< Previous18 | Friday, 17 February Inspire Cayman Training Limited is helping Caymanians build their future through a variety of technical and vocational training programmes. It off ers a wide variety of accredited certifi cations, spanning from scuba diving and automotive technology to computer science and hospitality. It is an accredited Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) centre, one of only two such centres licensed by the Education Council of the Ministry of Education for the Cayman Islands Government. Along with its training programmes, a signifi cant part of its work is teaching job-readiness skills and promoting the potential of careers in the trades. Here are several students who have participated in the programme and are now pursuing thriving careers in their chosen fi eld. LAKEISHA MASON Shortly after Lakeisha Mason graduated with a master’s degree in architecture from Florida International University, the COVID-19 pandemic hit and Cayman went under lockdown. “One could say I graduated at the worst time, but COVID presented a wonderful opportunity for the Cayman Islands to strengthen its vocational careers,” says Lakeisha. After meeting with the director of Inspire Cayman Training, Michael Myles, the 29-year-old Caymanian decided to enroll in Inspire Cayman’s construction certifi cation programme. The construction industry fl ourished during the pandemic, and Lakeisha felt the certifi cate programme would enhance her career prospects. “I have the knowledge not only to draft blueprints but physically build them as well,” she notes. “Inspire Cayman solidifi ed the importance of highlighting my story, as a Caymanian woman in a male predominate fi eld. It provided me with an environment where I could fi nally get my hands dirty for a change, without being judged or belittled.” The programme also gave her confi dence to follow her dream of eventually starting her own construction company. “The development of my confi dence and professional demeanor surpassed my expectations, which turned out to be the best investment to assist in my long-term career goal of owning my own construction development fi rm,” she says. Lakeisha is currently a plans examiner in the Building Control Unit with the government’s Department of Planning. Her goals are to strengthen her knowledge in all construction disciplines including architecture, structure, mechanical, plumbing and electrical. “I truly look forward to seeing what spectrum of development, both residential and commercial, will be generated throughout the Cayman Islands within the next 10 to 20 years,” she says. “How will we balance the Cayman culture, meanwhile promoting stable development, is the ultimate island question.” MESHACH TAYLOR For Meshach Taylor, taking part in Inspire Cayman Training has allowed him to take the fi rst steps towards building a career in the automotive industry. After attending John Gray High School and the Cayman Islands Further Education Centre, the 19-year-old was encouraged to enroll in Inspire Cayman’s trade school programme. CREATING A SKILLED WORKFORCE 19Friday, 17 February | He took part in automotive arts, learning to service and maintain vehicles. “This training programme has given me more knowledge and hope for a future career,” he says. “It also motivated me to be more focused as an individual overall.” Meshach is currently a terminal operator with Rubis Cayman Islands Limited. “My goals for the future are to advance in my present career and continue to be a part of the company that I am now employed with,” he says. KAMERON D’HUE Kameron D’Hue began his journey with Inspire Cayman Training in August of 2019, taking a course to become a dive instructor. The 24-year-old is now working as a professional PADI instructor in an industry that typically has few Caymanians. A graduate of John Gray High School, Kameron says the training programme, along with a scholarship from Build Your Future Cayman, has been invaluable for his career aspirations. Inspire Cayman’s professional development course has also been a key to his success. “They first had me do a training course called ‘Tools for Success’ before I did any dive training of any sort,” he says. “I learned the necessary workplace etiquette needed to not only get a job but to be able to keep it.” That included everything from how to solve conflicts and interviewing skills to how to properly address concerns with an employer. He says while the dive instructor programme was challenging, perseverance and hard work paid off. “In the Instructor Dive training programme, I learned many things – and I’m still learning to this day. I’ve learned how to dive properly and safely, how to guide guests on dives, and equipment preparation and care,” he says. “As a dive instructor, I also did the necessary training to pass the instructor’s written and practical exams to be able to safely teach others how to dive, which included many early mornings and late nights of studying dive physics and physiology, how water pressure affects the body, PADI standards and procedures, risk management and diver safety, to name a few.” Kameron is also an Emergency First Responder instructor. “This means I not only know how to perform CPR, provide oxygen, assess a variety of injuries and illnesses, and provide first aid and bandaging/splinting but can also teach and certify others in it,” he says. He learned basic boat maintenance and has earned captain licences from two different boating training organisations. Kameron is currently working with GoPro Seaports Cayman Diving as an open water dive instructor, Emergency