An Island youth recently participated in the latest Team Canada Atlantic trade mission which was held May 14-16 in Atlanta, Georgia. Leigh Ellen Walsh of Watervale was chosen as a member of Junior Team Canada delegation which consisted of a youth from each Atlantic Canadian province.
Walsh's completion of the Junior Team Canada program during the summer of 2000 qualified her to be chosen as a student observer on the trade mission. Walsh and her fellow Junior Team members attended all trade mission events and also had a firsthand look at how trade deals operate by working with a mentor during the mission.
"I job-shadowed Terry Allen of Future Learning Inc. on some of his matchmaking sessions and got a real taste for how business is done," said Walsh. "So many factors come into play when developing business relationships such as communications and marketing skills. It was an excellent opportunity for me."
Walsh recently completed her first year in the Business Administration program at St. Francis Xavier University in Nova Scotia and believes opportunities such as Junior Team Canada can provide valuable learning experiences that aren't always found in the classroom.
"The trade mission gave me the chance to meet with local business people and political leaders as well as representatives from Atlanta," said Walsh. "I also attended the Prime Minister's forum in which people could directly ask the Prime Minister some questions on important issues such as education. That's an opportunity you don't get everyday. It was definitely a highlight of the mission."
According to Junior Team Canada Coordinator, Josee Bovery of the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, giving the students a hands-on experience in trade is what the program is all about.
"Junior Team Canada's mission is to provide youth, ages 16-25, with the valuable skills and experience necessary for careers in a knowledge-based economy. Participating in a trade mission gives these young people insight into the business world," said Bovery. "All of the participants have an interest in the field of business and are essentially the future businesspeople of the world. This experience gives them an honest look at how things are done and allows them to explore their opportunities."
Global Vision, a not-for-profit organization, is the official organizer of the Junior Team Canada Program. The program is a partnership with Canadian business, industry, government and education leaders designed to provide young Canadians with international business experience through participation in training centres and economic missions.