GBK Ajyal trainees complete International assignment

As part of its Ajyal Graduate Development Program, Gulf Bank recently selected its top three participants to complete a four-week internship and field training program at several leading financial institutions in Frankfurt, Germany. The Ajyal Graduate Development Program was developed by Gulf Bank, in cooperation with Institute of Banking Studies (IBS), to nurture young Kuwaiti talent early in their career to develop them into 'holistic bankers' and prepare them for future leadership positions at the Bank. This is the third class to graduate from the Ajyal Program.

The Ajyal training took place at the following financial institutions: MISR Bank-Europe, KT Bank AG, and ICF Bank AG. The topics covered throughout the four-week program included Trading Global Markets, Frankfort Stock Exchange and Financial Management. One of the highlights of the trip was a visit to the Kuwaiti Consulate in Frankfurt.

Commenting on this achievement, Mrs Salma Al-Hajjaj, General Manager of Human Resources at Gulf Bank said: "The Gulf Bank Ajyal program is a world-class program that works to develop the skills of young Kuwaitis. Through Ajyal we are helping to shape the future of Banking in Kuwait by building a cadre of wellrounded, highly trained, and motivated banking professionals."

Mrs Al- Hajjaj added: "The aim of this internship abroad was to provide our three top Ajyal students with an international banking experience to enrich their knowledge and understanding of global financial markets and the banking industry. This type of exposure provides a different perspectives and a unique learning opportunity. We strongly believe that these types of opportunities contribute to professional and personal development. We thank our banking partners in Germany for providing such a rich experience for our top Ajyal students."

The selection process for the Ajyal participants is based on specific criteria. The criteria is Kuwaiti employees who have worked at the Bank for no less than one year, but no more than three years can apply online. After the initial screening, the candidates must successfully complete a series of assessment tests, starting with language proficiencies, followed by numerical and analytical ability, psychometrics, and group discussions. Each stage of selection is based on elimination and only those who successfully complete each stage advance onwards. The final step is an interview with a panel of Gulf Bank executives who select a group of 20 candidates.