Ten students from Camille’s Academy are benefiting from the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s (GCCI) Annual ‘Teenternship’ Programme 2024, which is aimed at providing them with practical experiences in the working environment in relation to leadership, teamwork, communication, problem-solving, and management.
The fourth form students underwent their orientation to the programme on Friday, August 16, at the GCCI, where they were assigned to work with several businesses including Guyana Payroll Solutions Incorporated, Rafeek and Moore Customs Brokerage Firm and Logistics Incorporated, Raj Singh Insurance Brokers and Risk Management Consultants Incorporated, Guyana Electric Incorporated, Java Coffee Bar and Bistro, ActionInvest Caribbean Incorporated, Cerulean Incorporated, Technip FMC, and Beharry Automotive Limited.
Senior Vice President of the GCCI, Mrs. Kathy Smith, who welcomed the interns into the programme, spoke of the importance of the foundational experience that the initiative will provide. “I am so proud to be part of the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry to see that this is something we are doing for young people,” she stated. Reflecting on the core principles of the Teenternship, she said, “Leadership is important…becoming a leader is about understanding your area and undertaking it confidently.” Mrs. Smith futher emphasised the role of teamwork in a professional environment and the value of persistence, telling the interns, “There is no door that you are going to that will open by itself—you have to knock.”
Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Camille’s Academy, Mrs. Camille Deokie-Gorakh in her charge to the interns underscored the privilege that they have benefited from in being part of the programme. She said, “Today as you embark on a journey that holds the potential to shape your future in profound way through the Teenternship Programme held by the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry, just know that it is not just a programme, it is an opportunity to learn, grown, and become the professionals you want to be.”
Meanwhile, Chairperson of the GCCI Entrepreneurship and Small Business Committee, Mrs. Evie Kanhai- Gurchuran, who is spearheading the Teenternship, encouraged the businesses to tap into the fresh perspective that is available through the interns. “I challenge you to think about their perspectives, I challenge you to not just think of them as students that are now around your offices but really take their opinion to get a fresh perspective in your workplaces,” she stated.
The one-week internship programme is part of the lead-up activities to National Small Business Week, which is slated for September. It provides students with hands-on work experience, with an opportunity to understand the foundational aspects of business and office administration in a wide range of industries.