First Response instructor and boat captain. “My goal is to one day have my own dive operation,” he says. “And I plan to learn as much as I can and gain as much experience as possible to help me reach that goal.” It all comes back to Inspire Cayman Training, which he recommends for those seeking a career in the watersports industry. “This training programme has helped me tremendously by providing me with a great facility and staff to learn the necessary skills and training, by helping me obtain scholarships that paid for my training and gear, and by providing me with endless support and mentorship to this day,” he says. “I highly encourage anyone interested in joining to do so.” W: INSPIRECAYMANTRAINING.COM E: INFO@INSPIRECAYMANTRAINING.COM T: 525-8990Health Services Authority (HSA) is one of the largest employers in the Cayman Islands, offering over 200 different types of jobs within a wide variety of departments ranging from Administration to Accounting, Patient Experience to Procurement, Registration to Radiology and many more. For more information and career opportunities visit www.hsa.ky/employment-and-training Benefits of working at HSA: • full health coverage for you and your dependents • full 12% pension contribution • annual education leave allowance • paid annual leave • possibility for flexible hours • potential for upward mobility • work with colleagues from around the world • wellness, rewards & recognition programmes • training opportunities 95 Hospital Road, George Town 345-949-8600 • www.hsa.ky /hsacaymanislands Further Your Career with HSA22 | Friday, 17 February Ace the interview If you’ve been invited for an interview, seize the opportunity to show you are the right person for the job. Planning in advance will go a long way to help your chance of success. Here are some interview tips from Hannah Jackson, Career Services Manager at Connect by Nova, a not-for-profi t off ering high quality and professional careers, employment and training advice. 1. PREPARE BEFORE YOUR INTERVIEW RESEARCH THE COMPANY In an interview, you may be asked what you know about the organisation, so you want to have done some research so that you aren’t caught off -guard. Even if you aren’t directly asked this question, try to fi nd an opportunity to sprinkle relevant information in the interview, such as new products, services or ventures the organisation may have recently announced, as it showcases your interest and engagement. If you are working with a recruitment agency, ask your recruiter if they have any insights about the organisation, team, or hiring manager that would help you be more prepared for the interview. RESEARCH YOUR INTERVIEWER (IF KNOWN) It’s not always possible, but if you are privy to who the interview will be with, take time to check out their company bio/LinkedIn profi le. You can arm yourself with a better idea about what they are looking for in a new hire, and when the time comes, ask more meaningful questions. DRESS FOR SUCCESS You perform at your best when you look your best and feel your best. A clean and neat professional appearance is essential to making an excellent fi rst impression. You want the focus of the interview to focus on you and your skills, not your appearance. 2. KNOW YOUR EXPERIENCE & PREPARE ANSWERS This may seem like a no-brainer, but you’re going to need to be able to speak about your experience, skills, and expertise in an interview. You should confi dently be able to highlight why you would be an asset to the company and where you would add value to their team. Think about what you have done in the past, what you are doing now, and what you would like to do in the future. MATCH YOUR SKILLS TO THE ROLE When going into an interview, you should be able to speak to specifi c skills and experiences that meet the needs of the role in question. Start with the job ad/description and look for the keywords that signal the essential qualities and skills the hiring team is looking for (this is what employers often term a ‘competency’). Once you have that list, create another parallel list of 8-10 of your skills and experience that match the job’s competencies that you just picked out. USE THE STAR TECHNIQUE Once you have identifi ed the competencies and examples from your own experience, you need to craft the perfect story to showcase those skills in an interview. It can be challenging to tell a story that is to the point and covers all the important details; use the STAR technique to help structure your answers by laying out the Situation, Task, Action, and Result. Hannah Jackson 23Friday, 17 February | Situation: Set the scene and give the necessary details of your example. Task: Describe what your responsibility was in that situation. Action: Explain exactly what steps you took to address the issue/ task, ensuring you’re focusing on one of the skills/competencies you identified earlier. Result: Share what outcomes your actions achieved, where possible, using numbers to quantify the result. Ideally, you should have at least one story/anecdote from your experience for each of the key competencies you picked out of the job description; this is the best way to ensure you’re prepared for any question the interviewer may throw at you. 3. PREPARE QUESTIONS TO ASK THE INTERVIEWER Don’t be afraid to ask questions when you’re in an interview; this is your chance to ensure this is a good fit for you just as much as a chance for them to see if you are a good fit for their needs. Come up with some questions you genuinely want answered ahead of the interview, and bring them with you in a notebook so you can ensure you don’t forget anything crucial. Having questions prepared shows that you are engaged in the interview and genuinely interested in the position, but it also demonstrates that you are taking the interview process seriously, which will impress your interviewer. Potential questions to ask: 1. What have past employees done to succeed in this position? 