LOOKING ABROAD
Flexibility is the key to success
The 2008 graduates of Butterfi eld’s Management Training Programme left to right: Zuri Darrell, Ebony Fray and Jache Adams.
In today’s economic climate, it is increasingly important for college graduate/ entry-level business professionals to be fl exible, adaptable and capable of making the most of unexpected opportunities.
T
o capitalise on opportunities as they emerge, it is imperative that candidates are properly prepared.
Butterfi eld’s Management Training Programme (MTP) offers this kind of preparation by providing recent university graduates with an opportunity to develop the skills necessary to succeed in the world of work.
The 18-month programme provides candidates with hands-on training and experience throughout Butterfi eld’s core departments.
While in the MTP, candidates are provided with guidance by experienced mentors.
In addition to departmental rotations, management trainees (MTs) are also tasked with promoting Butterfi eld as an employer of choice for young people.
This requires Butterfi eld’s MTs to organise, manage and host a series of events for the local community, catering to the target demographic.
These requirements allow MTs to not only gain an in-depth knowledge of the bank’s core departments, but also help to develop the time management, project management and leadership skills of its trainees.
US car racer Bobby Unser once said that “success is where opportunity and preparation meet”. If we believe this statement to be true, there is no one better to attest to the merits of Butterfi eld’s MTP than the graduates themselves.
Upon completion of the programme in December 2009, three graduates of Butterfi eld’s 2008 MTP—Jache Adams (25), Ebony Fray (24) and Zuri Darrell (24)—were presented with the unique opportunity to assist with a special project. This required that they be seconded to Butterfi eld’s Cayman offi ces. The three former MTs say that their experiences in the MTP groomed them for success in their current roles with Butterfi eld Cayman.
A graduate of the Bermuda College with a Bachelor of Commerce from St. Mary’s University, Ebony Fray is now in Cayman working as the project’s training co-ordinator. Her team is responsible for the planning, development and delivery of all materials necessary for the project in Cayman. She works closely with the organisational readiness team to ensure that people are confi dent about their work, and are aware of technical and process changes that will have an effect on it.
18 FAST TRACK / Careers module / 2010-2011
Ebony says: “The MTP prepared me by teaching me the necessary skills to work with different personalities. Despite our obvious similarities, there are also signifi cant differences between us that we are adamant about acknowledging. The MTP taught me how to manoeuvre personality and communication disparities and to work in harmony so that the end result is a success.”
Zuri Darrell, deputy core team leader for the project in Cayman, echoes Ebony’s sentiments. “The MTP was huge in developing us for this unprecedented opportunity. The banking knowledge gained during our rotations was critical for problem-solving. Also, the group activities of executing projects by deadlines and at a certain standard were also very benefi cial.”
Zuri also sees the importance of leadership and adaptability in his new role. “You must always follow tasks through to the end. I have had many experiences dealing with a range of personalities. Once you understand someone’s personality, it is easier to understand how they work and what to expect from them.”
The opportunity to work abroad has proven to be benefi cial for all three former MTs. As a large company operating in numerous jurisdictions, all the core Butterfi eld standards are present in Cayman. However, differences in people and culture always exist.
According to Zuri, “Cayman is much less formal overall. There are only about 350 staff, and everyone calls the managing director by his fi rst name. The dress code is more casual too. The men are not required to wear ties.”
Ebony says: “Executives, tellers and temps, we’re all on a fi rst-name basis here. The age demographic is much younger here, which has made it very easy to fi t in.”
Jache Adams, deputy leader of organisational readiness for the project in Cayman, says the constructive criticism he received while in the MTP was benefi cial to his skill development. “I learned to accept that the feedback that I received wasn’t meant to break me down but rather to build me up.”
Jache adds: “Since being in Cayman, I’ve learned about the power of patience and how our reaction to certain situations ultimately shapes the outcome of the fi nal product.”
Ebony Fray is a training co-ordinator at Butterfi eld. She can be contacted at:
ebony.fray@butterfi
eldgroup.com
Jache Adams is an organisational readiness co-ordinator at Butterfi eld. He can be contacted at:
jache.adams@butterfi
eldgroup.com
Zuri Darrell is deputy core team leader at Butterfi eld. He can be contacted at: zuri.darrell@butterfi
eldgroup.com
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