Event 'challenges misconceptions' about opportunities

Off-island students, graduates and other young people have been encouraged to live and work in Guernsey through a careers event.

GradRoutes Guernsey said its Homegrown Futures event was held to "challenge misconceptions" about the Bailiwick's career landscape.

Speakers from a range of sectors, including digital and legal, the public sector, HR and construction spoke at the event.

Michelle Morley, project lead for GradRoutes Guernsey, said the evening was an opportunity to introduce young people to as many sectors as possible in the island.

Ms Morley said too many young people left Guernsey without realising the opportunities there were.

"They see the finance industry without even really understanding what the finance industry is and they think that's all there is to Guernsey," she said.

"This is the opportunity to show them the creative sector, the construction sector, human resources, legal, all the other sectors that are available."

Amelie La Prevost, 19, who is in her second year of university in the US studying marine biology said she wanted to "keep Guernsey as an option".

"I think something really attractive about Guernsey is definitely the lifestyle so if that is an option for me it's definitely something I want to know more about," she said.

Katrina Guilbert, 21, studied neuroscience for two years of university before coming back to Guernsey for a year and said she planned to stay in the island "in the future".

"Throughout school you don't know in detail about exactly what's available and I think you know about the main ones but less so about things like digital and stuff and I think it's good to have these events and come along and find out more."

Dominic Coyde, 23, who has been studying aeronautical engineering at Imperial College London for four years, said he had been applying for jobs "mainly in the UK".

"But I've also thought it's a good idea to come along today and see what the Guernsey side of things has to offer," he added.

Mr Coyde said he was "open to broadening my horizons" by listening to what some industries could offer him.

"I think studying engineering, it's very numerical and it requires a lot of accuracy and precision and I feel something like the finance industry there might be a degree of crossover with that."

Barnaby Molloy, chief executive of Guernsey Finance, said there was an "amazing abundance of local talent" on the island.

"There's over 80 roles in finance, but this is something in our economy that represents 40% of GDP and represents around 30% of full-time employment. So there's a lot of opportunity here."

"There are great opportunities here and when you look at the local economy, the regulator is quoted as saying there's seven times more jobs than people available to fulfil them."

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