Banking on Generation ‘Y’

According to the 2008 Financial Sector Charter Report black women constitute 8.23% of senior managers in the financial services industry, with middle and junior managers accounting for 18.26% and 31.93% respectively. It is with this in mind that The Banking Association South Africa heeded the call of Cell C’s national CSI initiative Take a Girl Child to Work Day theme “Today a Girl, Tomorrow A Leader” and treated over 15 girls in Grade 10 – 12 from Kwa-Mahlobo Secondary, Meadowlands and The Makeba Centre for Girls, Midrand to a full day’s work experience.

“Our aim at The Banking Association is that through this annual exercise, we encourage more girls to pursue career opportunities in the banking industry, consequently increasing the number of women in this highly competitive and male dominated industry,” says Fikile Kuhlase, Senior General Manager for Socio-Economic Growth and Development Division, The Banking Association.

The programme for the day starts off with an overview of The Banking Association South Africa followed by a Dignity lesson by Tshidi Khuele of Operation HOPE, a public benefit social investment banking organization, aimed at teaching financial literacy to youth in South Africa and internationally.

“Our programme for the girls is focused on facilitating women’s growth and development in the workplace, empowering young girls with knowledge and information, taking the lead in gender transformation and giving exposure to careers and leadership development in the banking industry.”

“Building and instilling self-confidence in girls at a young age is crucial hence we included a lesson on Dignity and a motivational talk as part of the programme. This talk will be conducted by Ms Molebatsi Pooe-Shongwe from BreastSens,” says Ms Kuhlase.

The remainder of the day will be spent job shadowing the Managing Director and each of The Banking Association business units: Banking and Financial Services, Socio-Economic Growth and Development; Strategy and Stakeholder Management and Shared Services.

“The Banking Association South Africa has outlined its key corporate social investment development levers: education, health, financial literacy, financial wellness and social entrepreneurship,” says Kuhlase. “Getting involved in the Take a Girl Child to Work Day initiative is one way of showing our commitment as the banking industry in grooming the next generation of leaders, in line with the theme “Today A Girl, Tomorrow A Leader”. We bank on our future and meaningful girl empowerment.”