CBB and the BIBF launch the second batch of the Mentoring Programme

The Central Bank of Bahrain and the Bahrain Institute of Banking and Finance announced the launching of the second batch of its Mentoring Programme for undergraduate university students in the Kingdom of Bahrain.

The mentoring programme was first launched during 2015, following the announcement made by HRH Princess Sabeeka Bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa, Wife of His Majesty the King and President of the Supreme Council for Women (SCW), as one of the initiatives in celebrating Women’s Day under the theme of “Women in the Financial and Banking Sector”.  The programme was a direct result of a collaborative effort between both the CBB and BIBF, and as a result of the success it gained last year, CBB and BIBF are continuing with the programme for a second year aiming to further strengthen the relationship between academic institutions and the financial industry.

The programme is intended to be in line with what is known as an employer-led mentoring approach, where a professional person contributes their time in sharing knowledge and working experience with a student mentee in order to inspire and raise awareness on different career options within the financial industry. It is specifically structured to be career-focused and vocationally relevant to students who are expected to join the workforce in the short term.

The scope of the programme involves two main components – first a series of BIBF workshops designed to enhance the students’ knowledge in the areas of Banking, Islamic Finance, Insurance and Investment as well as develop their skills in critical thinking and communication. The second component comprises of mentoring sessions conducted on a one-to-one basis by professionals from the financial industry.

On this occasion,   Executive Director – Corporate Services in Central Bank of Bahrain Dr. Huda Hussain Al-Maskati, stated, “CBB is pleased to launch the second batch of the Mentorship programme for university students, especially with the positive feedback received from last year’s batch. The programme provides students with an opportunity to link their studies with experience from the industry, and guide them to the right path in their career. The CBB has always put great importance and supported initiatives that develop the human capital in the industry.”

The BIBF’s Director Solveig Nicklos noted on the importance of mentoring stating “Mentoring is a critical component of professional development and is defined as a relationship in which a person invests time, knowledge, and energy to increase and improve another person’s growth, expertise and skills. Its importance is often disregarded given the dynamic and fast-paced nature of the banking and finance industry. The success of the programme in its first edition assures the importance of mentoring and the youth desire to learn. The programme opens the communication channels for the exchange of knowledge and experience between current and aspiring industry professionals”.

Admissions for the programme are now open to all university students in the Kingdom of Bahrain and the programme will begin 7th January 2017. To register please visit the website https://www.bibf.com/cbb/.