I was lucky enough to be offered a place in the Bank’s inaugural Graduate Program in 2012. I studied Marketing and Communications at uni, but rather than a Marketing firm I saw myself in a larger, diverse organisation – which is when I stumbled upon advertisements for the Bank’s Grad Program. Being the first year of the program, after the rigorous recruitment process and getting the call to say I was in, I wasn’t too sure what to expect or where it would take me.
A main element which drew me to the Bank were the values behind the organisation. The Bendigo and Adelaide Bank Group is made up of a large number of brands and subsidiaries – all with a common focus. I could see myself working with a diverse group of people who value giving back to the community, win-win business practices and investing in tomorrow.
I worked in a number of teams throughout my two-year program, including Finance & Treasury, Risk, Wealth and Business Banking. During this time I was not only able to learn a great deal about many different teams and departments and how they all work together toward the bigger picture – but I was able to build a strong network to kick-start my career along the way. I appreciated the opportunity to find out first-hand what I was and wasn’t good at, what I did and did not enjoy, and the invaluable feedback from peers and mentors to grow and develop personally and professionally. It helped me to narrow down where I saw my career going in the future, post program.
In linking with my personal skills and interests, I have had the opportunity to jump head-first into various challenging situations and responsibilities; from chairing meetings and contributing to branding strategies, through to facilitating workshops and organising social functions. I was also invited to contribute to the Grad Program from a HR perspective, assisting our Program Lead in a number of capacities from recruitment to marketing strategies in all three intakes following my own, which has seen an amazing evolution in the program and all of its elements.
I was also given the opportunity to travel interstate on several occasions, which was invaluable to furthering my skills and confidence in a professional capacity - and a perk of working for a national organisation!
Three years down the track and I’m still here, loving my landing role and the people I work with. Without the Grad Program I wouldn’t be where I am today, I would recommend it to anyone as a solid foundation to start a career in the industry.