2. How do you help your staff grow professionally? 3. What are the company’s key priorities over the next five years? 4. How would you describe the working culture in the organisation/team? 5. What do you enjoy most about working here? 4. FOLLOW UP WITH A THANK YOU The interview may be over, but it shouldn’t end there. Send an email thanking the company/interviewer for the opportunity. If you think the role is an excellent fit for your career goals and experience, express why you believe this is the case and your genuine interest in your thank you message. CONNECT.NOVA.KY 2023 Student Programmes Applications Now Open We have many fantastic opportunities for students to nurture their career and join our ambitious team in Cayman. From starting as an intern to training to be an associate, you’ll gain real insight into what it’s like to work in a diverse professional services firm. Scan the QR code or visit mourant.com/careers to learn more Follow us: • Articled Clerk Scheme • Governance Services Summer Scheme • Legal Scholarship Programme • Summer Internship Programme • • • •24 | Friday, 17 February All members of Cayman’s community deserve the chance to pursue meaningful employment, without fear of segregation or exclusion. We spoke with Lynne Chin of Inclusion Cayman on the barrier to employment which persons with disabilities may face, and how Inclusion Cayman and their Rotary Employment Partnership is helping them, and employers, overcome these challenges to achieve and provide meaningful employment. Q: What challenges do those with disabilities face when looking for employment? A: Persons with disabilities in our community would like to have the same opportunities as anyone else in our community. This includes meaningful, gainful employment opportunities. The typical pathway to gaining employment most persons take presents a multitude of barriers for individuals with disabilities, the largest often being an employer’s fear of the unknown. Inclusion Cayman works to dismantle barriers to employment and create intentional pathways into the workforce for adults with disabilities by providing support to employers and job seekers. Inclusion Cayman helps job seekers identify their gifts and talents and helps identify roles within the business community based on an individual’s skillset. Support is provided every step of the way from job description, application, to on-the-job support and training for the employee, their colleagues, and employer, in order to ensure sustainable, meaningful employment is provided. Q: How does Inclusion Cayman bridge the gap between candidates with disabilities, and employers? A: Continuous consultation regarding the identifi cation of a role, HR processes, and onboarding, is provided free of charge to employers seeking to employ adults with disabilities. On-the-job supports ensure a successful transition into the workplace, and remain in place, until the individual and workplace are equipped with the tools needed. Support is continuous and success of all is prioritised at all times. Disability awareness and sensitivity training is provided to ensure that workplace teams understand their role in supporting their colleagues with disabilities. Q: Tell us more about the Rotary Employment Partnership: When was this started? What does this partnership entail and has it been successful thus far? A: The Rotary Employment Partnership was founded in Inclusion Alberta in 2001. Inclusion Cayman partnered with Inclusion Alberta to bring this model into our community in August 2021, and since then we have developed seven jobs. The purpose of the Rotary Employment Partnership is to create intentional pathways into employment that truly change the lives of persons with disabilities, who may otherwise be left behind in our community. We meet with individuals and families to identify interests, talents and strengths. We do this through visioning and exploration processes and create job seeker profi les. Individuals and their families are integral throughout the entire support process. Rotarians actively work to identify job leads in the community by using their personal and professional networks. We meet with the organisations where these job leads have been identifi ed and have an exploratory conversation surrounding inclusive employment. After exploratory conversations, organisations determine if they wish to move this initiative forward. The employment coordinator from Inclusion Cayman works with these organisations to identify job roles, support with job description development, support accessible interviewing and develop intake procedures as necessary. Inclusion Cayman works INCLUSION CAYMAN’S ROTARY EMPLOYMENT PARTNERSHIP BUILDS CAREER BRIDGES Lynne Chin25Friday, 17 February | with the organisation to ensure that the identifi ed job role is fulfi lling a business need, in order to create sustainable long-term employment. The employment coordinator supports the employee and employer in all areas pertinent to successful employment. This includes on the job supports which are faded when appropriate. All employment is paid for by the employer along with any applicable benefi ts. The arrangement should match what other employees are off ered by the business