Employment for tertiary students as HFC Bank launches its Study and Work Initiative

HFC Bank has launched its Study and Work Initiative, which provides a platform for tertiary students to gain work experience whilst studying.

The bank’s CEO Rakesh Ram says it is their people who are their greatest asset.

Ram says the study and work initiative will create a bridge between theoretical studies at university and work life.

He says along with the financial support, this program will build students’ interpersonal skills, confidence and professionalism and create more relevance and meaning to theoretical studies as they do hands on practice in their roles.

Ram who is also the Tertiary Scholarship and Loans Services Board Chairman says HFC Bank is delighted to be one of the few corporate organizations to create such a platform for Fijian students’ talent enrichment.

He says he is very appreciative of Government’s support through TSLS in enhancing access to tertiary education for Fijians.

Ram also says working for Fiji’s own bank will help students expand their career aspirations and make them more marketable.

HFC Bank launched a graduate trainee program for its own staff in 2021, where 10 graduate staff were placed on an accelerated/fast track career progression training for one year.

The bank says these 10 staff stepped out of their current roles and received specially targeted grooming in all aspects of banking. The bank also says this program along with other programs such as rising stars and extended leadership programs is a testimony to HFC Bank recognising its staff as essential contributors to the bank’s success and sustainability.

As part of its commitment to its staff, HFC Bank continued to retain all existing staff with normal salaries and benefits during the period of COVID with no job losses or salary reduction and more importantly grew its workforce with an additional 50 plus local employees.