Whether they return to school or move on to new frontiers, 16 students of the Parkinson Memorial Secondary School are now richer for the experience of their 2020 summer internships at various companies.

The students were divided among the Goddard Enterprises (GEL) subsidiary companies and covered a variety of interests – some, who were doing Business Studies, interned at the GEL Head Office while two students with interest in Visual Arts and Industrial Arts utilised their time at GEL Property Management.

Three students, who studied Home Economics, went to the three outlets of Marshall Trading to work in Merchandising and Customer Service while another three Business Studies students found their place in the Administration and IT Departments of Caribbean Label Crafts. This as a Home Economics student went to the Warehouse department of Terrific Tiles.

Two young ladies from the school’s Science department were invited to Redlands Farms, not a GEL company, but belonging to one of the Directors who learnt of the girls’ interest in Agricultural Science. Carina Cumberbatch was very enthusiastic to go on her internship, as she has a major interest in agriculture and is focussing on becoming a Food Scientist.

Her motivation is ‘we need food to live and can’t survive without it‘. She has a little kitchen garden at home and so the experience of working on the large plantation really appealed to her. Working in the greenhouses at Redland Farms gave her an appreciation of the value of greenhouses, so much so, that she has tried to replicate the greenhouse effect in her own little garden space with stakes, piping and netting. She confirmed that she learnt a lot from being in the programme and spending the 4-week internship at Redland.

Nicholas Lampkin was one of two students who spent their summer at HIPAC ltd in the Production Department. Nicholas also interned there last year and was requested by the company to return because of this good work ethic and helpful attitude. His mother confirmed that her son thoroughly ‘enjoyed every bit of the experience and even wished that it was longer’. He left the programme early to enroll in the Samuel Jackman Prescod Institute (SJPI) to do a course in Refrigeration. His dream is to eventually work with HIPAC and then eventually to have his own business in electrical and refrigeration servicing.

He had full kudos for the internship programme as he confirmed that the students learn different trades and skills and it actually helps them to know what to look for in a job when they complete their studies.

One of the three students assigned to Marshall Trading’s three stores was Rojancia Best who got some valuable experience in cashing, as a sales representative, in merchandising and paint mixing. She described the experience as ‘awesome’ and said that she ‘learnt a lot.‘ She also confirmed that she was in time to witness stocktaking and willingly worked from 8 am to 8 pm to be able to see the process through. She is now fully aware of how to cash and do the float for the next day, how the stock is handled, and how to mix paint via the system.

When she returns to school this term, Rojancia is hoping to do Cosmetology, but she really dreams of eventually becoming a Chef. To achieve that, she plans to enter the Hospitality Division of the BCC or the SJPI next year.

Part of the criteria for the conclusion of the internship is that all the students must complete a portfolio outlining what they have done during the internship period, including compiling a journal of all their activities with photos and timesheets, showing all that they accomplished while at work. The students must fulfil 160 work hours as part of the requirements for the programme and will receive a certificate which can be used as they seek work or scholarships later.