Republic Bank celebrates the graduation of its 2023 Youth Link Apprentices

Port-of-Spain, Trinidad, June 30 2023: On Thursday June 15, 2023, Republic Bank celebrated the graduation of its Youth Link Apprenticeship 2022-2023 cohort at Republic House, Head Office, Park Street, Port-of- Spain. Twenty-six secondary school graduates between the ages of 16-19 years old successfully completed the programme which seeks to provide young people with practical experience in the workplace.

The Apprenticeship Programme spanned a 7 month period, during which time the apprentices were attached to a Republic Bank branch or specialist unit, where they were exposed to various courses in office procedures, personal development, banking operations, customer service and computing. Ultimately, the goals of the Apprenticeship are twofold; to equip the participants with basic training and marketable skills in business-related disciplines in order to improve their career options and to bridge the gap between the school and work environment.

In addressing the graduates, P. Vic Salickram, Vice President at Republic Bank stated, “Republic Bank is pleased to see another cohort of young individuals enter the workforce, equipped with the necessary skills to succeed. We are excited to see them embark on their respective career paths, and we know that the skills and experiences they have gained with us will serve as a valuable foundation for their future endeavours.” General Manager, Group Human Resources, Preston George added “Republic Bank has a long history of supporting the development of Trinidad and Tobago’s youth through our Youth Link programme. Our graduates have shown a tremendous amount of determination and dedication to succeed in spite of their challenges.”

Three special awards were presented to students who excelled in the programme, in the areas of; Most Promising Entrepreneur, Most Improved Apprentice and the coveted Most Outstanding Youth Link Apprentice. Participants Patrina Govia, Kristle-Lee Wafe and Scott Kissoondhan were recipients of the respective awards.

The Youth Link Apprenticeship is a demonstration of Republic Bank’s commitment to the development of the young people in Trinidad and Tobago. The Bank’s hope is to inspire, motivate and instill proper work values and ethics in those who enter the programme.