STUDY & CAREER FAIR 2024

Our Mission

Our mission is to connect students and organizations, get them acquainted with each other and get them aligned in order to develop a future perspective for learners and workers of Curaçao. A perspective with dreams, desires and growth opportunities in order to reduce the brain drain, criminality and (youth) unemployment rate on Curaçao. 

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Our Vision

For the purpose of society

We believe that our society will be a better place when we connect and stay connected with each other. We can accomplish this by communicating and dialogue. This is certainly the case for students/starters and organizations! Who is better in explaining to students which competences they need to make a different as an employee, now and in the future, than employers? Who is better in introducing modern, fresh and creative ideas for the purpose of business and society as a whole than students? Our goal is to connect both of these worlds.

 

On and by the Curaçao Study and Career Fair dreams are dreamt, plans are made, information is gathered, perspective is gained. Where are my talents and how can I use these in a work environment? What can I become and what do I want to do in life? Which organizations fit my assets? And which do not?

Perspective makes life. We know from scientific research*1 that (a lack of) work perspective can have major consequences for society. Here too on Curaçao, where the (youth) unemployment rate is high, such a future perspective is needed to combat crime and depletion. We build a bridge between the labor market and students to make dreams come true for the benefit of the island of Curaçao.

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For the purpose of students/(future) employees

Research shows that in general youngsters make subconscious choices; in general they don’t know what their assets are and they are not familiar with what the local employment market has to offer. Having a dream for the future is essential for the learning motivation*2. 

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From neuro science we know why it is important to encourage students to dream. Dreaming helps with learning. Carol Dwexk (2006) claims that a ‘growth mindset’ is the ultimate way to learn how to learn. A ‘growth mindset’ is opposite to a ‘fixed mindset’. Everyone has both of these mindsets in a different ratio. 

With the fixed mindset we are convinced that our possibilities are fixed and cannot be changed. That our intelligence is established, and measuring means knowledge. This is in contrast to the growth mindset in which belief in one's own possibilities is key. One is convinced that the brain can grow, and that practice and making mistakes are part of the learning process in order to reach one’s goal.

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From the growth mindset you can influence the realization of your own dreams; an attractive perspective for students. In order for students to dream about their career, it is vital that they have access to reliable information about education and the employment market. This is where opportunities for the government, companies, schools/universities and organizations come in, gathered on the Curaçao Study and Career Fair.

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For the purpose of organizations

Human capital is the most important asset of an organization.*3 Speed and efficiency are of paramount importance to the effectiveness of a company but can only be reached if people (can) do their jobs well. TheCuraçao Study and Career Fair makes recruitment easier and more efficient. It’s easy for organizations to connect with talented starters who in return connect with the organization. The unconventional acquaintance process (personal contact without seeing a resume or cover letter first) give recruiters the chance to broaden their horizon and get in contact with a wider variety of candidates. Furthermore the Curaçao Study and Career Fair is a chance for local small and medium-sized businesses to put themselves on the map and gain fame. And last but not least the fair is a networking platform for companies.  

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At the Curaçao Study and Career Fair we feel that students (read: future employees) could be better equipped to gain insights in the functioning of the employment market. To learn how to become flexible on the employment market. The trend moves from job security to work security. Developments are no longer branch-dependent. Companies have their own role in creating policies for recruitment and career coaching, and developing career skills for employees. However, this is an unknown world for students and starters in the employment market. We connect those two worlds by creating the opportunity to literally talk to each other.

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*1 For example Wilthagen et al, 2014

*2 The ‘vocational hope’ in the words of Diemer & Blustein, 2007

*3 Collins, 2011