Barbados: Summer Internship Programme successfully empowers young adults with skills

The Summer Internship Programme, hosted by the Ministry of Home Affairs and Information in Barbados, has concluded another successful year. Under this program, young adults were provided with valuable skills and hands-on experience that would help them grow in their careers.

This initiative has proven to be yet another vital step for young Barbadians, affording them the singular privilege of hands-on experience and acquiring relevant life skills, which will no doubt redound to their benefit in future years.

This year’s programme saw the involvement of 26 interns between the ages of 16 and 23 years. The youngsters were attached to various departments that fall under the aegis of the Ministry, including The National Council on Substance Abuse, Barbados Fire Service, Barbados Postal Service, Barbados Meteorological Services, Barbados Probation Service, Barbados Immigration Department, Barbados Prison Service, Barbados Government Information Service, Government Industrial Schools, and the Department of Emergency Management.

These placements gave them hands-on experience in fields vital to the running of the nation, hence allowing them to observe and contribute to the daily running of such critical institutions. Their internship, however, was not entirely about work experiences. In that respect, the program also incorporated personal and professional development through a series of targeted training sessions.

Conflict Management, Teamwork, Effective Communication, Financial Literacy, Boundaries, Respect for Self and Others, Time Management, evolving as a Person of Excellence, and the Negative Impact of Substance Abuse in the Workplace were the factors that were taken into consideration during these sessions.

These sessions were targeted at balancing the technical competencies of the interns with the relevant soft skills required to function effectively in a modern workplace.

Margaret Inniss, Coordinator and Content Facilitator of the Programme, recalled how highly important an initiative such as this may be as she stated: “An initiative like this is brilliant as we pass on the baton to each generation, to build a better tomorrow.” Her words emphasized the greater focus of the program in preparing the youth for more than just jobs, but for leadership in society.

Innis further emphasized that the content of this particular programme enables and empowers students to be transformed from school into becoming competent and high-calibre workers. The internship of this nature will ensure that the interns leave with more than just job experiences, but a greater understanding of the professional world and how to excel within it.

At the close of the programme, it is evident that the participants have benefited from the aspects, that the programme has instilled within them. They are now better equipped and competent to enter the workforce with confidence in acquired practical skills and a solid personal development foundation.