By Silas Ooko

The 8^th Annual Interact Careers garage event, hosted last month, was organized by the Rotaract Clubs of Nairobi Central, the Rotaract Club of USIU-Africa, and the Rotary Club of Nairobi. The event took place at USIU-Africa and focused on the theme of "Deconstruction of Traditional Career Paths." It aimed to provide high school students with mentorship, motivation, career guidance, and leadership training. The event attracted the participation of 200 high school students from various schools, including Starehe Boys, Lenana School, and Mukuru Transformers Secondary School, among others. Additionally, fifteen corporate partners were involved, including organizations such as the Kenya Universities College Central Placement Service (KUCCPS), the USIU-Africa Admissions Team, Fahari Aviation, Career Exhibition and Innovation Hub, and Recast Careers Consultancy, among others. The presence of these esteemed organizations was key to the event as they provided students with direct access to industry professionals and experts.

Several influential speakers delivered thought-provoking talks during the event. Fareed Khimani, one of the notable speakers, addressed the students on the worth of their value and their conduct. His insightful session encouraged students to recognize their strengths and emphasized the importance of integrity and ethical behaviour in shaping successful careers. In line with the event's objectives, Rtn. Huma took the students through leadership training sessions and offered an insightful session expounding more on the opportunities in Rotary and Rotaract as a whole.

Furthermore, he spoke about collaborative project approaches in the service of the community and the well-being of all, one of the Rotary approaches to creating hope in the world. These sessions equipped the students with the necessary tools and strategies to become effective leaders in their chosen careers and communities. The students were encouraged to take on leadership roles and make a positive impact on society.

The event was also a platform for students to engage in meaningful mentorship with professionals from various fields. Kenya Universities College Central Placement Service(KUCCPS), another corporate partner, played a crucial role in the event by sharing its expertise in university admissions and career placement. KUCCPS representatives provided students with information about different university programs and guided them on the application process. Corporate partners and industry experts dedicated their time to guiding students, answering their queries, and sharing valuable insights from their career journeys.

This personalized mentorship experience offered students the opportunity to gain practical knowledge that served the anticipated goal of the event in enabling the students to make informed decisions about their future career paths. The corporate partners and industry experts present at the event dedicated their time to guiding students, answering their queries, and sharing valuable insights from their career journeys.