Deepens Talent Pipeline Through Strategic MOU with the University of the West Indies, Mona
GraceKennedy Limited (GK) has officially launched its 2026 Internship Programme, reinforcing its commitment to developing the next generation of Caribbean leaders and professionals through structured, meaningful early-career opportunities.
The launch of this year’s Programme coincided with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) at GraceKennedy’s Headquarters in downtown Kingston last week, where the Group hosted Principal Densil Williams and other senior leaders of the University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona Campus. The MOU has formalised the UWI/GKL Elite Recruitment Programme, a strategic collaboration between the University and GK, which is designed to strengthen the pipeline between academic excellence and professional opportunity, while supporting the retention of top talent within Jamaica and the wider Caribbean.
Together, the Internship Programme and the MOU reflect a coordinated, long-term approach to talent development, aligning education with industry needs and building future-ready capability across the GraceKennedy Group.
Group CEO Frank James underscored GraceKennedy’s deliberate and forward-looking approach to people development, “At GraceKennedy, we are very intentional about how we think about people and talent. The launch of our 2026 Internship Programme, alongside the signing of this MOU with UWI, represents a strategic investment in the future of our organisation and our country. This is not simply about filling roles. It is about building a sustainable pipeline of world-class professionals, individuals who can grow with us, lead with purpose, and contribute meaningfully to Jamaica and the region.”
The MOU builds on a long-standing relationship between GraceKennedy and UWI, including the funding of generations of UWI students through the GraceKennedy Foundation Scholarship Programme and other student-support initiatives such as the GK Campus Connect Food Bank. The Group also supports the university’s academic leadership through the funding of the S. Carlton Alexander Chair in Management and the James Moss-Solomon Snr. Chair in Environmental Management, established in 1990 and 1992 respectively.
This year GK has welcomed three recent graduates of the UWI Mona Campus as interns, reflecting the UWI/GKL Elite Recruitment Programme already in action. The cohort includes McKoy Banton (Computer Science), Dadrian Williams (Biochemistry) and Oniesha Gallimore (Actuarial Science), who have completed their studies in areas critical to GraceKennedy’s digital transformation, quality assurance, and data-driven decision-making agendas.
In her welcome to the interns, GK’s Group CHRO Annette Morrison explained, “We view our Internship Programme as a vital catalyst for professional growth. Beyond identifying talent, we provide graduates with high-impact exposure, mentorship, and skills development that prepare them for long-term success. By immersing interns in our professional environment, we are actively cultivating future leaders who will help drive Jamaica’s economic and social development.”
The 2026 GK Internship Programme will run from February 2026 to January 2027, with interns placed across various GK subsidiaries. As part of the Programme’s emphasis on purpose and service, participants are required to complete a minimum of 40 hours of voluntary service with the Group’s two Foundations. At the conclusion of the Programme, interns will undergo a final assessment, with successful participants considered for full-time employment opportunities within the Group.
Launched in 2013, the GK Internship Programme is a key pillar of GraceKennedy’s early-career talent strategy. Since its inception, the Programme has demonstrated strong outcomes, with the majority of interns transitioning into permanent roles. Notably, three of the four interns in the 2024–2025 cohort successfully moved into full-time employment.
The Elite Recruitment Programme will serve as a natural pipeline into GraceKennedy’s internship programme, strengthening the transition from academic achievement to practical workplace experience.
