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KINGSTON, Jamaica — Eight young Jamaicans in the Valda Mae Care Foundation’s NextGen Leadership Programme got a firsthand look at leadership, business and career development during a recent visit to the JN Group Corporate Offices. The visit was organized in collaboration with the JN Foundation.
The visit connected the participants with JN Group executives and professionals across communications, life insurance, legal and general counsel, corporate credit, hospitality, office administration, information technology, business strategy and human resources.
Organizers intended the activity to show how different professional functions support a major organization. In addition, they wanted to help young leaders understand that careers often change due to surprises. They can also shift due to setbacks, new directions, and ongoing learning.
Life and Leadership
Earl Jarrett, chief executive officer of The Jamaica National Group, encouraged the participants during an informal exchange to make full use of the opportunities available to them. He also told them to see leadership as a responsibility, not a position. The young leaders also asked him candid questions about leadership, including difficult decisions he has made and how leading the JN Group has shaped his perspective.
“I’m just like you; I started in the same place,” Jarrett said. “Being a leader makes you question everything. You can’t simply accept what you are given as gospel. You need to be willing to challenge everything, test it against the facts and determine whether it is accurate and appropriate as you move forward.”
Career in Law Enforcement
The message resonated with the participants, including 12-year-old St. Andrew Technical High School student Kofi Massey, one of the youngest in the group. Kofi, who hopes to pursue a career in law enforcement, said the visit reinforced the value of consistency and discipline.
“I learned numerous things, including the importance of consistency and discipline,” he said. “I also learned that I should keep trying. My favorite part was the tour because one of the professionals we met helped me learn more about the career I would like to pursue.”
For Cornwall College student Joeldean William, who is approaching 19 and preparing to transition from high school to the next stage of his education, the visit offered practical insight at an important point in his development.
“It was an interesting experience because I have never been inside an institution like this before, so I learned a lot,” William said. “I learned about the importance of structuring yourself to grow to achieve the career you’re interested in.”
Kayla Buckle, 15, of St. Hugh’s High School, said the exposure was valuable because the participants are still shaping their goals.
“This was important for us because we are young and still becoming, so having this kind of positive influence is necessary,” Buckle said. “A lot of us had questions, and they were clarified extremely well.”
Buckle said her biggest takeaway came from Hugh Reid, general manager of JN Life Insurance Co., who told the group that “the only constant in life is change.”
Youth Development and Leadership
The visit formed part of VMCF’s broader work to support youth development and leadership across the Caribbean. The U.S.-based foundation focuses on assisting older adults and developing young people in economically disadvantaged Caribbean communities. Furthermore, its NextGen Leadership Programme gives participants opportunities to build leadership skills and gain exposure to professional environments.
Dejoron Campbell, president and founder of VMCF, said VMCF collaborated with the JN Foundation to give young leaders meaningful exposure to professional life and leadership closer to home.
Sydoney Preddie, lead for youth and education programmes at the JN Foundation, said the collaboration reflects the foundation’s ongoing commitment to supporting young people across Jamaica.
“We want our young people to recognise that their aspirations do not have to be limited by what they have seen or experienced. We are proud to have supported this activity with the VMCF, exposing their NextGen leaders to different career paths and encouraging them to ask questions. We hope the experience helps them see themselves in these spaces and think more intentionally about the future they want to create,” she said.
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