A group of senior students from the UAE’s Higher Colleges of Technology had a taste of what it means to work in banking when they were hosted at Bank of America Merrill Lynch’s offices on 21 April 2013 as part of “Job Shadow Day” (JSD).
JSD is arranged in partnership with leading educational organisation INJAZ-UAE, a member of Junior Achievement Worldwide. By introducing students to the world of work, the JSD programme enhances work-readiness skills and helps them to understand the link between school and the workplace.
Bank of America Merrill Lynch’s president and country executive for the Middle East and North Africa, Arshad Ghafur, said: “At Bank of America Merrill Lynch we believe that education and employability skills are essential for achieving economic growth and building strong communities. Sharing our expertise and connecting with our communities is at the core of our platform. We take corporate responsibility very seriously at our company, and engaging with the community is a directive that comes from the very top.
“We are delighted to support INJAZ UAE and host the Job Shadow Day. The programme provides an interesting window to the world of work for young people and equips them with the communications skills and interview preparation techniques that are critical to a successful career.”
Sulaf Saleh Al-Zu’bi, CEO of INJAZ UAE, added: “This unique opportunity allows students to explore possible careers, industries and options to which they can aspire. Volunteers from Bank of America Merrill Lynch add so much value and enrich the experience even further, giving the students both a personal and professional perspective. We’re grateful to work with them on this activity.”
Employees from Bank of America Merrill Lynch volunteered their time to engage students on mentoring and experimental learning sessions. Participants were also briefed about the bank including its business divisions, operational elements and the administrative environment.
Bank of America Merrill Lynch first partnered with INJAZ-Lebanon in 2004 by providing financial support for a variety of education programmes. This support was subsequently extended to INJAZ-UAE to include the “Education for Employment Programme”. Ghafur is an active board member of INJAZ-UAE.
