In keeping with its talent development strategy, a new set of graduate trainees commenced their entry level development programme today (August 14) at the state-of- the-art Ecobank Nigeria Academy in Lagos. The training programme which was launched in July this year is an intensive 8-week medley of learning interventions for fresh graduates. The first set of 67 trainees will graduate at the end of the month and will be absorbed into different roles in the Bank.
According to Gloria Byamugisha, the head, human resources, Ecobank Nigeria, the first set of trainees at the Academy demonstrated a high level of commitment and orientation towards the banking profession, noting that the training is essentially to improve the financial literacy of participants who may be coming from other disciplines, or who may have non-financial and banking related academic backgrounds.
“I am glad to announce that 58 entry level trainees will commence their development program on August 14 for eight weeks. This is the cohort two of the program. The entry level cohort one that started their eight-week program on July 1 this year will graduate at the end of the month and will be absorbed into different roles in the bank in line with their performance and individual profile assessment. At Ecobank we place a high premium on manpower development”
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She further explained that the training combines classroom, on-the-job, book reading and action learning models, which provides the participants with global exposure and ability to compete internationally.
Commenting, Patrick Akinwuntan, managing director, Ecobank Nigeria, said the training programme was in line with the transformation agenda to make the Bank the most preferred financial institution in the country, noting the Ecobank will continue to head hunt for brilliant fresh graduates, train them on professionalism and Ecobank culture and inject them into its workforce.
He further explained that the various Bank’s development programmes are part of its talent development strategy to continue to churn out excellently trained banking professionals at various levels of the industry to feed into her talent pipeline and the banking industry, stating that they are founded on global best practice that prepare the participants for banking careers in positions aligned with their potential, competencies and experience at the entry point of functional pre-managerial roles.
According to him, “Our training programmes are our way as a Bank to invest in creating future leaders for the Nigerian banking industry. We are investing in the people to accomplish our vision both as a Bank and a country. The staff of banks must be well trained and knowledgeable so that they can ensure that funds in the banks are effectively deployed,” stressing that for us at Ecobank, we must also ensure that we deliver on our promise as a financial institution of choice not only in Nigeria but the whole of Africa. We, therefore, take the development of adequately trained manpower as a “must do” in striving to achieve our goals,” he stated.
It would be recalled that the Ecobank Nigeria Academy was accredited by the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) earlier in the year.. That was after rigorous processes which included a high powered visit by the Registrar and members of the Institute’s accreditation committee that showed that Ecobank Nigeria has complied with and satisfied the provisions and requirements of the Competency framework for the Nigerian Banking Industry as mandated by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) through CIBN.
The Entry Level Development Programme is an addition to the existing Ecobank Graduate and Management Trainee program which runs for 12 months and 21 months respectively at the Academy.
