Photo caption: (Front Left to Right): Oren Hurditt- President UWI Math Club, Stephanie Murdock - Chief Human Resource Oficer, Barita Financial Group Limited/Cornerstone Group, Oniesha Gallimore - Event Coordinator,  Chrisanne Hutchinson - Assistant Secretary: Back Left to right: Nykira Chang - Secretary, Amoyalee Griffiths - Vice president UWI Math Club, Percival Hurditt - Data Impact and Insight Manager, Ajay Tennant - Assistant, Head of Research and Development and Jevaun Forbes - Head of Research and Development.

On January 30, 2025, The University of the West Indies (The UWI) Math Club officially launched the Skills Optimisation Challenge (SOC), an initiative designed to equip students with practical tools to solve real-world business problems. This challenge provides a unique opportunity for academic enrichment, professional development, and industry exposure by allowing participants to apply their mathematical and analytical skills in meaningful ways.

The SOC was born from a collaboration between the UWI Math Club and Barita Investments Limited, one of Jamaica’s leading financial institutions. It was initiated through strategic discussions between UWI Math Club President, Mr. Oren Hurditt from the Faculty of Science and Technology, and key Barita executives, including Ms. Regina Taylor, Senior Human Resource Officer in the Learning and Development Department at Barita and current SOC Project Coordinator. Recognizing the immense talent within the student body, Mr. Hurditt proposed the creation of a challenge where students could engage with real industry problems and build career-relevant skills. With Barita’s enthusiastic support, that vision became a reality.

Open to all registered UWI Math Club members with a GPA of 3.0 or higher, the SOC began on February 12 and concluded on March 28, 2025. Throughout the challenge, participants worked in teams to solve business-related problems under the guidance of seasoned industry mentors. These mentorships provided not only technical direction but also valuable insight into corporate expectations and practices. In addition to the knowledge and experience gained, students were eligible for cash prizes, internship placements at Barita Investments, and special awards and grants based on merit and performance.

The success of the SOC was powered by a dedicated and talented group of undergraduate students who made up the executive committee: Oren Hurditt (President, Actuarial Science major), Amoyalee Griffiths (Vice President, Actuarial Science major), Romae Edwards (Treasurer, Actuarial Science major), Nykira Chang (Secretary, Anatomy major), Chrisanne Hutchinson (Assistant Secretary, Actuarial Science major), Oniesha Gallimore (Event Coordinator, Actuarial Science major), Jevaun Forbes (Head of Research and Development, Actuarial Science major), Ajay Tenant (Assistant Head of Research and Development, Actuarial Science major), and Leigha Roodal-Belanger (Public Relations Officer, Actuarial Science major).

This year’s SOC participants included Michael Coke Jr. (Actuarial Science major), Abishua Johnson (Computer Science major), Ron-Hugh Walters (Computer Science major), Justin Watts (Mathematics major with a minor in Computer Science), and Leighton Morgan (Actuarial Science major).

Photo caption (From Left to Right): Michael Coke Jr., Abishua Johnson, Ron-Hugh Walters, Justin Watts, and Leighton Morgan.

The challenge will officially close with a ceremony and awards presentation on May 15, 2025, celebrating the accomplishments of the participants and the continued partnership between UWI and Barita Investments in nurturing the next generation of industry-ready professionals.