Bryden Stokes expands internship intake to build youth talent pipeline

Eight young people are set to benefit from expanded on-the-job training at Bryden Stokes Limited (BSL), as the company doubles its summer internship intake and deepens its push to develop future talent for the private sector.

Speaking at the launch of the 2026 summer internship programme at the company’s Barbarees Hill headquarters on Monday, managing director David Sealy said the expansion reflected the success of last year’s initiative, which resulted in two interns securing full-time employment with the company.

“Last year, we welcomed our first group of BSL interns. By the end of the programme, the transformation of these young persons was so epic, not only professionally, but personally,” he said.

“In fact, we were able to place two of the four interns as full-time employees. This year we are proud to see the programme doubling in size, and we welcome eight interns to the BSL programme.”

Sealy stressed that youth development was critical not only for the company but for the wider economy, arguing that fresh perspectives were needed across the distribution and consumer goods sectors.

“It is important that we get fresh new talent to untap the true potential of the industry. That’s why this is important for me,” he said.

The managing director described the internship programme as an investment in Barbados’ future workforce.

“Today’s interns are tomorrow’s professionals, managers, innovators, and leaders. This is not simply the right thing to do; it’s essential for the success of our company, the industry, and of our country.”

The interns will undergo a three-day orientation programme before joining their assigned departments and participating in a series of professional development sessions over the next 10 weeks.

“The goal is simple: to ensure that when you leave BSL, you do so with more knowledge, greater confidence, stronger personal skills, and a clearer vision for where you want to go in the future,” Sealy explained.

Human resources manager Sabrina Wiggins said the programme represented months of preparation and reflected the company’s commitment to developing young people.

“Today is an exciting day for us and the company and, most importantly, for each and every one of you interns with us who are about to begin one of the most fantastic summers of your life,” she said.

Congratulating the successful applicants, Wiggins noted that they had several options before choosing Bryden Stokes.

“We know that you would have had many different choices to choose from, and we’re very glad that you would have chosen us. We can’t wait to see what you will deliver by the end of the 10-week programme.”

Programme manager in the Ministry of Labour, Erika Watson, said the internship comes at a time when the labour market is being reshaped by technological advancement, automation and global economic changes.

“Academic qualifications alone will no longer be enough; that’s the reality,” she told the interns.

“And increasingly, employability is defined not just by what you know, but also what you can do, how you think, and how you effectively adapt.”

She said practical workplace experience remained one of the most effective ways for young people to develop those skills.

“Nothing will test you more than these next 10 weeks working with people you don’t know and learning how to navigate the workforce, the work environment. It will help you to build confidence, strengthen your competence, and prepare you to contribute meaningfully from day one.”

Watson noted that evidence consistently showed interns enjoyed stronger employment outcomes, adding that internships transformed “potential into proven capability”.

The ministry official also highlighted the role of the Government’s Job Start Plus programme, revealing that two of the interns were recruited through the initiative.

“We are especially pleased that two of the interns here came through Job Start Plus and were sourced from that programme, and their presence here today demonstrates really what is possible when government initiatives align well with what the private sector is also trying to achieve,” she said.

“It demonstrates that partnerships can create real pathways from training to employment.”

Emphasising the importance of collaboration, Watson said government, educational institutions and employers all had a role to play in preparing young people for the future.

“Sometimes the only difference between unrealised potential and extraordinary achievement is opportunity,” she said.

Addressing the interns directly, she urged them to take full advantage of the experience.

“Be curious. Ask questions, don’t be afraid, be professional always, and be willing to learn from everyone around you. Everyone around you has something to teach you.”

She added: “Your future is not determined by where you start. It’s determined by your willingness to learn, to adapt, to persevere, and to continuously move forward even when challenges arise.”

The internship programme will provide the eight interns with hands-on experience in areas such as data analytics, marketing, logistics, and business operations, culminating in final presentations at the end of the programme.

(LE)