Graduate Traineeship
The Graduate Traineeship supports recent graduates affected by displacement to transition from academic study into research and professional careers. Delivered over six months, the programme combines foundational professional training with applied experience and mentorship.
Locations
The Graduate Traineeship is delivered across three RLRH hubs: Nairobi (Kenya), Kakuma Refugee Camp (Kenya), Kampala (Uganda). It is delivered with a research-focused format in Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) while elements of the programme are implemented in the Oxfordshire Community Hub’s fellowship programme. Participants are based at one of these locations and engage in in-person activities. In the future, we plan to deliver the traineeship at other locations in Southern and Western Africa.
Programme structure
The traineeship is divided into two phases:
First Phase
The first focuses on building core professional competencies, including communication, task management, presentation skills, critical thinking, documentation, responsible use of AI tools, and workplace accountability.
Second Phase
The second phase offers specialisation in one of two tracks:
- Research (research design, methodologies, data collection and analysis, literature review, and research ethics) or
- Project coordination and operations ( project management, event coordination, reporting, problem-solving, and communications support).
The programme culminates in a capstone project that contributes to each trainee’s professional portfolio.
Mentorship and progression
Trainees receive regular one-to-one check-ins, mentorship from RLRH colleagues, structured professional development sessions, and peer learning spaces. Upon completion, trainees are supported to access paid research and professional opportunities within RLRH and partner organisations.
The traineeship is designed as a launch point, equipping participants with the skills, confidence, and networks needed for sustained professional engagement.
For more information about the programme, download the flyer.
Learnings
RLRH commissioned an independent evaluation of the Graduate Traineeship Programme to reflect on its impact and inform future programming. The full report is available below.
