Internship Programme

Established in 1988, the African Economic Research Consortium is a capacity building institution to inform economic policies in sub-Saharan Africa.

The AERC is committed to ensuring it gives internship opportunities to recent postgraduates. The objective of the AERC Internship Programme is to develop and prepare recent postgraduates to take up employment opportunities that come up in research, policy making and capacity building institutions. The Internship Programme also provides participants with an excellent opportunity to acquire work-place experience, expand knowledge, refine career goals and build professional networks, mentors and contacts. The interns will in return support the research, capacity building and policy outreach agenda of AERC. The pool of interns will provide the AERC with potential candidates for job opportunities that may arise in the future. The Internship Programme is for a duration of 3 to 6 months after which the candidates are released to pursue opportunities in the wider job market.

Eligibility Requirements

The AERC aims to select candidates with a Master’s degree in any one the following disciplines:

• Economics; Statistics; Agricultural Economics; Development Studies; Mathematics; or Gender Studies.
• Governance and Knowledge Management.
• General Support Services: Accounting and Finance Administration; Procurement; or HR Management.
• ICT
• Communication & External Relations

Participants in the programme are selected on a competitive basis, reflecting the position needs of the AERC.

The following are the minimum requirements for internship positions:

• Aged 30 and below at point of submitting application
• Holds a minimum of a master’s degree or its equivalent from a recognized university; and is applying for the internship within one year of having obtained a master’s degree
• Is a Kenyan citizen or has legal document allowing him/her to work in Kenya
• Ability to communicate effectively (written and oral) in English, with a working knowledge of another language (e.g. proficiency in French is an added advantage).
• Female candidates are encouraged to apply.

In addition to the above selection criteria, preference will be given to candidates who demonstrate the following:

• Rapid turnaround of work
• Good communication skills

Terms and conditions

• Interns will be responsible for their travel (in case of on-site internship) to and from the AERC’s office location, as well as their upkeep.
• Interns will be responsible for their medical insurance coverage during the period of their internship.
• The internship will be authorized only once for any candidate.
• Eligible interns will receive a monthly stipend.
• Interns may be authorized to participate in an official AERC assignment.
• Internships will take place at the AERC’s headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya; either remotely or on-site depending on the needs of the hiring departments.
• Interns must have attained at least a Master’s degree in their area of expertise from a recognized university.