HFC Bank Launches ‘Study-Work’ Programme

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

This is creating a platform for young talent to gain real workplace experience while they are still stud­ying.

Bank chief executive officer, Rake­sh Ram, who is also Tertiary Schol­arship and Loans Services (TSLS) Board Chairman is very appre­ciative of Government’s support through TSLS in enhancing access to Tertiary education for Fijians.

The “Study and Work initiative” also aligns with the Government’s core objective of creating new em­ployment and enabling every Fijian to excel in their career. HFC Bank is delighted to be one of the few cor­porate organizations to create such a platform for Fijian students’ tal­ent enrichment.

While launching the programme, Mr Ram mentioned that “study and work initiative” would create a bridge between theoretical studies at university and work life.

Along with the financial support, this programme will build stu­dents’ interpersonal skills, confi­dence, professionalism and create more relevance and meaning to the­oretical studies as they do hands-on practice in their roles. It also en­hances their network, time man­agement and multitasking ability.

Working for Fiji’s own Bank will help students expand their career aspirations and make them more marketable.

HFC Bank is very pleased with the overwhelming response received from the Tertiary students around Fiji for the Initiative and the Bank will continue to provide such inno­vative platforms.

To this end, amidst adversity of the pandemic, HFC Bank launched a graduate trainee programme for its own staff in 2021, where 10 grad­uate staff were placed on an accel­erated/ fast track career progression training for one year.

These 10 staff stepped out of their current roles and received special targeted grooming in all aspects of banking. Upon successful com­pletion, these 10 staff are now well placed in the business and adding value in different departments.

This programme along with other programmes 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 additional 50 plus talented and dedicated local employees.

As one of the fastest growing or­ganizations in Fiji, HFC Bank con­tinues to create new opportunities for the Fijian people and support the greater national interest.

HFC Bank, the only Fijian owned Bank is proud to have 100 per cent Fijians work­ing for the Bank. “Banking industry has increasingly evolved, and many digital solutions have replaced tra­ditional in person banking experience.

“Despite this, staff remain a core asset in transform­ing HFC Bank as a reputa­ble and trusted commer­cial bank in Fiji. It is “our People” who are our great­est asset,” Mr Ram said.

Source: HFC Bank