On Friday, April 26, the Cayman Islands Customs and Border Control Service (CBC) bid farewell to thirteen (13) students from the Cayman Islands Further Education Centre (CIFEC) who successfully completed their work experience programme. The internship which began in October 2023, ran until April, 2024 and provided the students with valuable hands-on experience in various sections within CBC. 

During their internship, the students were placed at key areas such as Accounts & Finance, Visa Extension Section, Cargo Inspection Section, Cargo Processing Section, Human Resources/Training & Development, Passport Control Section, Courier and Parcel Post Sections. Students who were placed at the Owen Roberts International Airport (ORIA) played the role of ambassadors, welcoming visitors to the island and assisting them with completing landing forms. The students performed admirably during the internship period, with some expressing interest in pursuing a career with CBC.

Ms. Ardell Pearson, CBC’s HR Officer worked closely with Ms. Jenine Stewart, Career Services Manager at CIFEC to ensure successful placement and progress of the students throughout their internship.

Speaking at the farewell function, Mr. Bruce Smith, Director Designate of CBC, encouraged the students to “Embrace lifelong learning and opportunities like these. Think about the path that you are going to follow and the trails you are going to blaze.” He further reiterated CBC’s commitment to continue its partnership with CIFEC. 

Mr. Mark Seerattan, Director of CIFEC, attended the function to offer support to the students and extend gratitude to the CBC for their steadfast commitment to their Internship Programme, facilitating a significant number of work placements and “providing fertile ground for students to grow.”

The students were presented with certificates acknowledging their successful completion of the internship programme.