GraceKennedy offers Birthright Summer Internship for 2023 to university students of Jamaican backgrounds

BY PAUL JUNOR

It is now 25 years since the Birthright Summer Internship program was introduced that makes it possible for qualified individuals of Jamaican lineage to work in one of its 60 subsidiaries.

The brand name GraceKennedy is one of the most recognizable in the world. It is one of the West Indies’ largest and most versatile corporate bodies, which had its foundation in Jamaica just after the end of the first World War. Currently, it is a varied network of some 60 subsidiaries and associated companies located across the: Caribbean, North and Central America, Africa, and the U.K. It is involved in a wide range of activities from: food processing and distribution, banking and finance, insurance and remittance services, together with an investment in building materials retailing.

Applications opened on September 1^st, 2022, until November 30^th, 2022. The Birthright programme seeks to deepen ties with second and third generation Jamaicans living in the United States, U.K, and Canada,” and it targets university students whose parents or grandparents were originally from Jamaica. Successful candidates will engage in a professional internship for a five-week duration from June 28^th to August 7^th, 2023, in Jamaica. There is a cultural component to this internship as students will be able to participate in Heritage Pathway tours during which they will strengthen their Jamaican connections.

University students who are interested in applying must satisfy the following criteria:

• Candidates must complete an application form
• Include a headshot photograph, an official transcript and a one-page typed essay
• Candidates must be pursuing either an undergraduate or graduate degree programme
• Candidates must have a Grade Point Average of 3.0 or higher ( i.e a “B” average or 2.1 equivalent for the UK)
• Candidates must provide proof of Jamaican percentage/grand parentage
• Candidates must be between the ages of 18 and 25 years old

There are five benefits that successful candidates will obtain which include:

• Internship, with attractive incentives within GraceKennedy Limited
• Job assignments specific to the academic interests and career goals of the candidates
• Cultural, social and educational immersion through weekend programmes geared at highlighting Jamaican’s heritage
• Opportunity to interact with candidates from other cultures and backgrounds
• Mentorship by GraceKennedy Management term for the duration of the programme

Caroline Mahfood, CEO of the GraceKennedy Foundation states in the press release,

“We re-launched GK Birthright in June 2022 after a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic and we were so glad to see it return. As in previous years, this year’s programme ensured that the children of Jamaicans living abroad got the opportunity to learn about Jamaica, experience their heritage and culture first-hand-some for the very first time-as well as create lifelong connections with each other and their homeland. We are looking forward to welcoming the new cohort who will benefit from this exciting, life-changing internship.”

A virtual information session about the Birthright programme was held on October 13^th, 2022. Anyone interested in knowing about the GraceKennedy Jamaican Birthright Program can check: https://www.gracekennedy.com and students can apply online there as well.