CPL, UWI expand internship programme

THE Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL) and the University of the West Indies (UWI) Faculty of Sport have expanded their internship programme for the 2024 tournament which gets under way on August 29.

The programme is entering its eighth year and this season there will be 18 places available for students to study for a three-credit, fully accredited UWI sports marketing course. Those students will also be given the opportunity to put the skills they have learned into practice as part of the CPL’s marketing team with an internship at games of the 2024 tournament.

The programme has seen dozens of young people across the Caribbean get a fully integrated internship with the CPL team, with several of those interns then securing ongoing paid positions with the tournament.

The 2024 tournament will have matches in Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Guyana, St Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia and Trinidad and Tobago. There will be opportunities to intern in all of those countries as well as the academic sports marketing aspect of the course which is facilitated via online classes delivered by the university.

Chris Watson, Republic Bank CPL’s head of marketing, said: “We have had some outstanding young people take part in the internship programme over the years and it has been really pleasing to see many of these interns go on to have paid jobs within the CPL.

"More than this, all those who have taken part have had a great insight into what it takes to put on a world class cricket tournament and entertainment product. We look forward to welcoming the 2024 cohort when we get under way in August.”

Dr Akshai Mansingh, Dean of the UWI Faculty of Sport, said: "We noticed that the interns previously partaking in the programme were mainly university students from the region and beyond. This expansion to offer a three-credit elective will allow them to get credits for the programmes they are pursuing, while gaining valuable experience in the largest sporting event in the region."

Applications are now open for those who are interested in taking part in the programme.