UWI RBL World of Work 2024/2025 Programme Takes Off
Three years is the length of time it took for UWI St Augustine campus's Careers, Co-curricular and Community Engagement Department (of the Division of Student Services and Development) to land featured speaker Dr Camille Wardrop Alleyne for The UWI RBL World of Work (WOW) Seminar and Launch.
But when Dr Alleyne, a renowned aerospace engineer, space scientist, and entrepreneur, found out that the 2024 theme was “Mission: Planet World of Work: Prepare to Launch”, the stars aligned.
Dr Alleyne’s presence at the event was made possible by the support of the CAF Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean - and generated much excitement among the audience of students, faculty, and administrators who gathered to discover the history and highlights of the WOW programme. The event, held annually, remains a permanent fixture among The UWI’s student engagement activities with the aim of shaping the future professionals with the skills they need to succeed.
As outlined by Deputy Principal Professor Derek Chadee, “This generation can redefine industries, create solutions for burning issues, and develop the technologies that will power the next century. That’s why this programme is so crucial. It’s not just preparing you for jobs - it’s preparing you to be leaders, change-makers, and innovators.”
Michelle Joseph-Dindial, Branch Sales Manager, Republic Bank UWI Branch, emphasised that, as WOW’s title sponsor, “Republic Bank is here to support you every step of the way, whether in your academic life, your career, or the personal milestones that are part of your unique path to success.”
Successful WOW graduands gave testimonies about the way the programme allowed them to adjust to the dynamic nature of the workforce through workshops and seminars in areas such as resume building, interview preparation, LinkedIn optimisation, and developing their personal brand, among others.
After an almost five-minute introduction of her extensive credentials, Dr Alleyne joked that “we would have been here all day!” and talked openly about the trajectory it took for her career to take orbit. She stressed that the key to navigating your career is embracing unpredictability and believing in yourself. From a young age, she let her curiosity and intelligence guide her into distant, unknown spaces, even when faced with rejection.
“Follow your passion,” she said. “My passion was space... I wanted to be an aerospace engineer, and people may look at you sideways, but that didn’t deter me. You just have to believe in yourself, even when other people around you don’t.”
This persistence enabled her to chart a path to the top of NASA, where she served as a senior leader for over 29 years. She underscored the need for students to find mentors and reach for the stars, even if the destination is uncharted territory.
“The formula for me is dreaming big dreams, discovering your life's calling, believing in yourself, and your power to manifest your dreams will lead you to reach your fullest potential," she said.
After 23 years, The UWI RBL programme continues to take students’ careers into new multiverses because, according to Ag Director of the Division of Student Services and Development (DSSD) Kathy-Ann Lewis, “We have developed a tried-and-proven blueprint for designing interventions that are responsive to the needs of our students and stakeholders.”
Access Dr Alleyne's speech as well as other memorable moments from The UWI RBL World of Work 2024/2025 Launch and Seminar at The UWI St. Augustine YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-T65O-CbTFY For more information on UWI RBL World of Work, visit https://sta.uwi.edu/wow/.
