The Tribune

Eleven College of the Bahamas (COB) who attended last year’s Nassau Conference gained invaluable experience this summer by completing internships with nine leading banks and trust companies in The Bahamas.

Serissa Edwards said her time working in business development at the Winterbotham Trust Company “was a good learning experience, and good preparation for the work world”.

Paula Hilaire, who interned in the mutual funds department at Societe Generale, added: “I am really grateful for the opportunity. It was a great learning experience”.

Petra Armbrister spent her summer in the administration department of St. James Bank & Trust Company, and said: “It allowed me the opportunity to explore my career interests with mentoring from employees, and gave me an opportunity to network with professionals in the industry”.

The other eight interns spent the summer with institutions such as Credit Suisse, Pictet Bank & Trust, the Bank of Nova Scotia Trust Company, the Private Trust Corporation and UBS (Bahamas).

UBS intern Deshawn Rolle said the experience “has helped me realise that I want to be in banking, and I’m able to see the different routes I can take and where I ultimately want to be in life.

“Thank you again for this opportunity. Hopefully it isn’t the last, because many young minds can benefit from this programme.”

For this year’s eighth annual Nassau Conference, scheduled for Wednesday, October 16 at the British Colonial Hilton, the plan is to expand the internship programme to 20 students for Summer 2014.

The Ministry of Financial Services is the lead conference sponsor, and its commitment facilitates the attendance of the COB students.

Corporate supporters include ATC Trustees (Bahamas) , the Bahamas Financial Services Board, BSI Overseas (Bahamas), BTC, the Central Bank of the Bahamas, Credit Suisse AG, Nassau Branch, Deloitte, Higgs & Johnson, Julius Baer Bank & Trust (Bahamas), KPMG, Lennox Paton, Pictet Bank & Trust, The Private Trust Corporation, Societe Generale Private Banking (Bahamas), Scotia Private Client Group, SYZ & Co. Bank & Trust, Star General Insurance Agency, Sungard, UBS (Bahamas), and The Winterbotham Trust Company.