REPUBLIC Bank (Guyana) Limited, in collaboration with the University of Guyana, last Friday hosted the opening day of an annual Career Coaching programme at the Education Lecture Theatre, of the University of Guyana Turkeyen Campus.

The programme is one geared primarily towards equipping final-year students from all faculties of the institution with the necessary tools for succeeding in today’s work environment. This year, the theme for the career coaching focuses mainly on “Marketing yourself” and “Understanding the Working World”.

Participants of the event will be exposed to sessions dealing with Professional Image, Resume Writing, Money Management, Labour Laws and Policies, and Occupational Health and Safety.

This initiative was first launched in 2008 to fill a wide gap in the level of preparedness of new graduates to pursue their careers of choice.

This programme is one of many which Republic Bank shares with the University of Guyana through a partnership crafted under the Bank’s flagship social outreach initiative – ‘The Power to Make a Difference’.

General Manager of Corporate and Management Services at Republic Bank, Ms. Denise Hobbs, said the Career Coaching initiative was launched in response to a national need for better prepared and informed applicants.

“We believe that Republic Bank Career Coaching offers the workshop participants the power to succeed in preparing their applications, facing job interviews, and integrating into their work environment of choice,” she explained.

Hobbs stressed that critical to national development and the advancement of Guyanese is a capable and efficient workforce, hence she noted that Republic Bank has an obligation to ensure such development by equipping the participants with the requisite level of awareness, knowledge and skills to propel their careers.

Friday was the first day of this two-day event, and it ushered in the interactive participation of members of the Board of Directors: Mrs. Yolande Foo; Ms. Joyce Sinclair, Management and Training Consultant; Ms. Bonita Hunter and Mrs. Coreen Jacobs, UG lecturers; Dr. Ken Hunte, retired University of Guyana lecturer and educator; and Mrs. Jannis London, who heads Republic Bank’s Training and Development Centre.

To date, over 300 final-year UG students have participated in these workshops, and over 100 students have registered this year.

Ms Hobbs has affirmed that Republic Bank holds fast to the commitment of being stewards of our nation’s prosperity, and with the vision of fostering dedication, professionalism and integrity, the Bank can pave the way for engendering the culture of excellence to which the country aspires.

Only last month, the Bank granted awards to two graduating students at UG for outstanding performances in their fields of academics. The awards went to Best Graduating Student in the Social Sciences, Eileen Marray, who graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree; and Vikesh Persaud, who graduated with a Diploma in Banking and Finance.

The awards and the career coaching are components of the Republic Bank’s ‘Power to Make a Difference’ social investment initiative, and are a part of an ongoing multifaceted partnership with the University of Guyana, as the Bank seeks to instill in students the power to learn and succeed.

Other aspects include scholarships and the provision of business journals to the library of the University of Guyana.
By Ravin Singh