The Castries Comprehensive Secondary School (CCSS) wrapped up its annual Empowerment Week on Tuesday with mock interviews, offering Form Five students a taste of what to expect in the world beyond school.
The event brought together professionals from various sectors to conduct one-on-one interviews with students, giving them hands-on experience, feedback, and motivation for life after graduation.
Empowerment Week was created after CCSS Principal Anne Giffard Elcock had a chat with her students about how prepared they felt for life after school. “The conversation was [about] how well does school prepare you for life,” she recalled. “So our goal is to provide our students with the soft skills that, otherwise, during the schooling process, we would have overlooked.”
The week started with a resume writing workshop during which each student crafted a draft resume to refine before the interview session. Other workshops focused on personal branding, financial literacy, investing, conflict resolution and emotional intelligence.
“We wanted students to be self-aware and ready to handle real-life interactions,” said Elcock. “They learned about presenting themselves, handling finances, resolving conflicts, and understanding their emotions.”
The highlight of the week was the mock interview exercise, where professionals from sectors including hospitality, construction, music and policing volunteered to interview students and provide real-time feedback. The interviews simulated a real job application process, including questions about job interest, adaptability and professionalism.
One of the interviewers, Ned Samuel, owner of Mega Contracting, emphasised the importance of preparation. “One student had a good resume, but others were pale; no reference, no proper application letter,” he said. “It’s a learning process, and we guide them appropriately.”
Samuel encouraged students to improve their professionalism. “Even if it’s a mock interview, you should try to be as professional as possible; cover letter…resume; Show that you’ve done some research.” He also noted that one student stood out as an entrepreneur “because of the mindset and the guidance she likely got from home”.
Student responses reflected the impact of the experience. Hayden Maurice, who is interested in hospitality, shared, “[He] asked me questions like what position I want and why I’m interested. He said I don’t need much fixing, but I need to know the job I’m applying for.” He added, “A lot of us came nervous, but this helped us build our courage. There’s nothing to be afraid of.”
Ricsianne Sonson, who hopes to become a lawyer, found the experience empowering. “I learned how to dress, how to respond, how to calm myself. It just tells me what to expect [and] how to act in a business place.”
Principal Elcock stressed that participation is mandatory for graduation, and all students are encouraged to attend, even if they don’t have formal interview outfits. “We tell them, dress if you can, but if not, come in your school uniform and wear it with pride. Your uniform is formal wear, too.”
The event saw the return of regular supporters and representatives from the Police Training School, alongside first-time participants Sandals Call Centre.
Reflecting on the day’s impact, Elcock said, “Every child leaves CCSS with the experience of preparing for and attending a real interview. From the feedback, it’s clear this makes a difference. If it didn’t, they wouldn’t show up.”
