The global economic downturn is starting to show its effect on Bermuda, with 30 people attending Bermuda College's first Downtown Recruit session on changing careers and retraining.

The session, which was held at the Chamber of Commerce offices in Hamilton yesterday, focused on fast-tracking people looking to switch jobs and was led by Laura Jackson, recruitment and human resources manager at Bermuda Executive Services, who talked about credit and criminal record checks by employers and the benefits of Bermuda College's fast-track programmes, including in office and accounting assistant courses.

Barbara O'Shaughnessy, senior lecturer of management and food services courses at Bermuda College, then spoke on the various business certificates and degrees that could be completed via the College, before Sandra Dill, programme manager for Professional and Career Education (PACE) addressed the subject of free tuition offered by employers.

Cha'Von Clarke, recruitment officer at Bermuda College, said that there was a turnout of about 30, while around three to five attendees admitted to being unemployed when asked for a show of hands, indicating the economic crisis was having an impact on the Island's workforce.

"It was a good turnout — the people who were there definitely learnt a lot," she said. "We did a feedback evaluation survey and just about everybody said they were interested in attending Bermuda College.

"But the economic downturn is definitely affecting the Island and people are looking for opportunities.

"However, there are a lot of options available, such as temping between jobs or even temping with the view to be offered a permanent job."

Among some of the topics discussed were going back into employment in retirement and the training needed for it.

The next session, entitled Making Sense of Numbers "Programmes that Crunch Numbers into Dollars" and which will cover the College's Actuarial Science programme, will feature Cherie Simons, an actuary at Flagstone Re talking about her experience of qualifying for her profession and what her day-to-day job involves. It takes place on Monday, April 6, between 12.30 p.m. and 1.30 p.m. at the Chamber of Commerce offices at 1 Point Pleasant Road.

To book your place or for more information contact Cha'Von Clarke on 239-4099 or email cclarke@college.bm