PM’s Scholarship Internship Programme Lead, Hannah McLean, says there is a broad spread across sports among the 2024 intake. “Ten athletes from eight sports will take up internships in 2024 with the programme showing year on year growth in numbers since its inception in 2022.”
Hannah attributes the growth in numbers to increased awareness and interest from employer partners as well as from athletes.
The Prime Minister’s Scholarship Internships provides paid internship opportunities for athletes as they look to gain valuable work experience in their chosen field while continuing their sporting career.
The 2024 recipients and their chosen industry sector are:
- Jamie Hindle-Daniels (rowing) – International Relations
- Hannah Knighton (triathlon) – Consulting, Data Analytics
- Kimiora Poi (netball) – Māori Development, Social Development, Social Justice
- Emily Shearman (cycling) – Psychology, HR
- Bryony Botha (cycling) – Marketing, PR
- Shiray Kaka (rugby sevens) – Media
- Catherine Layburn (rowing) – Health Policy
- Sam Lane (hockey) – Banking, Consulting
- Greta Pilkington (yachting) – Architecture
- Jess Hotter (Snow Sports free ride ski) – Alpine Videography
“The athletes went through a rigorous application process and interview,” says Hannah. “The level of preparation successful athletes had undertaken with their Performance Life Coaches and Personal Development Manager was very evident.”
There are a number of standout features of the 2024 intake, says Hannah.
“A number of Paris 2024 prospects will take up their internship after the Games which means they can remain focussed on their primary goal but with the certainty the internship will be there after the Games. This reflects our commitment to offering greater flexibility in internship arrangements,” she says.
A second feature is the passion of the recipients. “The industry sectors the athletes are interested in show just how passionate they are about careers that will make a difference.
“Rugby sevens player, Shiray Kaka, is passionate about athlete wellbeing. Her goal is to create content and share it on social media platforms as a means of raising awareness of the importance of wellbeing,” says Hannah.
Captain of the Mainland Tactix ANZ Premiership netball team and member of the Silver Ferns development squad, Kimiora Poi, has a keen interest in working with Aotearoa’s rangatahi. Her long term career plan, using her Bachelor of Arts degree in Criminology and Māori Studies, is to become a police officer.
Demonstrating the diversity of qualifications and career goals, free ride skier, Jess Hotter, is looking to use her qualification in Avalanche Risk Management to take up an Alpine Videography career, with a focus on highlighting the talents and opportunities for female free skiers.
Read what athlete interns from the 2023 intake have to say about their Prime Minister’s Scholarship internship.
