July 9, 2024
“There’s always opportunity in America and Canada.” – Kerry Ann Edwards, KERG Consulting
Most working people in the Caribbean are not aware of the vast range of opportunities they have to live and work abroad in North America for high-quality companies that offer very attractive compensation packages, according to Jamaican-American entrepreneur and business executive Kerry Ann Edwards.
However, she wants to change that, helping to educate her community about the many opportunities they are eligible for, connect them with reputable employers and even help them immigrate with their families if they so choose.
Edwards is General Manager of KERG Consulting LLC., a global recruitment immigration consulting firm that has been in operation for the past five years and counting. Her firm is working with Caribbean Employment Services Inc., a market-leading digital recruitment service based in Barbados but operational throughout the entire Caribbean, to help spread the word and connect more jobseekers with high-quality overseas employment opportunities.
“We have quite a few positions opening in the U.S. and we have some positions opening in Canada, so, we’re telling persons from across the Caribbean,” Edwards said. “I’m not just helping my community, because I’m Jamaican; I’m helping persons across the Caribbean community and letting them know that there’s always opportunity in America and Canada.”
“What Kerry Ann and her team at KERG Consulting are doing is incredible, and we at Caribbean Employment Services Inc. agree that more and more people need to be aware of all the amazing opportunities available to skilled workers here in the Caribbean,” said Joseph Boll, Caribbean Employment Services CEO.
Just two short years ago, KERG Consulting was operating in a handful of U.S. states and mostly working with employers in hospitality and food & beverage. Now, the firm has expanded to working with employers throughout the United States and Canada in just about every professional field.
“I am totally in every sector; I’m doing recruitment for pilots, I’m doing recruitment for doctors and all all the different levels of the PhDs,” Edwards noted.
Meanwhile, Edwards’ dedication to helping her community from any Caribbean country remains as strong as ever. She and her team of professionals strive to be more than just a consulting service. They support applicants from start to finish, including right up until the moment they achieve citizenship or residency status in the U.S. or Canada, if that is what they choose to pursue.
The process begins when a prospective client visits the KERG Consulting website. Once there, you can use the convenient calendar tool to book your consultation with Edwards or a member of her team. You will be prompted to enter your resume, which Edwards emphasized should be an updated copy that even notes temporary positions you may have held.
“When you submit that resume, my team and I sort through them to set up the availability of the jobs that we have,” Edwards said.
This helps save time, Edwards explained, as when you arrive for your consultation, the team is already prepared with a list of potential job opportunities for you to apply for.
The process does not stop there, as her team also facilitates job interviews for you, supports you through the hiring process, helps you obtain your visa, and can even recommend childcare if you are moving with your family.
“When you come to us for the consult, you’re getting a full package,” Edwards said.
The challenge is that not many Caribbean people are aware that these opportunities are available to them. Edwards noted that most Caribbean people are familiar with the American B-2 tourist visa or J student visa, they’re not aware that dozens of other visa classes also exist.
Additionally, from a cultural perspective, many are distrustful of digital services like hers, preferring only to work with firms in their immediate physical area.
While Edwards understands the skepticism, as she noted “there are a lot of persons scamming people”, she asserted that the Caribbean as a whole must embrace digitalization.
“We have to go with technology. We have to grow with technology,” she said.
“For myself, who is a Jamaican-American, I can’t be in every country. It’s impossible for me to be in every country that I’m recruiting in in the Caribbean, and there are so many islands.”
Instead, she urged jobseekers to do their research into digital companies like hers to ensure they are legitimate, such as by checking their Better Business Bureau rating, rather than depriving themselves of the opportunity of a lifetime due to fear or lack of awareness.