OCBC has introduced OCBC Ignite, an accelerated banking career programme aimed at benefiting 500 polytechnic students over the next three years.
This initiative, developed in collaboration with all five polytechnics in Singapore, seeks to enhance the employment prospects of polytechnic graduates in the financial sector.
OCBC Ignite aims to double the bank’s annual intake of fresh polytechnic graduates.
This programme supports the government’s Polytechnic Talent for Finance Scheme, launched last year to increase the number of polytechnic graduates securing full-time permanent jobs in the financial sector by over 80 percent, targeting at least 300 by 2025.
The scheme is managed by the Institute of Banking and Finance (IBF). A 2021 survey revealed that only 3% of polytechnic graduates entered full-time permanent roles in the financial sector upon graduation.
OCBC Ignite expands on the bank’s existing 12-month tech internship programme with Ngee Ann Polytechnic and Temasek Polytechnic, which has seen over 70 students complete to date.
The new programme offers an accelerated career pathway, including an internship during their final year and a structured full-time apprenticeship post-graduation.
OCBC Ignite offers two pathways: Tech or Business, both including an internship during the final year of their diploma to equip students with industry-relevant skills.
For the tech pathway, the internship duration is 12 months followed by a 6-month apprenticeship, preparing students for roles such as full-stack developer, data scientist, and mobile developer.
The business pathway includes a 6-month internship and a 12-month apprenticeship, leading to roles like customer service executive, anti-money laundering compliance officer, and digital ambassador.
After completing the 18-month development journey, participants will be appointed to the rank of Assistant Manager, a position typically given to fresh university graduates.
Selected students will join OCBC full-time for further training and mentoring in areas such as consumer banking, wholesale banking, and technology and operations.
Lee Hwee Boon, Head of Group Human Resources, OCBC, said,
“Polytechnic graduates are a compelling talent pool that we want to bring onboard. They bring industry-relevant skills to the role, are good problem-solvers and operate well in an inter-disciplinary environment.
We are excited that the introduction of the OCBC Ignite programme will empower polytechnic graduates with an alternative pathway to gain valuable real-world industry experience and practical skills that can give them head start in their careers.”
Featured image: Lee Hwee Boon, Head of Group Human Resources, OCBC (1st from left) with Alvin Tan, Minister of State, Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth, and Ministry of Trade and Industry, and Board Member of MAS (4th from left), Helen Wong, OCBC Group CEO (5th from left), and senior representatives from Singapore’s five polytechnics at the OCBC Ignite launch on 12 June.
