Great Eastern offers 1,000 vacancies for agents, over 300 for trainees and interns

Great Eastern's specialised programme will offer complimentary financial planning and self-improvement lessons. ST PHOTO: KUA CHEE SIONG

SINGAPORE (THE BUSINESS TIMES) - Great Eastern Holdings is offering vacancies, traineeships and internships to give job seekers, graduates and students opportunities amid the economic and employment uncertainty brought about by Covid-19, it said on Tuesday (June 2).

Up to 1,000 vacancies will be available for those looking to join the insurer's growing agency force.

The company is running a specialised programme this month, named The Lifeproof Academy, to provide support and mentorship to those interested in financial planning as a career.

The programme will also offer complimentary financial planning and self-improvement lessons to help attendees get financially savvier.

In addition, Great Eastern is offering over 200 traineeship positions of up to 12 months, under the government's SGUnited Traineeships Programme. These will be available to graduates from the Institute of Technical Education, polytechnics, universities and other private institutions.

Trainees will pick up skills and experience under one of three tracks­: the digital and technology track, business track, or corporate and governance track. They will be supported by structured on-the-job training, virtual coaching, and comprehensive e-learning programmes, said OCBC Bank's insurance arm.

It added that it will continue its corporate management associate programme for university graduates.

Meanwhile, over 100 internship placements are available to students from institutes of higher learning. These internships will provide insights into the insurance industry and operations, and prepare students for the workforce.

Great Eastern group chief executive Khor Hock Seng said the company hoped to kickstart the careers of those interested in financial planning and insurance.

"(These people) in turn will be able to contribute to the wider economy in the future, especially as current circumstances caused by Covid-19 could last well beyond the year," he added.

Shares of Great Eastern were trading at $18.58 as at 3.39pm after the announcement, up $0.02 or 0.1 per cent.

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