The third annual Cayman Finance Student Education & Work Experience Programme recently launched with an orientation event for all programme’s stakeholders.

The 2017 programme welcomed 65 Caymanian students, was open to high schools in Grand Cayman and Cayman Brac, and consists of three key components including-class workshops, one-on-one coaching with mentors from Cayman Finance member firms and a four week work experience placement.

Mentors and students met one another for the first time and heard a short overview of the programme presented by Jude Scott, CEO of Cayman Finance; Christen Suckoo, Chief Officer, Ministry of Education, Employment and Gender Affairs, and André Ebanks, Senior Legislative Policy Advisor, Ministry of Financial Services, Commerce and Environment.

“We are extremely pleased with the tremendous success of this programme and cannot thank our partners, mentors and facilitators enough for donating their valuable time,” Cayman Finance CEO Jude Scott said. “This is truly a one-of-a-kind opportunity to create pathways for these young, talented Caymanians to learn from the best in the industry.”

“Programmes like this are invaluable to the financial services industry as well as the well-being of our wider community,” Mr Ebanks said. “It is extremely important that we educate our young people on the role of the industry in our country as well as globally so they may go out and be ambassadors for Cayman.”

“When we create programmes such as this for our youth it gives them an opportunity to experience the work force and get a real life experience of what their future career path may be,” Mr Suckoo said. “Our ministry is very passionate about this programme and we look forward to seeing its continued growth in the future.”

28 Cayman Finance member firms, plus the Ministry for Financial Services and the Cayman Islands Monetary Authority are involved in the programme this year as either mentors, facilitators or with work placements.

The programme is a public-private partnership primarily coordinated and funded by Cayman Finance, with support from The Ministry of Education and the Ministry for Financial Services.

For more information about Cayman Finance, please visit www.caymanfinance.ky

Photo Caption 1 (L to R): André Ebanks, Senior Legislative Policy Advisor, Ministry of Financial Services, Commerce and Environment; Jude Scott, CEO of Cayman Finance; Christen Suckoo, Chief Officer, Ministry of Education, Employment and Gender Affairs

Photo Caption 2: Cayman Finance Student Education & Work Experience Programme Student participants and mentors meeting at the Orientation Event

Photo Caption 3: Jude Scott, CEO of Cayman Finance speaking at the 2017 Cayman Finance Student Education & Work Experience Programme Orientation Event