GraceKennedy Opens Applications for 2027 Birthright Programme
Originally published by South Florida Caribbean News Read the original
Organizers will select four Jamaican diaspora university students for an all-expenses-paid internship and cultural immersion in Jamaica
KINGSTON, Jamaica — GraceKennedy has opened applications for its 2027 Birthright Programme. The program invites second- and third-generation Jamaican university students in the diaspora to apply for an all-expenses-paid internship and cultural immersion experience in Jamaica. This cultural immersion experience is highly valued by past participants.
Internship Opportunities at GraceKennedy
The six-week programme places participants in internship roles across GraceKennedy’s Jamaican operations. Meanwhile, it also connects them with the country’s history, culture, and communities through immersive experiences across the island. Many describe the placement as a life-changing cultural immersion experience that fosters new perspectives.
The programme is designed to help students build career skills. In addition, it helps them deepen their connection to Jamaica and explore the heritage that shapes their identity.
Since its launch in 2004, more than 60 young people from the Jamaican diaspora have participated in the programme. As a result, they gained stronger ties to their Jamaican roots and new opportunities for personal and professional growth.
Kyrah McIntosh, a 2025 participant from Liverpool Hope University in the United Kingdom, said the programme helped her build professional experience. Additionally, it connected her with Jamaica in a personal way. Taking part in such a cultural immersion experience can be transformative for students.
“Working with GraceKennedy gave me valuable professional experience, but what stood out most was the opportunity to experience Jamaica firsthand through its people, culture and history,” McIntosh said. “It helped me connect with my heritage in a way I never had before, and for the first time, it truly felt like coming home.”
Developing the Next Generation
GraceKennedy Ltd. CEO Frank James said the programme reflects the company’s commitment to developing the next generation of Jamaican diaspora leaders.
“This is more than an internship,” James said. “It’s an opportunity to discover where you come from while shaping your future. Through the Birthright Programme, GraceKennedy is investing in the next generation of leaders who will carry Jamaica’s story into communities and industries around the world.”
GraceKennedy will select four candidates for the 2027 cohort: two from the United States, one from Canada and one from the United Kingdom.
Organizers will invite shortlisted applicants to in-person interviews in Miami, New York, Toronto and London in spring 2027. Organizers will announce successful candidates before the programme begins in June.
Birthright Programme Eligibility
Eligible applicants must be second- or third-generation Jamaicans in the diaspora, ages 18 to 25, and enrolled at a university in the United States, Canada or the United Kingdom. Overall, the program offers a once-in-a-lifetime cultural immersion experience in Jamaica for young leaders.
The 2025 cohort also included Abigail Ralph of McGill University in Canada, Lauren Roach of the University of Miami in the United States, and Josiah Royes of Hofstra University in the United States.
The 2026 programme was postponed because of Hurricane Melissa.
Applications opened Sept. 1 and close Nov. 30, 2026.
Interested students may apply at www.gracekennedy.com. For more information, email gkfoundation@gkco.com.
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