Staff Reporter
Standard Lesotho Bank (SLB) is currently holding a week-long career guidance programme for High School students across five districts in the country.
The Bank has invested M150 000 towards the annual Bank Career Expo organised by Mind Liberation Psychology.
Dubbed the 14th Annual Standard Lesotho Bank Career Expo, the five-day nationwide event seeks to expose High School students to various career opportunities in the banking and other sectors.
It kicked off in Mokhotlong on Monday at the Polihali Dam Construction site for different schools in Mokhotlong district.
It moved to Butha-Buthe Community High School on Tuesday, then to Assumption High School in Berea yesterday and will be at Holy Trinity High School in Quthing today. The expo will end in Maseru tomorrow at ‘Manthabiseng Convention Centre where various schools from around Maseru will be hosted.
According to a statement released by SLB yesterday, the Career Expo is the foundation of the bank’s commitment to empowering Basotho youth and shaping the future of Lesotho’s workforce.
“The 2024 edition of the event is the 14th, where the Bank is now the headline sponsor of this important expo that reaches out to over 10 000 students countrywide,” the statement read.
“This year’s expo promises to be even a better offering, where over 35 institutions of higher learning from South Africa and Lesotho as well as professional bodies will explain different career options to Basotho students.
“The event is a sponsorship initiative under Personal and Private Banking that is open to all youths, communities, and individuals, where the Bank intends to use this event to drive the new youth or student Customer Value Proposition and attract high school students to open accounts ahead of their enrolment into tertiary institutions.
“The objective of this sponsorship is to first create an environment where future leaders of Lesotho can be nurtured and informed of top career choices that demonstrate various skills requirements for the growth of Lesotho’s economy.
“Secondly, the Career Expo is a clear demonstration of the Bank’s intention to put youth at the centre of its initiatives. This position is shown by the Bank’s initiative to not only develop special products for youth, such as the Youth Account, but also through a number of initiatives that promote youth empowerment. Such include the bursary scheme, Bacha Entrepreneurship Project to mention but a few.”
While speaking at Polihali on Monday, SLB Brand and Marketing Manager, Communications and Sponsorships, Manyathela Kheleli, said the students would not only learn about different engineering disciplines, but will also get to appreciate engineering in action at Polihali.
“This will be a lifetime experience for students from Mokhotlong that will attend the expo, thanks to the collaboration with LHDA, who are fully responsible for the Polihali leg of the event.
“There are also motivational speakers from different professions in the bank and other selected institutions. Key influencers in the football fraternity, former Likuena captain and now Corporate Responsibility Manager at Letseng Diamonds, Tṧepo Hlojeng and former South African Orlando Pirates dribbling wizard, Steve Lekoelea, are some of the influencers that have been drawn to talk to the students.
“We are more than a Bank for our youth, but a good corporate citizen and a partner for education for Basotho. We believe that as we grow our youth, they will become assets to this country and by extension, develop into a feeder market for our banking products when they enter the job market.” Kheleli added.
