The third Human Resource Development Expo, which includes a week of activities from 16 to 20 March 2015, got off to a grand start with its launch on Monday, at the Ministry of Education and Human Resource Development, at the Botanical Gardens in Tanteen.
The theme for this year’s expo is “Career Adventures – Focusing on New and Emerging Careers”, with a spotlight on entrepreneurship.
“We are going to be ensuring that we have better Grenadian employees for us to be able to choose from, as a corporate citizen, and that’s important to us. So, our support of this initiative can start of by thinking of us as SGU the employer. As SGU, the corporate the citizen, of course we have the corporate social responsibility to support the development of Grenada and Grenadians, “Assistant Dean of Enrollment Planning at the St George’s University (SGU), Colin Dowe said, speaking on behalf of SGU, which is one of the event’s main sponsors.
The Expo will specifically target primary school students in Grades five to six, and secondary school students in Forms three to five; T A Marryshow Community College (TAMCC), St George’s University (SGU); the New Life Organisation (NEWLO), and is open to the general public.
In his address, the Minister for Education and Human Resource Development, Hon. Anthony Boatswain, emphasized the need to encourage entrepreneurship and an education system that is flexible and responsive to labour market demands. In speaking about the education skills gap, he also said, “Bridging this gap, in my mind, ought to be the number one priority of our Ministry of Education and all of our training institutions.” He sees this as critical to addressing the high unemployment rate among other social issues, and emphasized the importance of making wise career choices, facilitated by activities, such as the Human Resource and Development Expo.
The Minister commended the work done by Grenada’s tertiary institutions, including TAMCC, University of the West Indies (UWI) open campus and SGU, and the work of the National Training Agency (NTA). He also thanked the sponsors of the event, including its main sponsors, GRENLEC and SGU, for their continued support.
Other sponsors of the event include, but are not limited to the following individuals and businesses: LIME, Cool Systems, Trans Nemwil Insurance Grenada Ltd., Jonas Browne and Hubbard, Glenelg Spring Water, Country Cold Store, MASA, the National Insurance Scheme, Grenada Union of Teachers Co-operative Credit Union, the Grenada Development Bank, the Grenada Public Service Credit Union, Belmont Estate, Grenada Bottling Company, the Marketing and National Importing Board, Hankey’s Computers, Going Places, ModOne, the Ministry of Agriculture and Mr. Francis Mahon.
The week of activities will include a poster competition, two major career fairs on 17 and 19 March and culminate in a closing ceremony.
GIS
