH HOLES AND TRAIN THE IMMEDIATE LABOUR AVAILABLE. (recall – Sea Venture shipwreck
PLAN 2 – YA’ll GON SOCKIT!
I always wonder why more and more things are being taken away from out youth/students. They are Bermuda’s future!! Stop lining your own deep pockets are start investing in our children!! Disgusting!
I absolutely agree! Very sad this had to be cancelled.
Reality is that the exhibitors just don’t feel they’re getting any return for their dollar.
Having volunteered at this fair the last few years I can’t say I’m surprised. A lot of effort goes into the booths, marketing etc and the majority of the students couldn’t have cared less. You beg them to show a little interest and are met with a “no thanks” or a blank stare. That said, for the one kid out of 50 that actually is engaged its too bad. No doubt though that those children will succeed without the fair in any case.
A career fair on and island with issues of unemployment cancelled because of a lack of funds? Seems a bit strange that this can’t be self-supported with booth fees or that other alternatives couldn’t be found before it reached this point.
If an election is coming up and both parties claim they are all about jobs why didn’t one or both party make a donation? Not using this as a political statement about which party cares more about working Bermudians and their families would be even more bizarre than cancelling a job fair during this time of economic difficulty! Yes, there are issues with government finances across the board but there was money available to train Bermudians to learn the drywall trade for example, and while a worthy cause wasn’t cheap and only helped a handful of residents. This article states last year 2500 people showed up for past events over the 2-day event. Why couldn’t the Ministry of Education pull out it’s credit card and make this happen? If we’re going to charge something that the next generation is accountable for maybe a job fair geared towards students getting ready to enter the workforce is money better spent…?
And looking at the track back to the original article talking about funding issues with only one comment says a lot about public interest. Juxtapose this against articles about ladies stealing hair or guys stealing hamburger and body wash is probably telling us something about society as a whole.
The PLP plan flopped and the OBA would rather let black boys shoot and kill each other until they get in charge ………..then fix the killings and crime!!!!!!!!!!!! In short their saying we have a plan but hey were not saying crap until the election is called.
The plp clearly doesn’t care, the oba won’t say anything because it would be a huge tactical error (realistically we don’t need tactics we need good governance) and the plp would just take their idea and spin it as their own like they have before. Possibly the oba is sitting back saying maybe a few more pointless killings will wake people the f@ck up! Vote for change, don’t like the change? Vote for change again, f@ck this party allegiance BS. Now more than ever we need people to do for us and not themselves.
Tactical Error.
I don’t think that’s it. The fact is that everyone has laudable goals, the question is how.
Bermuda is too small, the parties do NOT have that much daylight between them, and “ideas” aren’t taken, because most of them come from the private sector and aren’t thought of by politicians.
The question is not what the OBA’s aims are, the question is HOW would they do it.
They SAY they will balance the budget, without laying off people which is impossible, so is it not fair to ask how.
They SAY they will “bring law and order”, well if the government doesn’t control police HOW are they going to do it?
Its not that hard to have a logical discussion about these issues, its just that without putting anything forward it doesn’t make sense.
Not sure how you can vote for change if you don’t know what change is.
That’s the truth!
“Not sure how you can vote for change if you don’t know what change is.”
What Options-
Very sure you can’t vote for anything until an election has been called.
Until a date has been set, the “They won’t tell us what they’ll do” rant makes no sense, and sounds more like a Party seeking ideas and making excuses than any legitimate request for information.
Call the election. Then worry about not knowing the OBA platform.
EW
So it sounds like you voted for the PLP when they said they would “make it happen”! Is this what you expected!!! After the worse economic period in our countries recent history you are willing to still defend their record and stick with them? I don’t know about most of you but as long as I have been alive the only people that I have known not to be working were those that were sick, unemployable, stay at home moms or those that were fortunate enough not to have to work. I don’t think any of us can say that we don’t know 2,3 or more people that are unemployed and not be choice. The education system is in its worst state ever. Crime – at its worst. Tourism,at its worst. Labour relations (unions) at its worst. and the list goes on. Wow. You are either a die hard founding supporter, living in denial or my guess would be part of the friends and family list.
Please enlighten me – what have the PLP done for US and by us I mean ALL OF US! Wat I will say is thank goodness Paula Cox was brave enough to take over. I can only imagine how much worse things would be if she had not. Unfortunately, as we know she isn’t in full control of this ship.
So what you’re saying is the OBA are more concerned with tactics then a black young man life. I haven’t heard or seen what their going to do about the crime. I mean they do have a plan don’t they?
Oh stop being silly. The OBA are for Bermuda and Bermudians. If the young man is Bermudian, he’s covered.
I think if either party really cared about the lives sensessly lost more than their own struggle for power they wpuld have shown it by putting their foot down, passing equally senseless legislation doesn’t help, looks good, but doesn’t help.
@ whatoptions, change would be having a group of people running the country that don’t think its ok to pay themselves to consult themselves. To be honest the plp would be in a much better position financially if it hadn’t pissed away what it had. Victorias secret ring a bell?
