Brave Bankers reach the final
BRAVE BANKERS, this year’s Presentation school representatives in the AIB Build a Bank challenge did amazingly well to reach the national finals. To qualify for the scheme, interested students are interviewed and six outstanding candidates are selected to set up, manage and run a bank in their school with support and training from a dedicated AIB student officer.
The Brave Bankers were tasked with designing a business plan, branding their bank, completing market research and selecting an area of specialism, which could range from digital advocacy to community involvement and engagement.
The team were involved in every aspect of running the bank – market research, sourcing new customers, advertising, creating their own brand/ marketing plan, day to day banking, encouraging regular savings and providing an excellent customer experience.
The girls worked hard at developing the brand – ‘Brave Bankers’. They worked continuously throughout the year to inspire their fellow students to be brave and helped make a positive difference in their community with particular emphasis on charity work with the Wexford Women’s Refuge – fundraising and creating awareness throughout the school of women’s issues and rights.
They completed extensive market research and stayed in contact with their customers through social media and a digital hub as well as well as being open once a week in the recreational area. They also developed a website to further support their customers. Their work ethic was outstanding given the huge demands on their time individually and collectively and they delivered on time every time.
‘In my experience as student officer, I believe the students gained more than work experience. They gained confidence, self-esteem and self-belief. They developed dynamic team work skills and experience in meeting deadlines. They pushed themselves beyond what they thought they are capable of. I saw them grow into creative, determined, confident, independent, strong minded, articulate, passionate, enthusiastic young women who having been through the programme with all of its challenges now truly believe that they can achieve and succeed at any and every level in their futures’, said AIB Wexford student officer Martina McShane.
Megan Dempsey, one of the Brave Bankers, said: ‘It was a hugely enjoyable time of the year. We got involved in a lot of different areas and we were proud to get as far as we did.’