The annual Education, Jobs and Career Symposium held by Business Publications is around the corner. This seminal event, unfolding over 07 and 08 February from 10am-5pm at the Caudan Arts Centre, boasts participation from leading companies including financial services players in Mauritius such as Intercontinental Trust Limited (ITL).
Based in Ebène, with over 200 professionals across Mauritius, Seychelles, South Africa, Dubai, and Singapore, ITL has been a key player in financial services since 1999. Now, the financial services firm continues to strengthen its position as an employer of choice while actively contributing to the development of Mauritian human capital by offering training and work experience opportunities to diverse profiles.
For those seeking flexible working arrangements in the aspirational financial services sector, read on to know more about the exciting iQuest programme, launched last year by ITL. Vidya Harnaran, Head of Human Capital, ITL, explains how this programme offers employment opportunities for students seeking part-time jobs and professionals looking to reconnect and re-engage in the corporate world – be it working mothers, those with disabilities, or retirees.
Edited excerpts from an exclusive interview with Vidya:
Could you tell us more about the participation of ITL at the Education, Jobs and Career Symposium being held at Caudan Arts Centre over this Friday and Saturday?
We are actively recruiting and have several applications at the moment. This fair is a golden opportunity for us to meet people, to share about the different opportunities that we have currently, and also to present the company and introduce ITL to people who don’t know about Intercontinental Trust in the financial services sector.
To provide a broader background, we regularly participate in job fairs. This particular career symposium is organised by La Sentinelle and Business Publications and we are glad to note that this symposium attracts a diverse profile set from students to experienced candidates.
What can the attendees expect from ITL’s participation in the fair?
We will have a dedicated booth set up at the fair, which will feature representatives from the different departments that are recruiting.
Interested candidates will be able to meet our representatives and our staff from the different teams looking for candidates. They will be able to connect, to ask questions about the different jobs that we do at the organisation, and how is it like to work for Intercontinental Trust as well.
Could you elaborate on the iQuest programme itself?
The iQuest Programme is a program designed for people who cannot work on a full-time basis. At ITL, we firmly believe that our people are the driving force behind our growth. This initiative was designed to address current labour market challenges and meet the evolving needs of the Mauritian workforce.
First and foremost, iQuest can be a good fit for students who are studying for any qualification, and have a certain number of hours of free time. The iQuest programme allows them to work in their spare time and earn some money.
Plus, this programme is not only for students, but also for working parents, especially mothers who have to care for their babies or children. For instance, when their children go to school, such mothers might have a few hours of spare time that they can dedicate to work. Then, there are also many mothers who have had to take a career break, but they don’t want to resume full-time work. In that case, they might be better off with embarking on a part-time role under the iQuest programme.
Further, this programme is equally meant for other professionals who wish to pursue a part-time opportunity. Under this programme, we are also open to recruiting people who have disabilities and cannot work on a full-time basis as well as retirees who have some time to spare and wish to stay active in the world of work.
Ultimately, we value diversity in the workforce at ITL.
What are the special features that the iQuest programme offers to these diverse profiles?
The candidates who are joining the organisation under this programme will be able to decide the number of hours that they need to work. Moreover, we are also flexible on the time slots.
We are flexible and can craft arrangements that consider the availability of the candidate and the requirements of the manager. Thus, the needs of both the candidate and the organisation are taken into account for arriving at flexible work arrangements under the iQuest programme.
What kind of training and work experience opportunities does ITL offer these profiles?
At the outset, we have a detailed training module for everyone joining the company under the iQuest programme. The training programme has been customised to such candidates in order to introduce them to the company, the different departments, and the various tasks that are being done in such departments.
Then, they also receive on-the-job training. While the on-the-job training obviously differs by role, there is a basic module which is common and serves to introduce them to ITL, the different profiles and the various jobs.
In terms of special work experience opportunities that are extended to those recruited under the iQuest programme, if the concerned candidates are available for a full-time position, they can apply for a switch. If and when we have the right vacancy, we will definitely consider them.
What departments are you currently recruiting for, and what skill sets do these candidates need to possess?
Currently, we are recruiting primarily for the accounting department, and different positions in the company secretarial team. In addition, we have vacancies in the finance team and positions available in the administration department and the support functions as well.
In terms of skill sets, the requirement depends on the level that we are recruiting. Regardless, all candidates get the benefit of the internal training programme that is designed for them to learn the job.
Normally, we recruit graduates for entry level positions, and then they grow with the company. We provide them support and study assistance schemes to pursue professional qualifications like ICSA, ACCA or ICAEW. We accompany them for these aspirational qualifications. Freshers also get some basic working one-on-one training. They get training on grooming, how to display professionalism, and to familiarise themselves with key aspects across the world of work.
Then, if we are recruiting people with experience, they need to possess particular skills like managing a team, and to be able to communicate with clients as well as internal stakeholders.
How long has this programme been run by ITL, and how many people have benefited from it?
We have been running the programme since June/July last year. It is a relatively new programme, but we already have five people working under iQuest. We hope to use the job fair to recruit more people for the iQuest programme and look forward to participating in the symposium later this week and meeting with interested candidates.
