Govt Employment Program: 102 Summer Interns
Yesterday [Aug 21], the Junior Minister of Tourism Development & Transport Senator Vic Ball met with eight of the 2015 Summer Employment Program [SEP] students to discuss their experiences with the program over a buffet-style lunch, which was hosted by the Department of Workforce Development.
This summer, a total of 102 Bermudian college and university interns were placed throughout Government, the private sector and the island’s local non-profit and charitable organizations where they learned leadership and decision-making skills and were given access to real-world work experience, training and support.
Through the Department of Workforce Development, students are selected to participate in the program based on academic merit, full-time enrolment in a college or university, community involvement, a formal interview, and written essays detailing career goals and educational pursuits.
Senator Ball said to the students, “You are all role models – not just here in Bermuda, but also when you represent Bermuda abroad. I encourage you to travel as much as you can; it really adds to your overall knowledge of the world and expands your horizons both personally and professionally.
“Another word of advice I would like to leave you with is to not spend all your money when you enter the workforce. It’s so easy – when you first begin to get a regular pay cheque – to just spend it. Remember to pay yourself first. By that I mean put some money away into a savings account from every pay cheque and don’t touch it.”
Joshua DeAllie, Samara Wilson, Nikye Atherden, Owen Chisnall, Angele’ Smith, Senator Vic Ball, Kaela Boyles, George’ Wilson, and Ari Minors:
“It will add up and before you know it you will have a good lump sum of savings in the bank.”
Student Kaela Boyles, who attends Brock University where she is studying Forensic Psychology, said, “It was a really good experience for me. I was at Court Services for ten weeks and it opened me up to so much.
“It was a chance to gain exposure to different programs, interact with clients and conduct psychometric testing. It really made my passion for psychology grow and confirmed that this is what I want to do.”
Nikye Atherden, who is studying Economics at the University of Western Ontario and was placed at the Bermuda Monetary Authority for his internship, said, “It’s been amazing. For me, wanting to go into insurance, it was a real eye-opener to how everything works. From claims to mergers and acquisitions – I was exposed to so many areas. It has really helped me decide what areas I would like to focus on for my career.
“I have an even greater respect now for what they do at the BMA in terms of their regulatory function; their strict regulatory policies make foreign investors feel safe. This experience has taught me so much; it was a very structured internship, which was great. Every day it felt like I was trying something different.
“They would send someone over to teach me something and then the next day I would move on to learn something new.”
Senator Vic Ball meets with some of the students from this year’s Summer Employment Program:
SEP Program Manager Judy Teart said, “I think the quality of students has been very high this year. It is very rewarding to hear about the students’ goals; most of them are so focused. I love to hear about the varied experiences each of them have had throughout their time in the program.”
Training Manager at the Department of Workforce Development Pandora Glasford said to the students, “Thank you for your services. I hope you got an inch of a feeling about what the real world is all about. Remember that the decisions you make have consequences so try not to be influenced by others, know yourself and recognize that we are all made uniquely.
“As you leave I’d like to wish you all well.”
Some of the academic programmes that interns have been enrolled in this year include the fields of International Business and Insurance; Law; Business; Health; Graphic Design; Sports Management; Environmental Sustainability; Pharmaceutical; Science; Education; Engineering; Social Work and Psychology; Television and Film Production; and Arts and Communication; and IT.
Senator Ball said, “The SEP continues to be a very positive and worthwhile initiative and it is evidence of this Government’s continued commitment to provide development and training opportunities for all to support a sustainable workforce. It is important that our students are exposed to various work environments which stimulate their career interests.
“As a result of this meaningful work experience, it is our hope that students will gain invaluable skills that they can use both abroad and in Bermuda.”
