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46 mentees met with their mentors for the first time at the Mentoring Cayman Reception at the Triple C School on Wednesday 13 November. The Mentoring Cayman programme, initiated by the Cayman Islands Chamber of Commerce and the Ministry of Youth, Sports, Culture & Heritage, aims to provide Year 11 students with influential mentors from the business community. “Today, we celebrate a programme that has changed lives and futures since 2002,” said Chamber President Joanne Lawson. “The Mentoring Cayman Programme, brought to life by the Cayman Islands Chamber of Commerce, has a profound legacy that’s grown year by year. It helps students unlock their potential, discover their strengths, and chart a path to a rewarding future. “This year, the programme takes on even greater significance as it plays a central role in the Chamber’s “Building a Future Ready Workforce” pillar, an essential part of its three-year advocacy plan.” Mentoring Cayman isn’t a work-shadow programme – it's much more. It equips young people to make difficult decisions at a crucial time of their lives without locking them into a career pathway. Mentors are selected by reference to a broad spectrum of shared interests – what they like and dislike – rather than just by career. Rocky’s mentor Manuel Thomaz, General Manager of Cayman Water. likes giving back to the community by imparting his knowledge and experience to the next generation: “I am now mentoring this young man here, who goes by the name of ‘Rocky’– we are just getting to know each other Mentee Jackson Rocky Pearson, 15 is passionate about photography. But he’s leaving his career options open. “I think it would be cool to get the experience and figure out different things – maybe I want to go into photography – but then again, maybe I want to go into something else,” he said.
Rocky’s father, Jon Pearson was pleased with the programme: “I’m looking forward to him being mentored in the business community, so he can see what's out there and how to conduct himself as a man in the working world.” Another mentor, Melina Marcellini, is the Senior Sales Manager at the Mariott Hotel. “I want to share the experience that I got from my mentors to someone else and be a positive experience for them,” she said. Her mentee, Larianny Genao wants to find out as much as she can about her chosen field of business administration, and knows Melina will be able to help. Sharing her reasons for joining Mentoring Cayman for the first time, IDr. Nicole Fowlie a professional Chiropractor, said: “I had multiple mentors back in Canada and I found them to be indispensable.” “If they’re interested in occupational therapy, physiotherapy, massage, or anything sports related, I can offer that. If not, I can connect them to anything that they are interested in. I can impart a love for education, a love for learning, and the ability to not be afraid of making mistakes.” Her mentee, Cosablla Windsor believes this programme will provide many unique opportunities she wouldn’t be able to find anywhere else in Cayman: “I’m excited to meet someone who is very experienced within their field of work. I’m Interested in sports, and sport sciences,” she said.