The Tribune

CIBC FirstCaribbean had 73 interns take part in its regional summer internship initiate, a record for the company. The internships took place at the bank’s branches and offices in Barbados, The Bahamas, Cayman Islands, Curacao, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago.

The interns were immersed in the daily operations of the bank’s retail, corporate and investment banking, finance, human resources, wealth, operations, property services and technology.

Jewel Clarke, the bank’s director of talent acquisition and development, said the decision to nearly double the intake of summer interns this year was due to the “excitement and success” of their Summer Internship Programme across the technology segment last year. She noted that the internship programme was “a highly anticipated programme that is the cornerstone of our Early Career Initiatives”.

She said: “[CIBC FirstCaribbean is] very pleased to increase the number of interns from 40 to 73 to accommodate the demand by student for opportunities to gain valuable exposure to business. It is an incredible testament to the power of investment in future talent.

“[The internship is a] win-win for the bank and the students since we are providing them with valuable experiences and also learning from them as the next generation of talent. It is a win-win partnership with our communities, businesses, and interns.”

Maximus Boxill, 21, a recent graduate of the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill campus with a degree in computer science and accounting said that his time in the information security section of the bank has brought home the importance of data security to.

He said: “Before my stint at CIBC FirstCaribbean, I severely underestimated the importance of data security in organisations. Thankfully, with the help from great team members and colleagues, I was able to gain a greater appreciation for the need of data security and understand why heavy emphasis is placed on creating well integrated solutions to protect the bank, its employees, and clients.”

Dwayne Archer, a computer science with economics student at the University of the West Indies Cave Hill Campus, said he was “overjoyed’ for the opportunity to participate in the summer internship.

He said: “My colleagues have really made the internship a welcoming experience thus far. Two highlights from the internship are working within a supportive team setting where I can voice my thoughts about my progress on the tasks allocated, and the interactive sessions held for the interns to allow us to get to know each other,” he said.

Andrew McLaughlin Jr, 21, is back for the second year as an intern with technical support in The Cayman Islands and he has described his experience as “amazing so far” noting that there was something new every day.

He said: “I have been kept on my toes with all sorts of different situations and clients every day that need assistance from the tech support department.”

Another intern, Kimani Nugent, 20, described his attachment to the corporate investment banking team in Jamaica as a “phenomenal experience”.

He said: “I have been exposed to the complexities of corporate credit operations … additionally, I have been able to sharpen my skills in performing financial and credit analysis and learned how to build proper financial models.”