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The Cayman Islands Chamber of Commerce celebrated the 2019 Mentoring Cayman programme with a luncheon on Wednesday, May 1 at Grand Old House.

The six month programme is a joint partnership with the Ministry of Education, which pairs students with mentors from Chamber of Commerce member businesses and provides them with careers workshops.

“Since its inception in 2002, more than 1,000 students have benefitted from being a part of the Mentoring Cayman programme,” President of the Chamber of Commerce, Chris Kirkconnell, said. “This year, we had a record 64 students matched with mentors from the public and private sector.”

“The programme serves as an introduction to the many career pathways available on island,” Mr. Kirkconnell said. “Not only are students learning invaluable skills that they will need when entering into the working world, but they are also forming relationships with the leaders of Cayman’s business community.”

The luncheon featured Young Caymanian Leadership Award recipient, Staci Scott, who discussed how her own mentor inspires her.

“I trust her opinion unequivocally, and value the input she has and continue to make on my life more than she will ever know,” Ms Scott said, in her address. “Change the name, and this may not be too different of a testimony from those many in this room may also be able to give. Mentorship matters.”

The Hon. Julianna O'Connor-Connolly, JP, MLA, Minister of Education, Youth, Sports, Agriculture and Lands, and Chief Officer Cetonya Cacho also attended the luncheon.

In her remarks, Hon. O'Connor-Connolly thanked the Chamber of Commerce for organising the programme and expressed her support for mentoring as a way to assist students to gain valuable insights from mentors from the public and private sectors.

“We are sincerely grateful to the Ministry of Education for helping make this amazing programme possible,” Mr. Kirkconnell said. “And to all our members who shared their time with the students of the programme.”

The 2020 Mentoring Cayman programme will launch later this year. Those interested in becoming a mentor for the 2020 Programme can contact the Chamber of Commerce at reception@caymanchamber.ky for further details.