GR8, a recruitment company based in Jersey, has inked a new agreement with the Kenyan government to help more Kenyans find jobs in the Channel Islands.
The deal, signed on Monday, May 19, makes GR8 the first specialist recruiter in the Channel Islands to partner with Kenya’s State Department for Diaspora Affairs.
Kenya’s Diaspora Affairs Principal Secretary Roseline Njogu and Lee Madden, GR8’s Chief Executive signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
Present members on the visit to Jersey
Together with the Deputy Head of Mission at the Kenya High Commission in London, Ambassador Joseph Warui, Members of the Kenyan Parliament and senior government officials, Njogu is on an official visit to Jersey to strengthen business and political links.
During their visit, they are also expected to meet the Minister for External Relations, Highlands College and business organisations.
The Jersey Chamber of Commerce and Jersey Construction Council will also be attending.
The sustainable economic development minister, Deputy Kirsten Morel, expressed her pleasure on the same.
“I am extremely pleased to see that our links with Kenya are growing stronger,” she said.
Also Read: Kenya’s Diaspora Bonds: Innovative Development Finance or Potential Debt Trap?
“Business agreements such as this complement our diplomatic relationship with Kenya and represent a tangible benefit to the local community,” she further explained.
Deputy Kirsten expressed her hopes that the partnership will flourish and ensure Jersey remains a welcoming place for overseas skilled workers from multiple industries to live and work.
“I hope this partnership flourishes, ensuring that Jersey remains an attractive and welcoming place for overseas skilled workers from multiple industries to live and work,” she affirmed.
GR8 began working with partners in Kenya five years ago, starting a close business relationship with Kenya Utalii College.
That was after seeing that trained hospitality workers brought over to help support businesses in the Channel Islands were struggling to recruit staff following Brexit.
Also Read: Kenya Issues Urgent Alert for Citizens in Diaspora After Deadly Earthquake
Since then, it has matched hundreds of skilled workers from the hospitality, construction, transport, early years education and health care sectors into roles in Jersey and Guernsey with the majority coming from Kenya.
GR8 Chief Executive’s remarks
As GR8 celebrates another milestone after becoming the first specialist recruitment company in the Channel Islands to sign a business agreement with Kenya, the Chief Executive of GR8, Lee Madden, expressed his concerns on the agreement.
“It’s been an honour for me to represent GR8 and the wider business communities in the Channel Islands as we reach this important agreement,” he said.
“Over the last five years, we have built up strong relationships with education providers and the extremely high standard of training they deliver is reflected in the quality of the people that we bring to the Channel Islands to work in various industries,” he added.
The agreement with the Kenyan government will help us build on the success that started with Utalii and has now moved into other sectors, including finance and accounting.
Follow our WhatsApp Channel and X Account for real-time news updates.
