CIFEC students sail through internship programme
(L-R, back row) Tania Johnson, career advisor; Beth Hiryok, Red Sail Sports; Nicholas Ebanks; and Jenine Stewart, career advisor. (L-R, front row) Lej Battiste; Tyler Watler; and Heather-Ann Cahill, CIFEC career services manager
(CNS): Four students from the Cayman Islands Further Education Centre (CIFEC) last week completed their internship at Red Sail Sports. The students, who had been taking part in the Year 12 Internship Programme, had been working at the watersports company since September.
The programme is designed to provide unpaid work-placement opportunities for CIFEC students. Red Sail offered internships in different locations across Grand Cayman in positions including scuba diving, watersports, working with catamarans, and the spa.
Managers and mentors within the departments provided ongoing feedback to the young people throughout the programme.
The students who took part in the internship were Tatyana Bodden, who worked in the spa; Lej Battiste and Tyler Watler (dive department); and Nicholas Ebanks (catamaran unit).
“In most cases, the result is a notable increase in workplace skills and confidence,” said Beth Hiryok, training manager with Red Sail Sports. “It has been a pleasure to work with these students and watch them grow over the course of the year.
“The partnership between the employers, parents, career services and CIFEC staff truly does make a difference in these students’ lives.”
Hiryok presented the students with certificates to mark the end of the internship programme at a small ceremony at CIFEC.
