I was not even given a chance for an interview – unemployed youth
Following a formal opening ceremony, the youths went off to meet with employers and fill out applications.
This news agency took the time to speak with several youths to find out what they were looking for and how they felt about being given an opportunity of the sort. The revelations were alarming as several youths had one story in common – they do not feel they were given a fair opportunity for employment before and are appalled that often they do not even get a response to their applications.
An 18-year-old young lady who finished high school in 2010 said she has since been applying for a job as a reception and finds it very painstaking to know that she was not even offered an interview for such a position even though she sent out several applications.
What was even more touching for the young graduate is that such a job does not require a lot of experience or qualifications. She hopes that with the job and career fair, she will be able to finally get employed.
Khirey Creque is a national athlete and has been looking for a job for more than a year. The talented athlete and artist said it has been very depressing for him trying to find a job and at times he wanted to give up. However, he is optimistic that he will secure employment from the fair and told this news site that he has applied to all the companies that were present. Creque said while is real love is sport and music, he is willing to do an office job as it will enable him to make time in the evenings for his athletic training.
Twenty-two year old Travoi Harrigan has a positive outlook on life and believes he can do anything that he puts his mind to. Harrigan said he has been out of employment for about a year and is willing to “train and learn” and to do any entry level job with the opportunity to move upward. The young man said he has a keen interest in computers and is currently pursuing courses at the H. Lavity Stoutt Community College.
He feels that as a young man looking for a job, that he was not given a fair opportunity at times for employment as sometimes when he turned up to interviews the reaction from employers is as if “they just waiting for me to leave”. “Sometimes I think they didn’t check me out enough,” he said, noting that he is willing to learn if given the opportunity and he has also learnt a great lot from the Job Readiness Seminar.
Another young man said he has been looking for a job for some three years and did more than 10 interviews but is yet to secure a job. He is willing to try “anything” just to be employed and willing to be trained.
Scott Glasgow, 18, who would like to have a job in the hospitality industry, said all he is looking for is a “starting point”. He said as a young man, he is happy to have been given an opportunity to gain meaningful employment and he hopes he can be successful.
Joel Vanterpool said he has been out of a job for about three months and said while he prefers a bank job, he is also looking for self betterment and is very pleased with the opportunitites offered by the job fair and sees it as something that can be done more often.
Employers hiring!
Meanwhile, several employers have expressed their commitment to hire from those who attended the fair.
Minister for Education Hon. Myron Walwyn had disclosed that he had got commitment for more than 200 employment from businesses including 68 apprentices.The Ministry of Communications and Works pledged to take on 50 apprentices and after three months will hire from the group.
Shan Mohamed from NAGICO Insurances said the insurance company has vacancy for two entry level jobs and are willing to train and offer free insurance examinations to ensure staff can move upward in the company.
Mohamed said his company supports the initiative and is pleased to be a part of it.
Wilbert Mason, General Manager of Peter Island Resort said the Resort also supports the initiative and they are looking for employees with the “right attitude”. He sees the fair as a great start for the country as a whole and Peter Island is willing to support any initiative that will benefit Virgin Islanders.
The resort has 10 vacancies from entry level positions to managers and Mason revealed that he has already secured four young people from the fair for employment.
The Royal Virgin Islands Police Force also has several vacancies for Auxiliary and Constables and according to the Business Support Director, several youths have shown a keen interest and the response they received was better than was anticipated.
The next step will be to assess the applications and priorities for employment within the force will be given to those who applied from the fair. More than 25 persons had applied when this news site visited the booth while several others were signing up.
The law firm O’Neal Webster has two vacancies, one for a legal apprentice and another for an accountant. Partner of the law firm Willa Tavernier said they too have received a lot of interest for jobs and found that there is a great deal of young people looking for jobs.
She said O’Neal Webster is ready to train those who it will employ for the two positions and hopes the fair itself will bear fruit.
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