IICA facilitates Internship for Secondary Students Building Interest in Agriculture Careers
Two students from the Leon Hess Secondary School participated in a two-week internship (July 8th – 19th 2019) with the Delegation in Saint Lucia as part of a work skill and experience programme. Since 2015, the Saint Lucia Delegation has facilitated interns, using the avenue to give students about to enter their last year at secondary school practical experience of the working environment and the agricultural sector.
The annual internship forms part of the strategy of the Saint Lucia Delegation to support greater youth participation in agriculture and encourage careers in agriculture. “Internships were very valuable opportunities to me in my own career development – having interned with both CARDI and IICA where I have both been employed; so I am happy to extend the same opportunity to future professionals” said Brent Theophile, National Specialist in Saint Lucia. Over the two-week period, students developed functional skills in using Microsoft Suite (Word, Excel and PowerPoint), data collation and manipulation for analysis and problem solving, and public speaking. In addition, the Interns were introduced to different jobs and business owners in the agricultural ecosystem so as to give them first-hand look in on opportunities in the sector. These engagements included commercial mushroom production, veterinary services, aquaponics and organic farming.
“This experience has given us greater knowledge, especially in the use of computers by learning how to use Excel, and has granted us the opportunity to learn of the different careers that come about in agriculture. Working at IICA has given us a feel of what it will be like when we begin the field of work, and for this we are grateful” said Interns Ms. Jernin Gedeon and Ms. Cherisa Isidore.
More information:
Brent Theophile, IICA Saint Lucia