Baltikums Bank Establishes Professional Student Internship Programme

In July 2015, Baltikums Bank successfully implemented its new programme of in-depth practice for students, with participation of budding professionals from 8 different institutions. 

Twelve future specialists from Latvia and abroad who are currently studying at the BA School of Business and Finance, the Riga Technical University, RISEBA, the Riga School of Economics, and higher education institutions in Great Britain, the United States and Abu Dhabi, completed their internships at Baltikums Bank to accumulate professional practical experience, understand what a job at an international private bank is like, and apply their academic knowledge in the real world of banking, going away with a clear sense of the specifics of a private banker’s job. Throughout their internships, they were mentored by the most experienced private bankers at Baltikums Bank, who evaluated the young specialists’ knowledge and quality of work, their time management and communication skills, as well as their psychological resilience, sense of responsibility, energy, and initiative.

“An intensive training programme was created for these interns at the Baltikums Bank Training Centre with the assistance of a number of professionals already employed at the bank. The young specialists took on practical assignments, working with potential clients of the bank under the guidance of their personal mentors”, relates Dace Kreicmane, head of the HR Department at Baltikums Bank. “We are happy about the progress made with this programme because it has been good for each of us – students had the opportunity to apply their knowledge in the workplace, which gave them solid practical savvy, while the bank has established contact with a number of promising employees. Internships have been extended for some of the students, memorandums of intent were concluded with several of them, and one former intern is already a colleague of ours”, Dace Kreicmane comments about the results of this programme.

One of the mentors, Baltikums Bank Senior Private Banker and Vice President Vladislavs Greķis, says the internship process has been engaging for both sides. “It brings me pleasure to work with young, industrious individuals with a twinkle in their eye who are driven by healthy ambition on a daily basis. Students nowadays have very good knowledge of foreign languages, they are ready to use every tool for personal development, entering the employment market with great courage and energy”, Vladislavs Greķis adds. 

More than 40 students had applied for the internship positions announced by Baltikums Bank this year. Four interns with the best performance received cash prizes at the end of the programme.

In-depth professional practice like this will be organised for students again next year. 

Ingrīda Šmite
Public Relations Manager
ingrida.smite@baltikums.eu