Participants in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ 2025 Internship Programme (left to right) – Myles Eversley, Oshondy Phillip, Faith Parris, Rashana Jones, and Joshua Hinkson. (Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade)
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade welcomed five new interns on Tuesday, April 1, to its headquarters at Culloden Road, St. Michael. This is the first group of participants in the Ministry’s 2025 Internship Programme.
The three-month internship programme aims to develop the talents of recent university graduates interested in pursuing careers in diplomacy, through hands-on experience in the fields of governance and international relations.
It also seeks to provide a pathway for young, aspiring diplomats to gain insight into Barbados’ foreign and trade policy, build valuable networks, and develop skills vital for success in their chosen careers.
Those interning with the Ministry are Joshua Hinkson, Rashana Jones, Faith Parris, Oshondy Phillips, and Myles Eversley. They will spend the next 12 weeks rotating through the CARICOM, Hemispheric, Europe, Africa and Asia, Multilateral, Protocol and Consular Divisions of the Ministry. This experience will enable a comprehensive understanding of the role, functions, and operations of the Ministry.
During their introductory meeting, the interns interacted with senior officers in the Ministry, including Director General for Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Donna Forde; Permanent Secretary Joy-Ann Skinner; Director of Foreign Trade, Paula Byer; Deputy Permanent Secretary Jane Brathwaite; and the management team.
Permanent Secretary Skinner, in her welcome address, emphasised that it was good to have the interns, as the Ministry was seeking not just to teach but to learn from them, stating: “We would like to hear from you to help build out our own strategic thinking and approach.”
Director General Forde advised the interns not to take any of the exposure or guidance they receive lightly, and impressed upon them the need to be responsible, open-minded, and flexible.
She also urged them to pay attention and practise discretion as they were there “to get deep into the trenches”. Noting that foreign service officers “go right into the deep end”, she added: “We don’t get training wheels.”
Author: Government of Barbados
