Around the world, the pandemic has changed the way students learn and the careers to which they aspire.
In the United Kingdom, research has shown an uptick in student interest in healthcare and engineering jobs. With COVID-19 enhancing the importance of science, technology, engineering and mathematics — STEM subjects — Dart's Minds Inspired is using job fairs and its own digital forum to introduce local students to STEM career opportunities.
Dart Education Programmes Senior Manager Glenda McTaggart said the creation of the Minds Inspired digital career fair was a direct result of last year’s challenges to in-person learning.
“We wanted to help students connect to career opportunities and have the chance to learn about jobs in STEM, even if physical career fairs were not possible,” McTaggart said. “Now that in-person career fairs can happen again, the digital career fair will continue to be available for students and can be used as a classroom resource for teachers.”
Those visiting the Minds Inspired Careers website at www.mindsinspired.ky/mi-careers can learn and hear about STEM careers at Dart from the organisation’s own employees.
“Dart is a global organisation with a portfolio of companies in a range of industries,” McTaggart said. “Through this digital resource, we provide real-life insights into exciting careers in the STEM fields and are proud of our Work-X and on-the-job mentoring programmes.”
In addition to the Minds Inspired digital career fair, Dart joined 55 other local employers at John Gray High School in February 2021. Hundreds of students attended the fair and 160 students participated in interviews with employers.
Dart participated with a large booth that showcased three of the organisation’s most popular careers — design and construction, IT and facilities management — focusing on the technical areas of the industry and future job growth within each area.
The design and construction team covered a wide range of careers in design, engineering and construction project management. Students were able to see first-hand how new technologies such as BIM (building information management) are transforming the way Dart designs and builds structures using 3D technology.
Dart's facilities management team demonstrated how it manages Camana Bay’s energy infrastructure, including solar panels and geothermal cooling.
The information technology team gave a demonstration of global cyber-security information and spoke to students about threats and the origins of the attacks.
Dart also participated in the Cayman International School careers day in February 2021. With the theme "Embrace the Unexpected," Dart showcased careers in public relations and marketing.
--------
This article appears in print in the March 2021 edition of Camana Bay Times, written by Hannah Reid.
In other news