Charge people a mere $1 for attending and getting some advice. $1 x 2,500 people is $2,500. Is that not enough to pay for some table chairs electricity and the hall? Especially if you own the hall and you charge companies $50- $100 per table. nobody minds paying a small fair price for a good cause.
I don’t think you are even in the ball park. According to the RG article, the spokesperson said they REDUCED the budget by $100,000 but still couldn’t make it work.
I’m wondering just what kind of budget they had to begin with that they could reduce it by $100,000. As you say, they own the hall, the booths look pretty simple – and don’t they already have them. Just what kind of expenses were they incurring for a simple Career Day?
Don’t know why my comments get held in moderation for so long but here’s the reference and the quote:
http://www.royalgazette.com/article/20121009/BUSINESS05/710099959
Organisers say the committee cut the budget for this year’s event by more than $100,000, but that they still came up short of the funds needed.
I read that yesterday in the RG.
How much was the initial budget for a careers fair in a country with such a small population?
Sounds like somebody’s gray train has come to an abrupt halt!!
Again the islands youth suffer as a result
As a possible employer, it would have been nice to know further in advance that they were looking for particpants, funds. A mini fair at the bare minimum should have been held.
Gheesums….like are we not in a major recession? Priority should be employment. Very disappointing.
Bazinga you nailed it.
The Ministry of Education has had it’s budget severely cut over the last 2 yrs. They are struggling to keep the schools running. There is no money for extra stuff.
There is an obvious lack of careers to choose from if not we could have had career fairs in plumbing,nursing,mechanics,cashiers,landscaping,waitresses,bartenders,cooks,cleaners,childcare,chef,doctors(all sorts!!)ect.. a career fair doesn’t have to include only office jobs or high paying jobs, it shouldn’t cost much for the aforementioned careers and jobs necessary in Bermuda to have a display including bus drivers all of these jobs have amounted to careers for many Bermudians and these are all necessary jobs…Can we get a bit more creative in doing morewith less..why cancel something that has had a seven year consistency? What about fisherman? it would make an exciting career fair to have all of the jobs that are held by Bermudians and have been held for a long time..just sayin..
Good point. If they include more types of careers then maybe they would have more kinds of sponsors. We need to change our way of thinking on what it takes to make a living.
The question that needs to be asked is… who cancelled it.
This is not a government event is seems, as I’m sure that’s the last thing the government would like to have as a headline right now.
Seems strange to me too? Seems all one REALLY needs is a few tables and chairs to have a job fair. Thats all they used when I was in college/university in the US and Canada. Companies had a table with a banner, a chair , some informational brochures and applications…oh and a few free pens. If all the interested companies paid a mere $50 – $100 per table that would be enough to pay for a few adverts especially if your target market is the student that you can reach by email, facebook and poster on the school notice board. Seems like someone may be exaggerating about the interest from companies or they might be asking for a bit to much from these companies. I personally see it all the time. I still see requests for sponsorships for events, social functions and sports asking for 5,000 – $10,000 or more and basically offering you nothing for your return on your investment other that a few mentions on radio adverts and your name on a banner.
It would be interesting to know what the agreement was in terms of level of participation between public and private… and if this move is a way for government to get the private sector to pay for it all.
Well it will tell the students one thing… Find a career that you can do outside Bermuda…
Good point 1minute.
Bussiness’s are closing, hotel occupancy is down by many percentage points, cruise and air arrivals keep falling.
There could be help on the domestic demise if Government would open areas for the fishing industry.
Millions to be made there.
Think about it before you speak.
I can see you’re not the smart one in the OBA.
People speaking on here aren’t the OBA, they are Bermudians. It seems that There are PLP members on here spewing support for their party blindly. You need to wake up, that’s not how it works. You need to vote out parties that are done and need to change, that goes for all parties.
Cancellaton of a reportedly successful career fair for students is definitely a tragedy. When we think about it, what was the cost – the college could have donated the venue and all participants could have volunteered their time.
Many will blame the PLP but this is clearly an opportunity for the public and private employers to join forces.
Remember also that it is easier to keep a train going that to get it started. I hope to see the fair back on track for next year.
well who else is to blame? Isn’t the college run by the government appointed board? If the government can’t (or won’t) sponsor an event that they have a vested interest in (post secondary education of bermudians) then why would you expect the private sector to invest in that event in the face of falling revenue and other issues. I guess my tax dollar is better spent on servicing interest payments, travel and the GP fleet. Worst still keeping several hundred employees content with full time employment although they actually work 4 of 8 hrs per day. I bet the LOVE FESTIVAL cash could have been of use just now.
Especially easy when the train is going down hill!
It’s a sad reflection of the appalling state if the evonomy. Paula is running around saying the economy is rebounding, and in the meantime a job fair for youngsters closes. There’s fiction vs reality for you.
Apparently you have not read further up the thread. A multi year participsnt has said that it is basically a waste of time. Students have to be coaxed to attend & are pretty much not interested.
