Guy Morel Institute launches ‘Ready2Work’ programme |13 June 2018

The Guy Morel Institute in collaboration with Barclays Bank Seychelles, yesterday launched the ‘Ready2Work’ programme, a Barclay’s flagship employment sponsored initiative that prepares young people across Africa for the world of work either for employment or self employment.

Thirty-five (35) employed and unemployed young people were chosen to take the course by the institute in partnership with the Seychelles National Youth Council (SNYC) and the employment department.

The course was opened by the executive director of the institute, Shella Mohideen, in the presence of representatives from Barclays Bank Seychelles, SNYC, employment department, lecturers and the young ‘Ready2Work’ participants. The Guy Morel Institute was chosen among other training institutions by Barclays Africa to run the course in Seychelles

Only 13 of them, with some arriving late, turned up yesterday morning at the time of the launch at 9am, although it was scheduled to start earlier at 8.30am. Mrs Mohideen asked them to reflect on the reason they woke up to be at the institute and to focus on the opportunity they have been given as she reminded them that joining the world of work is easy after education.

“If you want to make it in the world of work, you are responsible to make yourselves fit. The skills and the knowledge you get in school is not enough. For you to become a productive citizen, it starts with you as an individual,” she said, noting that they should have the right attitudes and the right set of values to be productive citizens and to show that they were ‘Ready2Work’ and not to have the coming late attitude which could impact on them in the world of work.

Mrs Mohideen told them to take no short cut but to work hard and with the right attitude to be successful.

She thanked Barclays Bank for the partnership.

The four-day programme covers four modules: work skills -- providing the young people with the knowledge and skills required to find and secure employment; people skills -- getting the young people to understand the most important people skills required in the workplace and to continue to learn for their personal growth, thereby improving their employability; money skills -- providing the young with the financial skills to manage their own money and lastly entrepreneurial skill -- providing the young people with skills to venture on their own as an entrepreneur by setting up their own businesses which could later create employment for others. The idea of the programme is to also help in reducing unemployment in Seychelles and to increase interest in entrepreneurship.

Barclays Bank Seychelles’ representative, Amanda Bernstein, said that Barclays is always committed to serving the community and to helping strengthen the youths’ future and wished that the initiative paves the way for other young Seychellois to develop and secure their future.

She hoped they would gather enough knowledge and skills and would feel better placed and more confident after to contribute in the workplace or in their businesses. 

The Barclays Africa ‘Ready2Work’ programme started in 2017 with online courses for the young people and yesterday’s programme was the first ever practiced here.

Self employed participant, Michael Joubert, said he learned about the programme through SNYC and he hopes to gain more knowledge in finance so he could grow his business further and create employment.

Unemployed Sarah Benoit from Bel Air said she hopes the course will motivate her to find employment since she is still on the lookout for a job of interest.

The course ends this Friday.