Konnexx
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Konnexx
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Outreach
Since 2010, Konnecting Minds has given hope, strength, and training to young people who want hands-on work in engineering and construction. For more than a decade we have opened that door for marginalised youth and students who have left school.
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Programme years on record
2010
Running since — engineering and construction
4 weeks
Length of a documented camp, across Jamaican schools
The programme
Konnecting Minds is our outreach program. For over 10 years, we've been working to ensure youth from different strata are able to experience what it takes to be an engineer.
We focus on youth who have been marginalised, and those who have dropped out of school.
Since 2010, the programme has given hope, strength and training to students with interests in hands-on fields such as engineering and construction.
The story
The same account published with the programme case study: who the camp is for, why Jamaica needed it, and what a cohort actually does.
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The project helps students reach their full potential: technical engineering skills, soft skills, influential role models, and character built through team exercises.
About a third of Jamaica's youth are unattached — not in school and not in training. Thin guidance, too few role models, and missed educational chances leave many of them out of work that would have suited them. Some never get the opportunity. In the worst cases, they are pulled toward crime.
Konnexx developed the Konnecting Minds Programme in 2009, using engineering to reach marginalised youth and students who had left school. Cohorts learn website building, infrastructure repair, and the fundamentals of the trade, then dance workshops, hikes, and art classes that build teamwork. They spend time beside a working engineer and sit in career talks with leaders in Jamaica. Many leave motivated to reach their own potential and to make a positive difference at home.
What we teach
Technical craft, soft skills, and real field exposure — the mix that shows up in every documented year.
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Hands-on engineering: sites, systems, website building, infrastructure repair, and what the work actually looks like.
Teamwork, character, responsibility, and how to show up — not only the tools.
Career talks, site visits, aviation tours, and a real look at operations in Jamaica.
Inside a camp
Pulled from the published years and from what participants wrote afterwards.
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The 2018 cohort opened with a professional-development talk, then walked the day-to-day operations of an engineer at Konnexx.
Talks with Konnexx executives, including Dean Nevers, and introductions to people in business and development who can open the next door.
Students build websites. It was a centrepiece of 2016 and remains one of the skills the programme is known for.
Movement with Dance Jamaica and art classes, used to build camaraderie across the cohort.
Generating electricity with solar panels, next to the rest of the technical work.
Tours with the Jamaica Civil Aviation Authority, and a flight at the Caribbean Aviation Training Centre.
On-the-job time in the field. In 2017 some participants went up in the bucket truck.
Fitness challenges, hiking in the Hollywell mountains, and the mix of discipline and play participants still write about.
Programme history
Konnecting Minds 2018 was an exciting time for the participants. The entire event kicked off with a visit to the head honcho himself, Mr. Dean Nevers, for a talk about professional development. From there, all the participants experienced the day to day operations of an engineer at Konnexx.
Konnecting Minds 2018 was an exciting time for the participants. The entire event kicked off with a visit to the head honcho himself, Mr. Dean Nevers, for a talk about professional development. From there, all the participants experienced the day to day operations of an engineer at Konnexx.
In 2013 we had the opportunity to host 19 students from 11 different schools across Jamaica for 4 weeks. The project aimed to provide these students with opportunities to learn technical engineering skills , teamwork, soft skills and what really is possible.
In 2013 we had the opportunity to host 19 students from 11 different schools across Jamaica for 4 weeks. The project aimed to provide these students with opportunities to learn technical engineering skills , teamwork, soft skills and what really is possible.
Our 2016 edition of the Konnecting Minds programme was focused at giving the students a well rounded group of experiences, showing them what was out there in Jamaica. The young people learned how to move with Dance Jamaica, build websites and even how to create art. These helped to build camaraderie.
Our 2016 edition of the Konnecting Minds programme was focused at giving the students a well rounded group of experiences, showing them what was out there in Jamaica. The young people learned how to move with Dance Jamaica, build websites and even how to create art. These helped to build camaraderie.
Our 2017 Konnecting Minds programme included activities such as fitness challenges and tours held by the Jamaica Civil Aviation Authority. The students enjoyed career talks from the Konnexx executives, as well as on the job training, where some got to go up in the bucket truck.
Our 2017 Konnecting Minds programme included activities such as fitness challenges and tours held by the Jamaica Civil Aviation Authority. The students enjoyed career talks from the Konnexx executives, as well as on the job training, where some got to go up in the bucket truck.
Photographs
The live Konnecting Minds page keeps a photo gallery after the year notes. These frames are the upload slots for that gallery. Year photographs stay on the timeline above.
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Participants gathered around equipment during a hands-on session.
A working session from a programme year.
A visit off campus — field, partner site, or host organisation.
A talk with a Konnexx leader or a guest from business and development.
Hike, fitness, or another camp day outside.
A cohort portrait from the programme gallery.
Participants with their Konnecting Minds certificates.
Another photograph from the live gallery.
Voices from the programme
Upon entering the programme, many of us didn't know what it would entail. We were all nervous, but excited for what would come our way. Each day we were given guidance and vision on how to pursue future endeavours. Our thought process was transformed from our amateur level of thinking as we grew with each lesson given. The programme was designed to foster teamwork. We learned the importance of recognising strengths and weaknesses in team members and tapping into the strengths while trying to improve the weaknesses to achieve a common goal
The programme never failed to astonish us. When it was not generating electricity via solar panels, it was learning mixed martial arts or hiking in the serene mountains of Hollywell. Who could forget the dancer or the physical trainer who left us all in pain? We experienced an enchanting plane ride at the Caribbean Aviation Training Centre and to be designers and stars of an epic fashion show. These are just a few of the many activities we participated in
We were introduced to local influential men and women in the business and development sphere on a daily basis. This not only cemented our realisation that there were no boundaries on what we can expect from ourselves, but also gave us the opportunity to interact with persons who may be able to propel us in our career endeavours. The Konnecting Minds team executed a programme that literally prepared us for the job world through the building of character, the embracing of responsibility and accountability, and helping us to understand the true meaning of standing out
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Schools & partners
Schools and partners can talk to the Konnexx team about hosting the programme. Students use the sign-up form on this page — the same interest form as konnexx.net.