ShareKUWAIT: Al-Ahli Bank of Kuwait (ABK) continues to make strides in achieving its Kuwaitization agenda. Playing a pivotal role in developing Kuwaiti youth, ABK participated in the Kuwait University Career Fair, held on 27 March at the Al-Shadadiya - College of Business Administration campus.
Kuwait University is the first public higher education institution to be opened in Kuwait with a mission to keep, develop, and disseminate human knowledge, as well as develop national human resources. The Kuwait University career fair bridges the gap between students and the private sector, and opens a direct channel of communications, which enables institutions to highlight job opportunities for students and recent graduates.
ABK's participation in the career fair is part of its ongoing efforts to nurture young Kuwaiti talent and boost the national talent pool within the banking industry. ABK representatives at the Kuwait University career fair introduced graduates and job seekers to the banking sector working model and shed light on professional opportunities within the organization. The Bank conducted on-the-spot interviews for candidates aspiring for a career in the banking sector and explained the process of joining ABK.
ABK's dedication to recruit, develop and retain the best talent continues to reinforce its position as an 'Employer of Choice' that promotes an inclusive work environment and provides an outstanding career trajectory for its employees. ABK places significant emphasis on ensuring that Kuwait nationals are given meaningful job opportunities that are enhanced with tailored on-the-job training, whereby we enable the creation of qualified, skilled, and competent industry leaders for tomorrow. Notably, 76% of ABK's employees are Kuwait Nationals and it continues to work towards further increasing that percentage.
Commenting on ABK's focused approach to Kuwaitisation, Afrah Al-Arbash, Acting General Manager for Human Resources said, "ABK always looks forward to participating in local career fairs and initiatives in local universities. Events like Kuwait University's Career Fair provide us with a platform to engage with Kuwaiti youth and to interact with the best and most brilliant talents. In addition to working to recruit young talent to join the bank. We also remain fully committed to our goal of developing the next generation of leaders and we are aligned with the Kuwait Vision 2035 "New Kuwait" to boost Kuwaitization in the private sector."
The Bank also runs a training program named the Young Kuwaiti Development Program. The program is geared towards developing the leadership pipeline at ABK by identifying the talent pool of potential future leaders and empowering them to go through structured developmental streams, as well as undertake multiple aptitude and psychometric assessments to customize their career aspirations and performance goals.
Al-Arbash also said, "We recently celebrated the graduation of the 32ndbatch of ABK Academy students. Since the launch of the ABK Academy, 695 candidates have completed the four-week intensive program. These candidates have benefited from being immersed in the work environment of various departments within the Bank and day-to-day operations, giving them a more hands-on experience. Cultivating and refining our workforce's skills is crucial for our business strategy. We have established a high benchmark for recruiting young Kuwaitis."
