President of the Barbados Association of Guidance Counsellors (BAGC), Dr. Patricia Welch, is confident that the entity, which comprises Guidance Counsellors from all public secondary schools, and a few private schools and tertiary institutions, effectively facilitates career guidance and counselling.
She emphasised this today on the Zoom platform, as she addressed the launch ceremony for the virtual National Careers Showcase, March 30 to 31, and outlined BAGC’s expectations.
Noting that the organisation’s mission is “to contribute to excellence in education, by upholding high ethical standards, and provide effective individual and professional support to members”, Dr. Welch said: “We share resources, and have a Professional Development Committee which has created a data base of materials for use by members. Whereas our vision is to deliver quality leadership in facilitating Health and Family Life Education, and Social and Emotional Learning.
“This creates a synergy for underscoring the importance of preparation for life beyond school, so that students will learn that if they are to grow up and take care of their families in a meaningful way, they must work, and in addition to working, they must also provide a home environment which is healthy in all aspects.”
The President also noted that the organisation engages students in services that are empowering, preventative, rehabilitative and restorative. It also aims to assist students with their personal, social, and academic pursuits.
Meanwhile, speaking about the two-day event, that will be hosted virtually for a second year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Welch noted it targets third to sixth formers within the 21 public secondary schools, special needs schools, and private schools.
She added that the showcase would be providing opportunities for students to interact with professionals from 16 identified traditional and non-traditional career clusters, as well as concentrate on the STEAM areas of Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts, and Mathematics.
The theme this year is Embracing the Opportunities…. Expanding Your Vision, and there are several objectives.
These include sensitising students to the myriad career options available to them which could be matched to their individual strengths, and providing students with useful information to help them explore the relationship between the subjects they study at school and the careers they would like to pursue.
Students attending the virtual event, sponsored by the Barbados Public Workers Cooperative Credit Union Ltd, the Student Revolving Loan Scheme and Careers of the Future, can also expect to liaise with over 100 professionals, who have volunteered to contribute to the students’ career development.