The Bahamas Financial Services Board (BFSB) continues to support The Guidance and Counseling Unit of the Special Services Section of the Ministry of Education in the Unit’s commitment to provide career guidance to all students in order to meet the evolving employment needs of the Bahamas.

The Ministry has sought to partner with other Government agencies, corporate and civic organizations to effectively disseminate relevant career information across The Bahamas. To this end, earlier this year a National Planning Committee was formed in an effort to maximize available resources, to achieve stated goals.

In a collaborative effort to meet the many challenges facing graduates entering the workforce, the Planning Committee combined the resources of participating agencies and, under the theme **“Career Awareness Today For A Global Tomorrow,”** several events and activities were planned for October, designated **National Career Awareness Month (NCAM)**. These activities included Speakers Circuits within secondary and primary schools, other school-based activities, a Scholarship Awareness Town Meeting, and a National Careers Fair.

The Bahamas Financial Services Board (BFSB), an active participant on the NCAM Planning Committee, agreed to coordinate the participation of the financial services sector for all related activities, including the Careers Fair, while other agencies undertook a similar function for their respective sectors. Given this, BFSB’s annual Financial Services Industry Careers Fest was incorporated into the Careers Fair being held October 28-30 at the Kendal Isaacs Gym. The Special Services Division of the Ministry of Education, in collaboration with Guidance Counsellors from within the public and private schools, coordinated the schedule of school visits to the Fair, with the final roster including some 9,000 students from 65 schools.

Joining BFSB as cosponsors of the financial sector’s participation in NCAM were the Ministry of Finance, Rotary Club of East Nassau and Rotary Sunrise, all of which provided financial support as well as resources for the month-long schedule of activities.

There were 28 financial services related exhibits amongst the over 70 booths at the NCAM Careers Fair, including representation from the Association of International Banks & Trust Companies; Bahamas Association of Compliance Officers; Bahamas Association of Securities Dealers; Bahamas Cooperative League Limited; Bahamas General Insurance Association; Insurance Institute of the Bahamas; Bahamas Institute of Financial Services; Bahamas Real Estate Association; Central Bank of the Bahamas; Deloitte & Touche; Ernst & Young; Eugene Dupuch Law School; KPMG; Ministry of Finance (including Business Licence Unit, Customs, Data Processing Unit, Treasury); the Maritime Industry (including Bahamas Maritime Connexion, Bahamas Maritime Cadets, Bahamas Maritime Technology Training, Gadites Maritime); Office of the Registrar of Insurance Companies; Securities Commission of the Bahamas. BFSB and Cosponsors also sponsored the participation of the Bahamas Technical and Vocational Institute (BTVI) in the Careers Fair. Cosponsor Rotary Club of East Nassau manned a booth throughout the event to familiarise students with the Club’s vocational outreach programmes, including Interact, Rotaract and scholarship initiatives.

The Ministry of Education’s Guidance Counselling Unit says it is cognizant of the evolving employment needs and the national mandate to prepare the future workforce in order to remain globally competitive. It is the intention to continue with the National Career Awareness Month as an annual event.

Photo Caption: Photo shows Central Bank of the Bahamas employees providing students with information on careers within the banking and trust sector, as well as within the Regulatory Authority itself.