The Standard Lesotho Bank (SLB) has once again demonstrated its commitment to supporting Basotho youth beyond just financial aid with the Future Flex program, which includes organizing career expos for secondary and high school students.
This year, SLB organized the 14th Annual Standard Lesotho Bank Career Expo, a five-day event held nationwide. The expo aimed to connect ambitious Basotho youth with various career opportunities and was supported by 35 institutions in Lesotho and South Africa, with professional bodies explaining different career options.
“The Standard Lesotho Bank Career Expo is a cornerstone of our commitment to empowering Basotho youth and shaping the future of Lesotho’s workforce,” said SLB CEO Anton Nicolaisen. “We aim to unlock prosperity through education as it plays a critical role.”
The opening ceremony was officiated by Nicolaisen and featured motivational speakers from both SLB and the broader community. Nicolaisen highlighted the expo’s focus on guiding students towards careers at the Polihali Dam site, part of the Lesotho Highlands Development Authority (LHDA).
“We are more than a Bank for our youth, but a good corporate citizen and a partner for education for Basotho,” Nicolaisen added. “We believe that as we grow our youth, they will become assets to this country and by extension, develop into a feeder market for our banking products when they enter the job market.”
Students learned about different engineering disciplines and witnessed engineering in action at Polihali, with Nicolaisen emphasizing SLB’s commitment to building, empowering, and setting up future Basotho leaders.
In 2022, SLB invested over 2.2 million in education. Econet Telecom Lesotho also supported students, particularly those from less privileged backgrounds or with outstanding performance, underlining the importance of investing in education as a national project.
The Standard Lesotho Bank Career Expo is a key part of the bank’s efforts to empower Basotho youth and shape Lesotho’s future workforce. The 2024 edition marked the 14th year of the expo, with the Bank serving as the headline sponsor. The event reaches over 10,000 students countrywide and is open to all youth, communities, and individuals.
The expo is part of the Bank’s Personal and Private Banking initiative, aiming to attract high school students to open accounts ahead of their tertiary education. It also seeks to nurture future leaders and inform them about career choices that contribute to Lesotho’s economic growth, demonstrating the Bank’s commitment to youth empowerment.
The Bank has invested M150,000 towards sponsoring the annual Career Expo, organized by Mind Liberation Psychology, which took place in various districts across Lesotho, including Mokhotlong, Butha Buthe, Berea, Quthing, and Maseru.
