Eighteen eager students in the Digicel Graduate Programme have been gaining first-hand insight into how the Digicel Foundation works to support communities around the world. This eye-opening opportunity into Digicel Foundation’s community development, educational and socioeconomic initiatives is unlike any other.
The class of 2024 consists of students who call Antigua, Barbados, Jamaica, Ireland and Trinidad & Tobago home. Those chosen amount to only a small percentage of the 799 total applicants for the inaugural Digicel Graduate Programme. The two-year immersive experience was created to enhance hard skills related to technical knowledge and business acumen. Requirements for the programme include having a business-related Bachelor’s or Master’s degree and English proficiency. Soft skills such as how to adopt a digitally-oriented perspective and execute leadership styles confidently were an equal priority. Subsequently, there was a multi-round selection process that determined the final candidates. The first nine-month rotation takes the students to Antigua, Cayman, Jamaica, St. Kitts, St. Lucia and Turks & Caicos.
Public community outings, retail environments and conference rooms have served as the backdrops for learning. Through networking, shadowing and mentorship opportunities with local Caribbean and international figureheads, the programme prepares students to take on cross-functional and multi-functional professional roles in the future.
Digicel Group CEO, Oliver Coughlan, sees potential in the programme and its students, and wouldn’t be surprised to see some graduates go on to influential roles. “Our Digicel Graduate Programme is our latest way of finding, developing and mentoring high-performing talent which, in time and with a healthy amount of hard work and meaningful business and life experiences, may go on to become some of our future leaders. It’s a serious opportunity for advancement.”
In April, students completed an “urban tour.” Lakeisha Palmer, Group Head of Talent Development at Digicel, and Miguel “Steppa” Williams, Community Development Manager at the Digicel Foundation, guided students throughout their excursion to the Jamaican Paralympic Association. Bonds between facility users and other peers were formed as everyone joined in on a basketball game. Students described their outing as “thought-provoking, impactful and emotional.” A main takeaway of another student illustrates Digicel’s focus on corporate social responsibility. “If a company or an organisation as large as Digicel is able to give back on such a large scale, that is something that we could all try to embody. That we are so lucky to be here, in this programme, but we can’t take it for granted. And we have to remember that what they invest in us, we should be investing in others…”