GRACEKENNEDY Limited (GK) has announced the launch of its 2024 GK Internship Programme, which offers employment opportunities for recent Jamaican university graduates with no prior full-time work experience.

“We are pleased to once again offer this exciting internship programme to talented young Jamaicans,” said GK Group CEO Don Wehby. “This programme is one of the cornerstones of our commitment to empowering the next generation of leaders.”

GK’s Chief HR Officer Annette Morrison added, “Our internship programme isn’t just about finding talent — it’s about building it. Our tailored approach helps you develop and hone valuable skills, gain confidence, and immerse yourselves in our culture, setting you up for continued success within the GK Group.”

Speaking with the interns at a welcome meeting recently, Wehby said he was confident they would make a valuable contribution to the organisation.

The GK Internship Programme was launched in 2013 and is part of a series of strategic employment initiatives for students and young graduates offered by GraceKennedy. Since its inception, GK has retained every intern after their year was completed, many of whom are still employed with the group today.

Kaydene DeSilva, acting HR manager, Key Insurance & GK General Insurance, participated in the first GK internship programme and was subsequently employed by GraceKennedy as an HR associate.

“Throughout my internship, I had the opportunity to interact with senior managers and learn from others not only in my HR department but across the group,” she said. “I encourage this year’s cohort of interns to be open to how they can learn and grow no matter how small the task is that you are given. It is important to always put your best foot forward and execute at the highest levels, because you never know who will be observing you and how their support can make a difference in your career.”

This year’s interns are recent graduates of The University of West Indies, Mona, and the University of Technology, Jamaica who studied in the fields of business administration, economics, and marketing.

The programme will run to February 2025, during which the interns will be exposed to on-the-job learning, soft skills training, and mentorship opportunities across various GK subsidiaries. The interns must also complete 80 hours of voluntary service with the company’s two foundations. At the end of the internship, each participant will undergo a final assessment and could be offered full-time employment with GK.