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All across the region eager young women filed into the branches and offices of their respective regional bank CIBC FirstCaribbean to “fill” a variety of positions for the day on Friday March 8.

The “job shadow” was one of the bank’s key activities across its 16-member regional footprint to mark International Women’s Day observed around the world on that date. It saw scores of female students from secondary and tertiary institutions joining meetings with senior managers and executives or going on the frontlines with retail staff as they got a feel for the various roles performed by the bank’s 3000 employees, seventy per cent of whom are women.

At the bank’s Cayman Islands headquarters, Retail and Business Manager Natalie Whata along with Business Leaders; Dawn Chambers - Customer Service Manager, Jovannie Mclaughlin – Asst. Customer Service Manager and also Business Banking Manager – Jessica Maxwell, welcomed University College of the Cayman Islands (UCCI) 19-year old student Regina Davis to take part in the shadowing exercise.

Ms. Davis spent time observing the day-to-day duties of the Retail and Business Sales Manager including coaching, providing guidance to the sales team and reviewing reports to ensure that weekly sales targets are met. In addition, Ms. Whata touched briefly on the tools and resources used to get each job done effectively and in a timely manner while other senior female leaders at CIBC FirstCaribbean later shed light on night wallet deposit transactions and requirements for opening both a personal or a business account.

Although currently enrolled in a BSc Business Administration Degree with a concentration in Management, Ms. Davis hopes to pursue a finance major and a minor in economics. “The shadowing experience at CIBC FirstCaribbean was fun, helpful and eye-opening. The CIBC FirstCaribbean team were very friendly and welcomed questions to help me better understand the daily operations of the different departments.” said the UCCI student. “The experience has further affirmed my interest in becoming a hedge fund manager in the near future.”

Ms. Whata said “being a very diverse field, the finance or banking industry is highly recommended as there is opportunity for development and growth within the bank and the knowledge gained can only help one exceed in any chosen career.”

“Look no further for a career that offers longevity. Development opportunities from an entry level position to progressing to a managerial role allows staff to create their own path for success,” she added.