From as far back as the island’s leading telecommunications provider, FLOW, has been operational, the organisation’s brand has been synonymous with youth development through its many successful outreach, scholarship and internship programmes. Post-pandemic, where many corporate social responsibility initiatives had been halted, the internship programme is once again in full swing, hosting students from the Sir Arthur Lewis Community College studying in various fields.
FLOW’s Human Resource Manager, Shayla McIntyre, says the internship programme is just one small but very impactful element of the organisation’s corporate social responsibility agenda. She believes it provides students the opportunity to learn from industry experts and develop an appreciation for a fast-paced, highly competitive, and demanding working environment.
“Though the programme’s participants are well positioned to benefit through personal development, this also grants the company an opportunity to identify talented and skilled individuals who FLOW may be able to recruit when career vacancies exist,” she commented and continued, “the number of current employees, both line staff and senior management, who are former participants of the programme, is indicative of its success.”
The students had the liberty of determining which departments across the organisation they would be assigned to for the duration of the internship, which better guarantees sustained interest and consistent performance. Nathanial Mitchell, a Technology Student at the tertiary institution says, “I am extremely excited to continue this learning journey and believe it will better position me for gainful employment in the industry once I have completed schooling. I am really thankful for the opportunity.”
At an orientation ceremony held on June 1, 2022, the interns were welcomed by department leads and mentors for the duration of the programme. They heard stories of the career journey of many of the leaders including their experience starting in the business as an intern. They were also given an overview of the company’s operations as well as its policies and standards and had an opportunity to converse with current employees, asking questions and gaining insight on areas of interest.
The students will be evaluated at the end of the programme and will also be required to provide feedback on their experience in the form of a written report.
FLOW looks forward to providing more opportunities of this nature in the future.