The managing director of Guardsman Group Limited Andre McLean is urging parents to enroll their children in programmes that will help them develop soft skills.
He made this plea on Thursday during the company’s back-to-school drive at its headquarters in Warren’s, St Michael.
McLean said that too much effort was being placed on academics and that alone was not sufficient to develop a well rounded individual.
“There is not a lot of focus on the soft skills required to be successful as an individual . . . The reason I’m standing here is not because of how good I am at math or accounts. Yes, it contributes significantly. However, it is me being able to be confident, to speak properly, to express myself in a manner that conveys the fact that I have some knowledge and be able to work in a team. All the different [things you develop from learning soft skills] is really what is going to determine the difference between who you are as a regular employee or whether you become a great leader,” he said, asserting his belief that great leaders were not born but rather trained from young through their social environment.
He added that the Guardsman Group was relaunching a leadership programme for its employees and it was also opened to the general public. He said this was a good opportunity for children to develop their social abilities and help them interact effectively with others, navigate their way through their educational life and solve problems.
During the ceremony, a number of children, whose parents work at the company received special back-to-school packages, which included books, stationery and other supplies.
These students recently sat the Barbados Secondary School Entrance Exam.
General manager at Guardsman Group Hurtado Mitchell gave the students some words of encouragement during their secondary school journey.
He told the children there were a lot of possibilities at their new schools and they were full of potential.
Mitchell encouraged them to go after their dreams and always believe in themselves.
Liam Mangray and Traviz Prescod thanked the company on behalf of the students for the kind gesture.
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