Updated on 14 July 2008
The Careers Department of the Jaffery Academy held its first ever Interview Day for the Form 6 students on Saturday May 3, 2008. The academy was honoured to have a panel of six high profile interviewers from the business world volunteer their services for the day. The students participated in mock interviews where they evaluated on communication skills, interview techniques, and professional appearance.
After the interviews were completed, a panel session was held, giving the interviewers the opportunity to discuss the students’ strengths and weaknesses. This exercise proved to be an eye opener for the students who will be shortly leaving the safe haven of the academy to face the workforce. The students were grateful that they were given a chance to participate in such a beneficial exercise.
The Jaffery Academy has now included Interview days in their annual Careers Programme which also includes an Industrial Awareness Programme for the Year 9 students and a Work Experience Programme for the Year 10 students. The Academy realizes the importance of careers and holds career preparation lessons for all of their students from Year 7 to Form 6. This ensures that students are given every opportunity to make the right career decisions.
Mahmood Dhala, Assistant Secretary General for Education commented ‘Jaffery Academy of Mombasa has taken a commendable step in introducing such initiatives in their school. Statistics show that fewer than 5% of all graduating students take advantage of participating in mock interviews, and 95% end up stumbling through several interviews before they acquire the necessary skills to be successful.’
Mahmood further states: ‘A large numbers of students who leave school receive no additional training beyond school and become virtually unemployable. But if they had been pointed in the right direction, could have become assets to the African economy. Alhamdulillah, we are blessed that the Jaffery Academy is leading an example that offers career guidance which would help alleviate much of this hardship and unnecessary expense. It could also play an important role in reducing the high unemployment rate and enable students to become assets to the African economy.’
For more information, please email adm@jafferyacademy.org