Earn experience abroad before returning, BVI undergrads told
Walwyn
The Ministry of Education is encouraging locals who pursue university education abroad not to return immediately after graduating.
Education Minister Myron Walwyn said this is something that government has been endorsing for years.
“We’ve said to them: spend a little time out a do an internship for two or three years and get yourself qualified so that when you come back, in addition to the academics, you can bring some experience,” the minister said this week.
Local attorney Sherene Latisha Liburd is one scholar who followed the advice and is now reaping the benefits.
After completing her law degree in the United Kingdom back in 2013 and being called to the Bar of England a year later, Liburd worked in the UK as a housing paralegal up till July 2017.
She later returned home and was called to the Bar of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court in the Virgin Islands this week.
The attorney now works for global offshore law firm, Harneys, as an associate lawyer.
Liburd attended Althea Scatliffe Primary, the Elmore Stoutt High School, and H Lavity Stoutt Community College before moving on to the University of East London.
Liburd
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Not a bad idea mr minister, but what about persons who are bonded by an agreement with the government with the scholarship they sign up for. your ministry did not considered that then, and certainly was force to come back home with no experience. But am still thankful he found a job.
I think they have relaxed this requirement for certain sectors, i.e. law, accounting etc. but I could be wrong. In any case it’s coming from the Minister’s mouth so one would hope if the requirement has not already changed that they will be changing it very soon. It’s time to move into the 21st Century. If you are bonded, once done you seek an extension for overseas experience and then sign something else with respect to that aspect of things.
Mr Minister, you appear to lack a basic understanding of our standing agreements with our students studying abroad. You have neglected your duties by failing to rebuild our schools. You have further neglected your duties by failing to raise our education standards. You are responsible for the high illiteracy and truency levels.
Stand up Mr Minister and own your failures.
When students are given government scholarships, one of the stipulations is that they return right away and work. If the government can not give them work within 3 months, then they can work wherever they choose. The government has not been encouraging anyone to stay over seas for 2 or 3 years.
Also, student who study in the U.S.A. and are not U.S citizens would be granted a student visa. After graduation they have to leave the country.
This is not true. I went to the US on a gov scholarship under VIP. After graduation i applied for a leave of absence for work experience which Fahie granted. I applied through the school in the US for OPT which allows international students to get a work permit issued with the help of the school to work in your field. So this was already in play long before Myron. And I have since returned to the BVI and completed my years I was bonded for.
When was that? The current administration is and has been changing immigration policy here in the US. It may have worked for you in the past but may not be as easy for others currently. Same thing for those who try to gain residency by joining the military.
The most sensible advice yet!!! Get that experience under your belt and nobody will have any reasons/excuses not to give you an opportunity especially where you can prove that you performed well while gaining the said experience. Time for us to stop thinking that everything must be BVI, get out of the box, further more, mashup the damn box!
Keep up the good work and keep excelling…
that is in need of very serious remediation, Hon. Minister, is the horrific, oppressive and murderous professional atrocities administered by administrative officials, many from that very ofice you hold, against many locals, in some instances denying gradated salary and other upward financial mobility for an entire carrer.
There has been some very serious discriminatory deeds done to local professionals for thirty consecutive years of service and counting, from most ministries.
Some of our people have left a grave yard of immoral deeds in their wake, wilfully relegating many going into retirement to the same place they started their career,in abject poverty.
Hope some of those cases may have been raised to your attention.
..You’re saying that it’s all negative and there are no positive outcomes? In anything there will be issues but I’m sure the positives outweigh the negatives but sadly positivity doesn’t sell so…..
What about when the students are so caught up with the outside world, the glitz and the glamour, and the big bucks they make overseas (versus what they are given in the BVI) and they decide to stay away? The taxpayers do not get value for money.
Take for instance, the medical and other professionals who are awarded scholarships and stay away for good.
Self serving words. The hill man returned. What did you and your gang did after?seize the time.
If you are on scholarship bond you can’t work remember it’s a student Visa they have and the bond says you got to come back home so how can they work? When you asked the people at the ministry if you can work they says no
did arrchee daughter came back?
Go ask him.
Undoubtedly , in the world of work, there is a sequential process for moving up the ladder. Graduating from college or university with bachelor’s or master’s degree don’t by itself prepare one for the world of work; more than theory is needed to function effectively in the world of work. Often times, one has to work as an under study of a seasoned professional to acquire experience, eg, a civil, electrical, mechanical engineering…….etc graduate does not start immediately after graduation as the lead engineer on a project. This process applies not only to engineers but also to accountants, architects, nurses…….etc.
He/she typically work under a seasoned and experienced engineer and progressively move up the ladder before becoming the lead on a project. Clearly, VI college graduates need experience after graduation. The question is how do they acquire the experience?
In developed countries such as the UK, US, Canada……etc it is easier to acquire the experience than in small, remote island territories such as the VI. Getting the required experience is a challenge for VI graduates. Many students may not be able to work in the US, Canada…….etc after graduation. Consequently, there must be a process in place for government scholarship students and others to acquire experience after graduation.
Moreover, the VI must invest on its human capital but it must also effectively trained to meet its critical skills needs. For example, if there is a glut of lawyers and a shortage of medical professionals, it should probably put the priority on training medical professionals.
Thus, a timeline and pipeline must be developed and put in place for accommodating returning students. Without a strong and effective process, the BVI will be investing in its human capital to meet the need of other locales. It needs to work effectively to stem the brain and skill drain; the challenge of brain and skill drain is not unique to the BVI. It is challenge in all small, remote locales. Higher salaries and other compensation, better working conditions, opportunity for position of increasing responsibilities, opportunity to apply professional skills, limited opportunities, amenties in developed countries, family needs……etc are factors that contribute to the brain and skill drain.
Consequently, suggest establishing an adhoc committee to look at the causes and solutions for the brain and skill drain.
“Higher salaries and other compensation, better working conditions, opportunity for position of increasing responsibilities, opportunity to apply professional skills, limited opportunities, amenties in developed countries, family needs……etc are factors that contribute to the brain and skill drain.” This is a tall mountain to climb and to conquer. However, the BVI should be farther up the mountain than it is. It is a failure of successive VIP and NDP governments. Nonetheless, it is time to get after solving the brain and skill problem.
My child should have known this before she came back here to waste 2 years and not being able to find a job who didn’t think she was over-qualified was looking for persons just out of high school. I am happy to hear this now bonded or not.
Get experience abroad because we have nothing to offer you here, nor will we be paying you what you and your degrees are worth after said experience. We have expats for that.
Yours truly,
Government.
He just wanted to be in the news he knows fully well about the scholarship bonbs
This man really thinks that the majority of us are fools. His same Ministry comes after you if you don’t return to the BVI after studies abroad on a government scholarship. He just says whatever he thinks will pick him up votes.
Why is it that so many of you here in the BVI is so damn stupid.
So you don’t want any foreigners come to bvi and work
here. But you expect us to let you come and work in our countries? Ever heard of reciprocity?
With your intelligence you should be using better grammar.
Can one of these academics get some experience building roads and come back and help the companies the Government keeps handing gifts to so they can actually build something with our money.
You make it hell to get a job when they return , Hypocrites.
He wants them to stay away so they are not present to vote in the next election. And hoping they will forever stay away forever, except maybe visits home. They will no longer be eligible to fly home as a students to vote. Ha ha; jokes on you Myron. The BVI is on its way to third world status under Myron and his crew. Watch your back voters and keep your eyes open.