First Bank Drives Capacity Development Initiative

• First Bank Drives Capacity Development Initiative

First Bank of Nigeria Limited has unveiled new career employment models to accelerate career growth and development for staff members.

The lender said the move was part of its efforts to continuously integrate leadership into its culture and build a pool of talents as well as next generation leaders who will be groomed to steer the ship of the bank’s business expansion.

As a result, First Bank said it had commenced an accelerated career management programme tagged the First Bank Management Associate Programme.

According to the lender, the programme is a 24-month fast track comprehensive developmental programme targeted at young, dynamic, self-motivated and highly driven individuals who possess the right skill set and excellent leadership potential among junior and entry-level cadre staff.

The programme will afford successful candidates the opportunity to be moved to middle management upon the successful completion of the 24 month period and become management associates irrespective of their grades at the point of entry. The lender said cross country postings and secondment opportunities would be offered to such staff to provide them with global exposure and network.

In the same vein, the lender said it had begun the Senior Management Development Programme, an intensive modular programme for a select group of senior to principal managers who are proven leaders in their respective functions and have been identified as central to the bank’s succession plan.

“This will result in a unique learning experience that fosters the professional, intellectual and personal development of this crop of emerging leaders,” the lender said in the statement

“”At the end of the programme, top performing delegates will be exposed to various leadership developmental opportunities such as executive coaching by renowned career and life coaches, strategic and executive job shadowing and handholding by bank executives as well as prioritisation for international assignments,” it added.

According to the bank, the career growth model is another lever targeted at capacity building for staff members, coming on the heels of the bank’s recent promotion of over 3000 staff as reward for excellent performance while some others were disengaged in line with global industry best practice in enhancing performance.

The Group Head, Marketing and Corporate Communications, First Bank, Folake Ani-Mumuney, said “First Bank would continue to invest in capacity building for its employees to maintain a motivated workforce while building platforms where staff members can now benefit from accelerated career progression, as well as build leadership capabilities at an early stage of their career.”