ila News

19 October, Manama: ila Bank, the fastest growing digital mobile-only bank in Bahrain, powered by Bank ABC, commenced its much awaited multi-stage internship programme for students of local and international universities in Bahrain for the third consecutive year. The programme kicked off with tailored training modules organised in collaboration with the Bahrain Institute of Banking & Finance (BIBF), after which nine students were selected for a two-month internship with the Bank, which began on October 10th, 2022.

Since its inception in 2019, ila has nurtured a commitment to developing Bahrain’s youth, with the intent of raising awareness on digital transformation and fintech initiatives in the Kingdom. This is reflected in its well-rounded training programme, that aims to advance the practical, technical and soft skills of selected candidates, thereby enhancing their career prospects.

Commenting on the internship programme, ila Bank CEO, Mohamed Al Maraj, remarked: “The internship programme reflects our commitment to the youth of Bahrain, as they are who will keep driving the country forward well into the future. We are invested in equipping them with the necessary skills to enter the workforce and enrich Bahrain’s financial sector with updated skillsets and mindsets. The ultimate goal is to accelerate digital growth and give impetus to Bahrain’s blueprint for a digital, cashless economy.”

The internship was announced on social media with a contest that required applicants to solve a riddle based on ila’s products. Avid ila users and followers who got the correct answers were shortlisted for an interview. Following this, 20 graduates were selected to participate in a customised programme at the BIBF. After completing several technical and soft skills training modules, graduates presented a business idea to the ila team. Nine students with the best ideas were selected for an internship in their respective fields with the Bank.

“We are pleased to have collaborated with a well-respected, professional education institute like the BIBF to meet our objective. In keeping with ila’s innovation mindset, our new interns will develop essential digital banking and fintech knowledge and gain practical experience which will help propel their careers,” added Al Maraj.

Furthermore, the BIBF’s Director Dr. Ahmed Al Shaikh stated, “We are delighted to support ila Bank in this unique internship approach, that reflects their strong commitment to youth empowerment. As our objectives are aligned, we support more and more initiatives that pertain to encouraging the youth to enhance their skills and knowledge and to persevere in their overall career progression.”