DTB work shadowing to expose learners to job market

DTB

DTB’s job shadowing programme, which was launched last year, targets continuing students from both public and private universities. DTB admits 200 top students annually in two cohorts of 100 students each.

Photo credit: Pool

Some 100 students from local universities yesterday completed a two-week career exposure programme at the Diamond Trust Bank (DTB).

DTB’s job shadowing programme, which was launched last year, targets continuing students from both public and private universities. DTB admits 200 top students annually in two cohorts of 100 students each.

It equips the learners with practical skills and work experience that helps to boost their resumes for future job prospects, the bank said.

The programme is now anchored on DTB’s human resources policy, with intake taking place bi-annually, and supplements the bank’s quarterly intake of interns. Students not only gain experience but also receive a stipend to facilitate their movements and upkeep when they resume their studies.

Once they are selected, students are placed in departments that undertake roles that they are studying. They are then paired with mentors who show them their daily activities and responsibilities, as well as how to execute them.

Further, DTB is implementing a three-year graduate management trainee programme, which is designed to make participants all-rounded leaders.

DTB Group Head of Human Resources Lillian Ngala said job shadowing is critical in helping learners get a feel of the job market and expose them to a real-life and practical work environment.

This comes at a time when the rate of unemployment in the country remains high, making the job market highly competitive.

Their roles at the workplace

Some learners complete their studies without getting an opportunity to intern in a real-life working environment, failing to keep themselves abreast of their roles at the workplace.

“Many students graduate but have no basic work experience, making their transition to the job market a challenge,” she said.

“DTB job shadowing prepares them to be job-ready,” said Ms Ngala.

To get the right recruits for the programme, DTB liaises with the respective universities to select some of their best students who excel not only in curricular activities but also in extracurricular activities and exhibit top behaviour.

To ensure balance, each university selects 10 students and the selection is rotated among all accredited universities for each cohort.

Ms Ngala said the programme is part of DTB’s efforts to help the government realize its development agenda by helping bridge the gap between the classroom and the workplace.

She further urged other corporate entities to roll out similar programmes to help learners get a grip on the workplace to supplement their classroom learning experience.

“We all have a part to play in complementing the government’s efforts to bridge the unemployment gap among young people. I urge organisations to follow suit by designing similar programs to empower the youth,” she said.