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CIBC FirstCaribbean gives VI students first-hand experience to mark IWD

Participants of this year’s VI IWD Interactive Discussion. Photo: Provided
Ms Shamorie Glasgow (Cedar) and Ms Travencia Lettsome (7th Day Adventist) job shadow Stephane Burke, Country Manager CIBC FirstCaribbean. Photo: Provided
Ms Shamorie Glasgow (Cedar) and Ms Travencia Lettsome (7th Day Adventist) job shadow Stephane Burke, Country Manager CIBC FirstCaribbean. Photo: Provided
Dr Sharlon Lewis (Wellness Center), Vernecia Holder (Head International Corporate Banking), Stephane Burke, Country Manager, CIBC FirstCaribbean at BetterForBalance forum. Photo: Provided
Dr Sharlon Lewis (Wellness Center), Vernecia Holder (Head International Corporate Banking), Stephane Burke, Country Manager, CIBC FirstCaribbean at BetterForBalance forum. Photo: Provided
(L-R) Vernecia Holder, Head, International Corporate Banking, Shamorie Glasgow, Cedar International School, Travencia Lettsome, 7th Day Adventist School, Stephane Burke, Country Manager, CIBC FirstCaribbean. Photo: Provided
(L-R) Vernecia Holder, Head, International Corporate Banking, Shamorie Glasgow, Cedar International School, Travencia Lettsome, 7th Day Adventist School, Stephane Burke, Country Manager, CIBC FirstCaribbean. Photo: Provided
Dr Sharlon Lewis (Wellness Clinic) BalanceForBetter CIBC FirstCaribbean. Photo: Provided
Dr Sharlon Lewis (Wellness Clinic) BalanceForBetter CIBC FirstCaribbean. Photo: Provided
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI – CIBC FirstCaribbean Bank on Friday, March 8, 2019, last, on the occasion of International Women’s Day (IWD)—as part of its corporate social responsibility—used the occasion to give female students in the Territory the opportunity to engage in the administrative and day to day activities of providing Banking Services in the Virgin Islands (VI).

The activity was held across the Region—where CIBC First Bank operates—and saw eager young women filing into the branches and offices of regional bank CIBC FirstCaribbean to “fill” a variety of positions for the day.

Job Shadow

According to public missive released by the bank, on Tuesday March 12, 2019, the “job shadow” was one of the bank’s key activities across its 16-member regional footprint to mark IWD.

CIBC FIrstCaribbean said, “It saw scores of female students from secondary and tertiary institutions joining meetings with senior managers and executives or going on the frontlines with retail staff as they got a feel for the various roles performed by the bank’s 3000 employees, seventy per cent of whom, are women.”

In the VI, 16-year old students Travencia Lettsome from the Seventh Day Adventist School and Shamorie Glasgow from Cedar International School joined Country Manager, Ms Stephane Burke for a morning walkthrough of all the departments in the bank.

Day to Day

Ms Burke used the occasion to introduce the students to the teams and the people responsible for the day-to-day management of the tasks and processes required in the operation of the business.

The students subsequently spent time with Ms Burke in her office learning about her role as country manager and what it entails along with what to expect when following their chosen career paths.

Ms Lettsome—who aspires to become a lawyer—explained that her class was currently studying business finance and had several questions in connection to the course.

Ms Glasgow, who has mapped out her study and work experience route to ultimately own a resort in the VI, said that the visit not only helped her become aware of how she could finance her project when the time comes, but also made her realise that there was more to managing a business than simply executing a job.

“I have really learned a lot from this visit but what really stood out to me is how much Ms Burke takes on…She juggles a lot of things during regular business hours and beyond and throughout all that, she remains a positive person and a strong leader for her team,” said Miss Glasgow.

Headquarters/First Female  

At the bank’s regional headquarters in Barbados, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Ms Colette Delaney and Managing Director for Barbados and the OECS, Ms Donna Wellington, welcomed three new ‘assistants’ for the day.

The students, who have a firm grounding in accounting and business studies, shadowed Ms Delaney for most of the morning sitting in on meetings with her and Chief Administrative Officer, Mr Neil Brennen and other senior members of the bank.

The students were also afforded time with in the marketing, legal, risk and corporate banking sections at head office and were later taken on a tour of the Sunset Crest Branch.

 The job shadow demonstrated the full gamut of banking beyond the familiar retail functions, according to the missive released by CIBC FirstCaribbean.

Earlier in a message to staff to mark the day, Ms Delaney, the first female CEO of the bank said while the bank was proud of the number of females serving at very high levels, there was still room for improvement especially at the senior executive level.

 “I am reminded of this every time I chair a meeting of our executive committee and realise I am the only female around the table, although I do have some company in the senior executive team and the senior leadership team,” she said.

However, she added that she was “proud of the support system we have put in place to help our women develop and rise to whatever level of our organization they may aspire to”.

Interactive Forum

The bank’s management team in the VI also hosted its fifth annual interactive forum for its staff and five female students from each of the high schools in Tortola.

The guest speaker at the event held on Thursday, March 7, 2019 was Dr Sharlon Lewis from The Wellness Center Medical Clinic, Tortola Pier Park.

Dr Lewis’s focused in her presentation on balancing the demands of work, family and other external factors with personal health and well-being, including the importance of physical exercise and a sugar-free diet to avoid problems with diabetes and obesity.

Sharing a message of encouragement to achieve dreams and to support each other in everyday life, Hunter Christopher, a Form 5 student from St George’s Secondary School and Jhaniqua Collymore in 10th Grade at Cedar International School, both gave presentations on their perspective of gender parity and what would make for a better balance.

The bank’s male and female staff, attending teachers, and students of the VI School of Technical Studies, Seventh Day Adventist School, and the Elmore Stoutt High School also put forward their personal viewpoints on the topic during the course of the open and lively discussion.

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