Banque Saudi Fransi Launches the Digital Engineering Apprenticeship Program in partnership with AstroLabs
Banque Saudi Fransi (BSF) announces the launch of its Digital Engineering Apprenticeship Program in partnership with AstroLabs, a capability building company contributing to the development of the MENA region digital ecosystem. Through the first digital apprenticeship program in the banking sector, BSF strives to harness software engineering talents and skills in an interactive training experience. Over a span of 6 months, the program offers an extensive experience that combines learning and application of web development key principles and ends with a hands-on project that attempts to solve real world problems.
Attracting the best engineering talents in the field of digital financial services, the program involves regular assessment and evaluation through senior engineers who assess the program’s progress and outputs. The program also offers pairing and mentorship to ensure that all apprentices are fully supported and have every opportunity to learn.
“We are delighted to support BSF’s endeavors to boost top Saudi talents and build the capacities of future leaders. Through our partnership with government entities, private sector leaders and fast-paced startups, we’ve been committed to the growth of the tech ecosystem in Saudi Arabia since 2013. We are extremely proud to help equip highly talented Saudi fresh graduates with the technical and soft skills, which they need to embark on their new journey in the coding careers”, said Roland Daher, CEO of AstroLabs.
Praising this successful partnership, Reema Siyam, Head of Learning and Talent Management at Banque Saudi Fransi, was quoted as saying “Today marks an exciting new chapter in BSF’s digital journey. We are taking the traditional concept of apprenticeship and applying it to digital learning, giving newcomers to the trade on-the-job training with the support of experts and mentors. I am happy to introduce our first Digital Engineering Apprenticeship Program in partnership with AstroLabs. We take pride in this partnership, which aims to build digital engineers’ capabilities through different learning experiences along with ongoing support and guidance from our team.”
The BSF's commitment to keep up with the highest international standards in quality management and customer service was further emphasized by the Banque Saudi Fransi Academy’s success in receiving the ISO certification from the International Organization for Standardization, as the first Banking Academy in KSA to earn this certificate.
