CIBC Caribbean Welcomes Over 80 Summer Interns

We are setting you up for success, but you must play your part.

This was the message CIBC Caribbean’s Chief Human Resources Officer Janine Billy shared as she welcomed just over 80 bright young men and women spread across the branches and offices of eight of the bank’s ten territories as part of the annual summer internship programme.

“We are excited about giving you the opportunity to set you up for success,” she told the interns, many of them final year or recent university graduates. However, she told them that they also had a part to play. “You have to do your part, show up, ask questions and make sure that you understand. You will get out of your internship, what you put into it,” she said.

She added that the bank was “very proud of our internship programme as it is one of the ways that we give back to our communities. We have a culture of care for our communities, and you are part of those communities.” 

Billy noted that the internships will offer “meaningful work”, and the participants will not just be “filing somebody’s paperwork, but we will let you use the skills you learned at university. It is very important to us that you have a meaningful experience,” she added.

Her comments were echoed by Jewel Clarke, Director of Talent Management & Employee Experience, who said the internship programme was “a labour of love and a very important part of our early career development programme.”  She told the interns gathered online for the welcome event that she “loved seeing the energy and passion that you bring” and encouraged them to “enjoy the next couple months.”

Evvan Estwick, a student at York University and who is attached to the Compliance department said the “internship represents an important milestone in my journey as a growing adult, as it is my first job. It offers me the opportunity to bridge the gap between theory in the classroom and real-world experience in the technology industry by helping me understand the role of technology in the banking sector.”

Lauren Louis, who is with Risk Management, said she saw her internship “an opportunity to apply what I have learnt in my coursework in a professional setting, with exposure to areas like valuation of the bank’s investment portfolio and working alongside Treasury, Forex & Derivative Sales (FDS), and Treasury Operations. I am also looking forward to connecting with other interns who may share similar interests.”

In addition, she said she hoped to “gain a deeper understanding of how the team monitors risk while supporting the day-to-day operations of the bank. I am also excited to network with professionals who work behind the scenes to improve processes. This experience will help me build on both technical and soft skills and prepare me for my future career.”

Shemwyn Harris who is pursuing a Master of Science Degree in Mathematics at The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine campus said he was “a young passionate mathematician” and was “eager to apply the advanced concepts I have studied to real-world challenges in my role as a Market Risk and Modelling Intern”.

“Beyond my internship role, I am excited to gain a comprehensive understanding of the banking industry, CIBC’s operations, its strategic vision for the region, and its future goals. Ultimately, my ambition is for this experience to aid in my personal and professional development and serve as a firm foundation for a successful and fulfilling career here at CIBC,” he added. (PR)