MANAMA: In order to continue supporting the growth and development of Bahraini talent despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Al Salam Bank-Bahrain has announced that its 14th annual summer internship programme will be conducted virtually.

This year, 11 young Bahraini graduates will be accepted onto the coveted programme, which provides comprehensive training and development aimed at shaping the future leaders of Bahrain’s banking industry. For the first time, interns will complete the two-month programme, which runs until the mid of September, working remotely from home.

The interns will undergo comprehensive training within key departments at the Bank, including Retail Banking, Treasury and Capital Markets, Innovation, Strategy & Planning, Risk Management, Shari’a Compliance, Real Estate Asset Management, Human Resources and Marketing & Communications.

Furthermore, Al Salam Bank has arranged for an external session with the BIBF – one of the region’s leading centres for training and professional development in the banking and finance industries – to provide the interns with training, coaching and mentorship. As well as supporting the development of critical soft skills, including interpersonal skills, communication skills, time management, team working skills and various career planning skills, the session will include an introduction to FinTech and to digital disruption in the banking sector.

Muna Al Balooshi, Head of Human Resources and Administration at Al Salam Bank said: “This comprehensive and truly unique programme will provide students with the valuable experience and practical skills they need to excel once they join the Kingdom’s workforce. Thanks to the feedback received from previous participants, we are able to consistently improve the programme, which now includes an intensive career planning and development session. This will play a major role in building our interns’ expertise and equip them with a broader understanding of the career opportunities available to them once they graduate.

Through these kinds of constant improvements, the programme is growing from strength to strength and continues to attract a growing number of applicants each year. This time around, in order to ensure the safety and wellbeing of the selected applicants, for the first time in the programme’s fourteen-year history, they will undertake it remotely.”

Since its launch in 2007, Al Salam Bank’s summer internship programme has welcomed more than 300 interns. A leader in the digitalisation of financial services, the Bank is one of the first financial institutions in Bahrain to conduct its internship programme virtually. Al Salam Bank is committed to continue supporting and developing Bahraini talent despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic as part of its comprehensive Corporate Social Responsibility programme.