within the same or similar positions. We work with the employer’s managers, supervisors, and directors at the jobs site in developing the skills they need to support the employee. This is developed through the partnership with Inclusion Cayman and the presence of the employment coordinator on the job site. The length of time with an employment coordinator is not pre-determined and determined by the employee and the employer. Q: Why should employers ensure they are off ering employment opportunities to those with special educational needs and disabilities? A: Employers in 2023 are looking to diversify their workforces as they recognise that everyone should be valued for their individual skillsets and the contributions that an individual can make to an organisation. Many organisations have made commitments to inclusion, and we encourage everyone to consider if persons with disabilities are employed in their workplace. International research consistently demonstrates that businesses who hire persons with disabilities gain highly committed employees, have lower turnover rates of staff and have increased profi ts. Clients of businesses prefer to give their business to businesses who employ individuals with disabilities. Overall, inclusive employment increases the bottom line. Most importantly, it is our ardent belief that everyone benefi ts and belongs. W: INCLUSIONCAYMAN.KY/ INCLUSIVE-EMPLOYMENT E: INFO@INCLUSIONCAYMAN.KY T: 623-2957 Tianna Hurlston, who is employed at Conyers through the support of the Rotary Employment Partnership, with her colleague Lembord McLean.campbellslegal.comCAYMAN l BVI l HONG KONG Allowing Talent to Flourish It all starts with a solid foundation. Campbells is committed to supporting the education and development of the youth in our community and is pleased to offer a scholarship in the Cayman Islands. Campbells’ scholarship is open to eligible Caymanians. It offers up to US$20,000 per annum for a maximum of three years, with preference given to applicants pursuing a degree in law or a postgraduate professional legal qualification. To learn more about Campbells’ scholarship and to find out how to apply visit our website at www.campbellslegal.com/students-and-graduates/scholarships Calling Cayman’s future! MUFG Investor Services Academic Scholarship Opportunity If you are interested, you may send your application to askhr-Cayman@mfsadmin.com. Deadline to apply: March 31, 2023 Human Resources: MUFG Alternative Fund Services (Cayman) Limited. P.O. Box 852, Grand Cayman KY1-1103 At the end of the 2 years scholarship, successful students may also be eligible for further sponsorship with local or international institution, or employment within our firm. MUFG Investor Services in Cayman invites eligible candidates interested in Accounting, Finance or Business Management who want to further their education, to apply for our scholarship. The scholarship is for a maximum of 2 years, with the successful applicants completing their studies at a local institution. You are eligible if: • You are Caymanian or hold Caymanian status. •You have at least 4 IGCSE/CXC passes with a grade B or higher, or hold a GPA of 3.0 or higher. •You possess a proven and consistent superior scholastic record. •You have a strong desire and commitment to learn and develop your higher education. •You look forward to a career in the hedge fund industry. All applications must include a cover letter (including goals), résumé, and two character references (at least one from a teacher or advisor). Additionally, college/university choices should also be identified, as well as a tuition fees; and where possible, an acceptance letter. 26 | Friday, 17 February I’ve finished my degree, what’s next? To learn more and apply, visit grantthornton.ky/careers/graduates. The deadline for applications is 28 April 2023. As part of the Grant Thornton Graduate Programme, our team will guide you through each step of your journey and ensure you feel confident, supported, and empowered to build the career you want. We provide enhanced study leave, on the job mentorship and coaching, and training and development that strategically aligns with your goals. We know that graduating from University is an exciting time, but it can often feel confusing or overwhelming at the prospect of ”What’s next?”. https://www.grantthornton.ky/careers/graduates/https://www.grantthornton.ky/careers/graduates/ grantthornton.ky/careers/graduates https://www.grantthornton.ky/careers/graduates/ grantthornton.ky/careers/graduates. https://www.grantthornton.ky/careers/graduates/ . C M Y CM MY CY CMY K Careers Guide 2023 - Grant Thornton - 1 Feb 2023.pdf 1 01/02/2023 01:59:24 PM 27Friday, 17 February | Answer the call Whether you wish to join our ranks or remain amongst our civilian team, the Offi ce of the Commissioner of Police (OCP) has a place for you. OCP, comprising of the RCIPS and CICG, issues a call annually to the youth of Cayman to serve the community of the Cayman Islands. We rely heavily on the local knowledge and cultural understanding that Caymanians bring to law enforcement. We therefore tailor our recruitment efforts towards Caymanians. OCP offers a wide range of opportunities across all areas, requiring various education levels. We value staff progression and development, thus, there are various training opportunities for upward mobility. OCP also offers internships as a part of the Cayman Islands Government (CIG) Paid Student Internship Programme. To view our vacancies and to apply, please visit www.careers.gov.ky For more information visit: www.rcips.ky Follow usNext >