I beg to differ, this was highlight of quite a few highschoolers over the years and very useful in assisting them forward..it was certainly not a waste of time! p arents also got benefits,we had no idea what was available to our children and these fairs opened their eyes to the availability of jobs on the island and choices on offer. I remember the children looking forward to career day and the many trinkets brought home which were useful to us as parents..please don’t underestimate what you don’t understand…the fair is obviously something positive because without it we have no guage as to the jobs that are available, now we know with this announcement that there is no secure jobs out there which indicates how our economy is really doing, we are paying people to have a job but they don’t have to perform because its too expensive!
Well if they can’t afford a fair maybe they can afford info packets that can be picked up and taken home to look at with contact info and website links for the students. Something is better than nothing and it will force the youth to think about what avenues they would like to follow and do some research on their own.
the lavish lifestyles we see our MP’s living does not balance perfectly with this shortfall in funding for a carreer fair.
Again, why are you so certain this is a government event?
That is not the point, is it.
If this is/was soooo important why don’t GOB step in and fund it,just asking?? On a more cynical but realistic note, jobs are getting less and less so therefore there is no career to aspire to when, you can’t find employment,just saying.
As long as we have sufficient funds for the premier to fly around the world and the taxpayers money.
Would soooo love to see the expense reports from the overseas trips.
Gather gov’t departments don’t see reports from other junkets to conferences… so much for passing on what learned. Or perhaps other than a photo op, some of the trips were just to explore a new area. Get frequent flyer and hotel credits. Those funds should be spent at home on education, bring in experts to teach trades. Beef up certifications, etc. etc. etc.
So busy going overseas on our funds to sell their souls and our Island to the rest of the indebted world. They need to look after home first but NOOOOO – they want us to be like Haiti and places like that. In the end, they have to face the the King of Kings and believe you me, they will be thrown into the lake of fire set aside just for them. Bring on the election or perhaps they are afraid to do so until the ink is dried on the new contracts/agreements.
I’d guess you’d prefer for people not to travel and bring business to Bermuda. Do you think it comes via magnetic attraction.
All business in Bermuda has to be attracted by travel at some point.
Haiti indeed, maybe you should go there for a day then see how you like it.
The mind view of Bermudians is so bloody warped.
What, like the delegation to the Space Conference in Paris a year or so ago? Or the delegation to watch a shuttle launch? Important and necessary stuff like that?
This is really sad… Ridiculous really.
oh dear!!
I bet the Travel expenses of just one of hangers on of the Premier on the current trip to the Middle East, to look for big loan money would have covered the cost. It is all about how you allocate your funds. First class travel once a week is one way, in a desperate attempt to save Bermuda. The other is Economy class travel less often, with better policies in place that encourage business to want to come here on there own and the money saved spent supporting local events like this.
Servicing our debt costs $232,000 EVERY SINGLE DAY.
Could have done a lot with that money. Instead we got Beyonce. And never ending bill.
And just how much will tickets for the PLP banquet coming up soon cost?
Does the OBA=UBP even have a banquet or is that part of their master top secret promise plan?
Get rid of one air condiitioned GP car and you’d have enough to pay for this fair 10 years running. But no, that’s not the priority.
A sad day for the future leaders of Bermuda that they lost out on an opportunity to rub shoulder with the current CEO’s and mentors that will lead Bermuda out of this rut and on to New beginnings for the Bermuda of tomorrow..
This Program is just another casulty of the years of wild overspending and extravagance by the present day Govt.
Now that business,the war on crime,Tourism,Job Employment,the Family has taken a hit by Politcal abuse but the Future of our Children will too.
Because Bermuda is in Billions of dallars in debt and is a state of Political and Social turmoil one must ask – do the Children of Bermuda have a Future?- it appears the present day Govt. has given up already.
There seems to be a misunderstanding among many posters as to what exactly this is/was. It is not a “jobs fair” – while there may have been a few companies taking applications that is not its primary purpose. It’s supposed to show people (students in particular) what sort of career paths are out there and give them an opportunity to ask how they can go about preparing themselves for those careers.
And it’s not just International Business or office jobs – the last time I was there there were displays for numerous other career paths (including the police, regiment and so forth).
The majority of attendees, at least those I spoke to were high school students, not college students and not job hunters.
I don’t see why a fair on a smaller scale could not be held. It seems as if there were enough peoople looking forward and preparing for the fair.
It is sad. We are saying to our young people “you don’t matter anyway”.
Just a comment, there are so many comments here that have nothing to do with the job fair! As usual,
Exactly Prayerful.
There are now 68 comments and only a handful are actually about the topic of the cancelled job fair. Had there been some interest prior perhaps this would have a different outcome (that article still only has one comment.)
Yet here we have a prime example of where we are failing our children and all we can do is bicker, point fingers and call others names and little common ground can be found so we can put forth solutions. We are reactive instead of proactive and our children and learning by example.
I can’t help wonder what the junket to Dubai costs compared to the cost of this job fair. How about the other party trips here & there around the world, first class all the way, of course?
How many read the comment from a multi year job fair participant further up this thread talking about complete student lack of interest in their futures? Why bother try to help those who are too lazy or too stupid to help themselves?
Putting on these fairs is not cheap. None of the promotional material is free. Flyers are not free. People manning the booths really should be compensated for their time.