Work Ethics Seminar

On 3^rd May, SBSA held a Work Ethics Seminar, an event prompted and inspired by an ever-changing Seychelles in which many of our upcoming graduates will join the world of work as early as the end of this year. More than just establishing a means to an immediate financial end, they need to find their bearings as to what legal framework will support them in that life, how they can and should interact with these new environments on a day-to-day basis, in the context of envisioning a long term future for themselves professionally and privately.

Board members Mr. Joel de Commarmond and Mrs. Dinaz  van der Lans whole-heartedly stepped in to deliver addresses drawing from their rich professional experience. Work ethics ranges from the legal to the savoir-vivre to what really not to do, in order to go for, quoting Mr. Decommarmond: ‘Where do you see yourself in ten years, twenty years from now?’. All third year students were present at the event, and the media was there to cover.

Mrs. Aumeeruddy, Director of Industrial Relations at the Ministry of Employment, Immigration & Civil Status, made a presentation on employment laws, showing it is essential to protecting worker’s rights, ensuring fairness, and creating a level playing field for workers of all origins and walks of life alike. Its various instruments were each highlighted and briefly elaborated, their relevance to work ethics being that they formalize and regulate many of the basic aspects of working life, thus inhibiting unethical behavior from the legal angle.

Mrs. Dinaz  van der Lans, Head of Customer Service at Barclays Bank, was happy to explain to the students what are the dos and don’ts in a service industry, quoting from many real life examples at Barclays but all the way delivering the notion that professional behavior and attitude will precede one’s reputation. In doing so she really connected with the audience.

Mr Decommarmond, Human Resources Manager at Air Seychelles, equally banked on his career experience and enlightened the audience with a number of anecdotes at Air Seychelles, indicating different work places do have different standards but that there is a red line to follow, and that correct ethical behavior will stand anyone’s career in good stead.

Last but not least two former students of SBSA, Ms. Maria Solin (Deputy Director at SBSA) and Mr. Dwight Stravens (2008-2010 cohort of SBSA), Chief Procurement Officer at the Ministry of Finance, honored the seminar with two very interesting testimonials.

The event was wrapped up with interviews by the media, and refreshments offered to all participants.