Providence Secondary School was alive with energy on Tuesday as students from both the elementary and secondary levels gathered for the school’s first-ever joint Career Day.
The event showcased a wide range of professions including health and wellness, trades, business, and banking, giving students a unique opportunity to explore potential career paths firsthand.
Principal Stephen White explained that the idea behind the joint event was to inspire students of all ages, not just third formers preparing to choose subjects for the next school year.
He said, “We conceptualised this year to have it as a joint event because we believe it’s not only for third formers who are then going into fourth form to make their subject choices. It’s ideally for persons from any age.”
“What we’ve also designed for our school is for the seniors that will more understand and like seniors from J1 and four and the secondary, we’ve designed a passport. So they will be able to put in who they visited, something about what they saw there, you know, so that they have the opportunity to remember,” White added.
Camilla de Wit, chairperson of the board of management, explained that Career Day was intended to show students the possibilities beyond the classroom.
“We put together this Career Day to showcase inspiration – what our students could be doing once they leave our classrooms, what they should be learning to get to these wonderful careers and Providence is all about holistic education, academics, the arts, sports and music,” she said.
The event offered hands-on experiences across multiple fields. Akinwole Jordan, marketing coordinator at Marshall Trading, encouraged students to explore construction through a “handyman challenge,” which included hammering, nailing, and screwing to spark interest.
Alana Warren, a clinical psychologist in private practice, engaged students in understanding the role of psychology in daily life. She explained that her work involves “helping people to understand themselves and understand their feelings and emotions better so that they can grow and make improvements in areas of their life that they may want to improve on.” For younger students, she organised an activity called Feeling Faces, where students drew faces that matched different emotions.
Victoria Thompson, an optometrist at Express Optical, demonstrated eye tests, shared tips on eye health, and handed out sunglasses.
The Barbados Police Service thrilled students with drone demonstrations, including infrared displays, while the police band brought music to life with a live performance and video showcase.
Animal lovers got a treat when a veterinarian, with support from Canine Camp, brought in two dogs for students to listen to heartbeats through stethoscopes.
Motorsport fans were equally excited as Formula E driver Zane Maloney displayed his trophies, racing suit, and helmet, giving students a chance to step into a professional racer’s helmet.
Healthcare and safety were also front and centre with registered nurse Andrea Escamilla introducing students to nursing careers beyond the hospital, demonstrating tools and guiding them through hands-on check-ups.
There was also an inspiring demonstration from the Barbados Defence Force, showing cardiac compressions and teaching students life-saving techniques.
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