We use cookies to improve your experience on our website. By continuing to browse, you agree to our use of cookies
7 November 2019
On 15 February 2019, Rockets Bryanston restaurant erupted into thunderous cheers and applause as the third year Nedbank Chartered Accountant (CA) Trainees received their 2018 Assessment of Professional Competence (APC) results. The entire group of 10 trainees, had all passed their 2018 APC exam. Additionally, Nedbank distinguished itself as the only banking CA Training Programme (CATP) to feature on the Honours Roll with not one, but two trainees!
Shortly after the celebration, Nedbank CATP training manager Lerato Mokwape-Mathibela sat down for a conversation with the two honourees: Mark Champion and Greg Rowan, who hardly had a moment’s rest from being invited to various interviews and meetings by leaders and reporters wanting to know more about their achievements.
Greg and Mark are third-year trainees in the Nedbank CATP and have some remarkable insights for final year students looking to explore the world of banking, each highlighting their own career trajectory and how that led them to Nedbank. The programme was the first of its kind that allowed CAs the opportunity to train as Chartered Accountants outside of the audit firm route.
They commended the valuable insights they gained into the world of banking. Both encourage students in their final year to think carefully about where they want to complete their articles and to get a fuller picture of their options. “There is always this huge fear that the banking recruitment process is so competitive… but if you don’t try, you’ll never know. If you see a career for yourself in banking, that determination shows through in the selection process - that level of confidence is ultimately what they’re looking for,” says Greg. “Find a company with ethics and morals that align with yours. The Nedbank CA Training Programme is all about being
smart with heart. As financial experts who do good, there is a strong sense of social responsibility within Nedbank.”
“I’ve been telling my friends and family that I wanted to become a Chartered Accountant since I was six years old. I didn’t know what it was back then, but my dad’s boss was a Chartered Accountant and he seemed pretty cool,” jokes Mark when asked why he chose to become a CA.
Greg and Mark both mention that universities do not necessarily expose students to the world of banking in terms of what it offers a CA trainee and the career options available for a qualified CA. They advise students to actively seek out these options.
“The Nedbank CA Training Programme is a door that opens a world of opportunities - something not many careers can offer you. On the programme you realise that banks are the engine of our economy,” says Mark.
For Nedbank to have two Honours Roll graduates and a 100% pass rate for 2018 APC, is made even more remarkable by the fact that the programme has achieved a consecutive 100% success rate for the 5th year running.
When asked what she attributes the success of the programme to, Lerato highlighted “the support it receives from the Nedbank leadership, and our rigorous selection process...”
A graduate of the programme herself, Lerato is the perfect candidate to oversee it and steer it into the future. “Our programme takes a holistic approach to development. Students get to obtain practical CA skills, business and leadership knowledge, but they also get to make an impact in society as the programme has a strong socio-economic development component. We aim to not only produce exceptional CAs, but to truly prepare leaders who epitomise what it means to use their skill and influence for good.”
In the 21 years that the programme has been running, it has trained and developed over 140 sought-after CA professionals who are world-class business leaders, making it one of South Africa’s flagship drivers of sustainable graduate development.
This information is intended for general information purposes only and does not constitute legal advice.
When it’s your first time buying property and applying for a home loan, you are bound to be anxious and worried about the process.
Applying for vehicle finance may seem like a difficult process, but if you know what to look out for, it should be quick and easy.