OCBC has introduced OCBC Ignite, a banking career acceleration programme that aims to benefit 500 polytechnic students over the next three years.
The initiative has been developed in partnership with all five polytechnics in Singapore and aims to improve the employment prospects of polytechnic graduates in the finance sector.
OCBC Ignite aims to double the bank’s annual hiring of polytechnic graduates.
This program is run by the government Polytechnic Finance Human Resources Development ProgramThe program, launched last year with the goal of increasing the number of vocational school graduates working full-time, permanent positions in the finance sector by more than 80 percent, aims to increase that number by at least 300 by 2025.
The scheme is run by the Institute of Banking and Finance (IBF). A 2021 survey revealed that only 3% of vocational school graduates get full-time permanent employment in the finance sector after graduating.
OCBC Ignite is an expansion of the bank’s existing 12-month technical internship programme with Ngee Ann Polytechnic and Temasek Polytechnic, which has been completed by over 70 students so far.
The new programme offers an accelerated career path, including an internship in your final year and a structured full-time apprenticeship after graduation.
OCBC Ignite offers two courses, Technology and Business, both of which include internships during the final year of the diploma to equip students with industry-relevant skills.
For tech internships, the internship duration is 12 months, followed by a six-month apprenticeship period, preparing students for roles such as full-stack developer, data scientist, and mobile developer.
The business pathway includes a six-month internship and a 12-month apprenticeship, leading to roles such as customer service executive, anti-money laundering compliance officer and digital ambassador.
Upon completing the 18-month development period, participants are appointed as Assistant Managers, a role typically given to new graduates.
Selected students will join OCBC full-time and receive further training and mentorship in areas such as consumer banking, wholesale banking, technology and operations.
Lee Hui Boon
Lee Hui Boon, Group Head of Human Resources OCBCSaid,
“Polytechnic graduates are an attractive talent pool we want to recruit from. They bring industry-relevant skills to the job, are good problem solvers and can work well in a multidisciplinary environment.”
With the introduction of the OCBC Ignite programme, we are pleased to give polytechnic graduates an alternative avenue to gain valuable real-life industry experience and practical skills that will give them a head start in their careers.”
Featured image: OCBC Group Head of Human Resources Mr Lee Hui Boon (first from left), Minister of State for Culture, Community and Youth and Minister of Trade and Industry and MAS Director Mr Alvin Tan (fourth from left), OCBC Group CEO Ms Helen Wong (fifth from left) and senior representatives from five polytechnics in Singapore attend the OCBC Ignite launch on 12 June.
